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How to get a used car dealer license in Louisiana

You file a paper application with the Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission, with a $50,000 bond, garage liability insurance and at least one salesperson application. A four-hour seminar and a site inspection are part of the process, and licenses run on a two-year district cycle.

  • Sourced to LUMVC
  • Checked October 2026
  • Free
License
Used motor vehicle dealer license
Surety bond
$50,000
State fee
$400 for two years
Pre-license course
4-hour seminar
Background check
Conviction disclosure, $50 if yes
License term
2 years, expires December 31
What the state asks for

Louisiana dealer license requirements

The figures a first-time used car dealer needs before applying to LUMVC. Each row shows how well it is supported.

Surety bond
$50,000Official source

A continuing surety bond on the commission's own form (or its exact wording), payable to the State of Louisiana through the commission, with the power of attorney attached. A second location needs its own bond.

State license fee
$400 for two yearsOfficial source

Application fee for a used dealer's license. Each salesperson license is $25 a year, and every dealership needs at least one. An additional location is $200.

Pre-license education
4-hour seminarOfficial source

An owner, salesperson, general manager, office manager or title clerk attends the commission's four-hour seminar. Finish it before licensing, or show you are registered and attend within 60 days after the license is issued.

Background check
Conviction disclosure, $50 if yesOfficial source

The application asks about convictions in the past ten years. Anyone convicted of, or who pled guilty to, a crime other than a traffic violation in that period pays $50 for a criminal history check. No fingerprints are listed.

Insurance
Garage liability, $55,000 minimumOfficial source

A garage liability policy covering vehicles held for sale or driven on the road. The packet sets minimum limits of $55,000. The Acord certificate must name the commission as certificate holder and list all insured salespeople.

Business location
Enclosed building, 16 sq ft signOfficial source

A permanently enclosed building you own, lease or rent, with an office, a permanent sign of at least 16 square feet, a phone listed in the business name and a zoning sign-off. The commission inspects it before licensing.

License term and renewal
2 years, expires December 31Official source

Dealer licenses run on a two-year cycle set by district and expire December 31. Districts 4 and 5 are on 2026 to 2027. Districts 1, 2 and 3 start a new cycle January 1, 2027. Renewal is $400. Salesperson licenses renew every year.

Sales allowed without a license
4 per 12 monthsOfficial source

You need a used motor vehicle dealer license once you sell five or more used motor vehicles in any twelve-month period.

Processing time
About 14 business daysOfficial source

The commission asks you to allow about 14 business days from the date it has the application, every required document and all fees. Applications are worked in the order received.

“Official source” means the state agency’s own page, form or law. Where the state’s sources did not settle a point, the row says so instead of showing a guess.

Who issues the license

Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission

License you apply for

Used motor vehicle dealer license

Official licensing page

Seminar timing and plate office: sources differ

The statute says a used dealer application comes with a seminar certificate, while the commission's seminar page and rule let you register and attend within 60 days after licensing. The seminar is called four hours, but the current virtual session is listed as 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The FAQ still points to the Office of Motor Vehicles for plates, but the October 2025 instructions have you apply at the commission.
Step by step

How to get a Louisiana dealer license

The order that works for a first application. Tick each step off as you finish it.

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  1. Form the business and confirm the right agency

    Independent used car lots are licensed by the Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission. Franchise (new vehicle) dealers go to a different agency, the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission. Register a corporation, LLC or partnership with the Louisiana Secretary of State, and use one business name on every document.

    sos.la.gov

  2. Secure the location, sign and phone

    Own, lease or rent a permanently enclosed building, then have the local zoning authority complete the Zoning Verification form. Install the permanent sign (at least 16 square feet, exact trade name) and get the business phone listed with 411. You send in a picture of the sign.

    LAC 46:V.2907

  3. Register for the four-hour seminar

    Return the Educational Training Seminar Registration form or register online. One owner, salesperson, general manager, office manager or title clerk must attend. If the seminar is not finished when the license is issued, it must be completed within 60 days.

    4-hour educational seminar

  4. Get the $50,000 bond and garage liability

    The bond must be on the commission's form or use its exact wording. It shows the bond number, the exact owner, trade name and physical address, and carries the surety's seal and power of attorney. The Acord certificate lists the commission as certificate holder and names all insured salespeople.

    La. R.S. 32:791 · $50,000

  5. Submit the initial packet on paper

    Mail or hand deliver the dealer application, at least one salesperson application, the bond, insurance certificate, zoning form, sign picture and fees to the commission in Baton Rouge. Initial applications cannot be filed online. Fees are $400 for the dealer license and $25 per salesperson.

    $400 + $25 per salesperson

  6. Pass the inspection and receive the licenses

    Applications are processed in the order received, and the commission asks for about 14 business days. It emails a letter if anything is missing and inspects the location before it issues the dealer and salesperson licenses. You may not operate until you hold the license.

    About 14 business days

  7. Order dealer plates after the license

    Dealer plates can be bought only once the dealer license is issued. Submit the Application for Dealer's License Plates (DPSMV 1640) with a copy of the license, a certificate of insurance and the fee. Plates are $15 each plus a $20 convenience fee, up to three per license and one more per insured licensed salesperson.

    DPSMV 1640 · $15 + $20 per plate

Practical advice

Give the surety the commission's bond form and your application's first page, then compare every name and address before anyone signs. The business name must match on the application, bond, insurance, sign and phone listing. Check your district's license cycle too. If it ends this December, ask the commission which license period your $400 covers before you file.

Before you apply

Seven things to settle before any state application: the business, the owners, the money and the property.

Read the startup playbook
The lot and the office

Louisiana dealer location requirements

What the state checks at the business address.

  • A permanently enclosed building or structure that you own, lease or rent and regularly occupy. Tents, temporary stands and bare lots do not qualify.
  • A suitable office at the location, where the books, records and files of the business are kept.
  • A permanently affixed sign in front of the business showing the exact trade name, visible from the street, at least 16 square feet (4 by 4 feet).
  • A working business phone (landline or cell) listed with directory assistance (411) under the business name and address.
  • A Zoning Verification form for the address, completed and signed by the local zoning authority.
  • The commission conducts a physical inspection of the location before it issues the license.
  • Two dealers may share a location only if each keeps a separate office, inventory, records, sign and phone listing.

Zoning comes first

A site that meets the state’s rules can still fail local zoning. Get written approval for vehicle sales from the city or county, and ask the landlord for a lease that depends on the license being issued, before you sign.
Once you are licensed

Keeping a Louisiana dealer license

Renewal and ongoing duties

Renew the dealer license every two years on your district's cycle and salesperson licenses yearly. Renewals after December 31 cost a $100 late fee per license type. Each renewal needs a bond continuation certificate and a current insurance certificate. Report a name, address or ownership change within 10 days, and send monthly sales reports with the Office of Motor Vehicles.

Federal rules that apply here too

  • The FTC Buyers Guide, posted on every used vehicle you offer for sale.
  • The FTC Safeguards Rule: a written plan for protecting customer financial information.
  • IRS Form 8300 when a customer pays more than $10,000 in cash.
  • A federal odometer disclosure on each transfer.
How each federal rule works
FAQ

Louisiana dealer license FAQ

The questions first-time dealers ask most.

How do I get a used car dealer license in Louisiana?

Set up an established place of business with a permanent sign, a listed phone and zoning sign-off. Then send the Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission the dealer application, at least one salesperson application, a $50,000 bond, a garage liability certificate and the fees. A representative attends the four-hour seminar, and the commission inspects the location before it issues the license.

How much is the dealer bond in Louisiana?

$50,000. La. R.S. 32:791 requires every used motor vehicle dealer to deposit a continuing surety bond in that amount with the commission, for the license period. It must be on the commission's bond form or use its exact wording, with the surety's power of attorney attached.

How much does a Louisiana dealer license cost?

The used dealer license application fee is $400 for a two-year license. Each salesperson license is $25 a year, and you need at least one. Dealer plates are $15 each plus a $20 convenience fee. An applicant with a conviction in the past ten years (other than a traffic violation) pays $50 for a criminal history check. The bond premium and insurance are separate.

Do I need a pre-licensing course in Louisiana?

Yes, a four-hour educational seminar run by the commission. The owner, a salesperson, the general manager, the office manager or the title clerk can attend. The commission's seminar page says new applicants complete it before licensing or show they have registered, and then attend within 60 days after the license is issued.

Can I get a Louisiana dealer license without a car lot?

You need an established place of business in a permanently enclosed building, with a permanent sign and a listed phone, and the commission inspects it. Tents, temporary stands and bare lots do not qualify. Selling only online does not change this. Whether a home address can qualify depends on your local zoning office.

How many cars can I sell in Louisiana without a dealer license?

Four in any twelve-month period. The Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission states that you need a used motor vehicle dealer license if you sell five or more used motor vehicles in any twelve-month period.

Sources

Checked October 2026. This is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Fees, bond amounts and forms change, and local zoning rules vary. Confirm current requirements with LUMVC or your attorney before you sign a lease or pay a fee.

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