Crashes, insurance and registration in Louisiana

By the end of this topic you can

• You can follow the steps to take after a crash.
• You can explain when to move a car off the road.
• You can state Louisiana's minimum liability insurance.
• You can list the documents to keep in the vehicle.
• You can describe how to title and register a car.

What you need to know and understand

• If you are involved in a crash, you must stop, identify yourself and give reasonable help. Leaving can bring a fine and jail.
• Louisiana's minimum liability insurance is 15/30/25: $15,000 for one person's injuries, $30,000 for all injuries in one crash and $25,000 for property damage.
• Your insurance card must be in the car at all times. If you cannot show it, an officer can seize your license plate and you have three business days to prove coverage at an OMV office.
• Under 'No Pay, No Play', an uninsured driver cannot collect the first $15,000 for injuries or the first $25,000 for property damage, whoever caused the crash.
• The registration certificate must be kept in the vehicle and shown when an officer asks.
• If you buy a used car, you have five days from the sale to apply for a title in your name.
• If you hit an unattended vehicle or property, you must notify the police, try to find the owner and leave your contact details.

After a crash, step by step

1. Stop as soon as it is safe. Warn other traffic and turn off the engines.
2. Check everyone for injuries and call 911, asking for an ambulance if in doubt.
3. If no one is hurt and the cars can move, steer them to the shoulder or nearest safe spot, as Louisiana's Steer It Clear rule asks.
4. Exchange names, addresses, plate numbers, license numbers and insurance details. Show your license if asked.
5. Take photos and note witnesses, the date, time and weather.
6. Ask the officer for the report item number, then notify your insurer as soon as practical.

Watch out for staged crashes

Louisiana's guide warns about fraud rings that stage crashes. Avoid tailgating, call the police every time, record how many people were in each car, and be wary of strangers at the scene who ask about lawyers or doctors or push a tow truck you did not call. Our deeper guide on Louisiana staged accident warning signs covers this in detail.

Titles, plates and inspections

Title and register a car at an OMV office or a licensed public tag agent, which charges extra. Car plates normally last two years. New residents must transfer the title and registration of vehicles they bring. Change your address on the registration within 10 days of moving.

Louisiana has long required an annual inspection sticker. Act 701 of the 2026 legislative session ends that safety inspection for most personal vehicles and replaces it with a new vehicle identification sticker, and officers may not ticket a missing inspection sticker between June 30, 2026 and January 1, 2027. Parishes with federal emissions testing may still need checks, so confirm the current rule with OMV before you rely on it.

Common mistakes

• Leaving damaged cars in a live lane after a minor crash when they could be moved safely.
• Driving off after scraping a parked car without leaving a note or calling police.
• Keeping the insurance card at home. It must be in the vehicle.
• Letting a tow truck that just appeared take your car to a shop you have never heard of.

Test yourself: Crashes, insurance and registration in Louisiana

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Louisiana Staged Accident Warning Signs and Insurance Fraud
• How to Get a Driver’s License in Louisiana
• Louisiana 6 Hour Pre-Licensing Course for Adult Drivers