Trailer registration
Trailer registration in Louisiana: the agency, the required documents, and the exact steps, sourced from Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV), Department of Public Safety & Corrections.
Who to contact
Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV), Department of Public Safety & Corrections
Visit the official Louisiana pageStep by step
Complete a Vehicle Application form (DPSMV 1799)
Submit ownership document (Manufacturer's Statement of Origin for new, or assigned certificate of title for used)
Provide itemized dealer invoice or notarized bill of sale
Provide a signed odometer disclosure statement
Provide UCC-1 or security agreement if the trailer is financed
Provide owner's valid photo ID and proof of liability insurance to obtain a plate
Pay fees at an OMV office or Public Tag Agent
What to bring
Fees & renewal
Fees
Boat trailer up to 1,500 lbs: $25.00 for 4 years; all other trailers: $10.00 annually. Title fee $68.50; handling fee $8.00.
Renewal
Renews varies by trailer type (boat trailer 4-year plate; other trailers annual).
Good to know
Registration required under R.S. 47:501 (owner of any trailer operated on public highways must register before use). Fee/cadence depend on trailer type and weight. Utility trailers are a separate fee category (see utility_trailer). General titling documents/process are the OMV new-title-and-registration steps.
More for Louisiana
General guidance
Most states require any trailer towed on public roads to carry a title or registration, but the agency, the paperwork, and whether the rule depends on trailer weight vary by state. Pick your state below for the sourced, step-by-step process.
Nearly every state asks for a title, a manufacturer’s certificate of origin, or a bill of sale before it will issue a registration or plate. A homemade or older trailer without a title usually needs a separate title-application process before registration.
A number of states only require registration above a set gross weight, or price the fee by weight class. Check your state’s page below for whether a weight threshold applies before you assume a small utility trailer is exempt.
Most states issue the trailer plate through a county tag office, license plate agent, or DMV field office rather than by mail from the state capital. Confirm the exact office in the state guide below before you drive over.
Common questions
Yes — Louisiana requires registration for this vehicle type. Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV), Department of Public Safety & Corrections handles it; see the steps above.
Louisiana lists a varies by trailer type (boat trailer 4-year plate; other trailers annual) renewal cadence for this vehicle type.
It depends on the state and, in several states, on the trailer’s weight. Some states exempt trailers under a set gross weight from registration entirely, while others require every trailer towed on public roads to carry a plate. Check your state’s guide below — never assume a small trailer is exempt without confirming with the agency listed there.
Homemade trailers and some older trailers were never titled. Most states have a bonded-title or title-application process for exactly this situation — it usually starts at the same agency that handles trailer registration. The state guide below names that agency.