Louisiana is a little old-fashioned when it comes to updating your address at the OMV. You won’t be able to go online or through the mail—instead, you need to make an appointment to go down to the OMV in person.

If you’re moving within Louisiana

If you’re going from

Shreveport

Baton Rouge

, or from Carrollton to the Garden District in

New Orleans

, you’ll need to update your address with the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV). Once you

make an appointment

, the process should be fairly straightforward.

Make sure you have your current

Louisiana driver’s license

, proof of residency, and

proof of car insurance

at your appointment. You’ll also need to pay a $13 fee for a four-year license or a $17 fee for a six-year license. There may be local fees as well, but that depends on where you live.

MORE:

Does my car insurance cover me if I move to a new city?

If you’re moving to Louisiana from another state

There are a couple of extra steps for updating your Louisiana address if you’re moving from another state, but it isn’t much more complicated. Once again, you’ll need to complete this process in person.

You’ll need to gather the following documents before you head to the OMV:

Out-of-state driver’s license

A birth certificate, passport, or military ID

Proof of Social Security, like your Social Security card or a W-2, or another photo ID

Proof of Louisiana residency

Proof of insurance for any vehicle you own

You must be able to prove your identity with the above documents when you apply for your new Louisiana driver’s license. Bring any supporting documents just in case, like documents that show you’ve changed your name.

Once you have your documents together, you can head to your appointment at the

nearest OMV

. There, you will apply for your license and pay any associated fees. The fee for a new license is $32.25.

You will also need to update your vehicle’s registration with the Louisiana OMV—a separate visit from updating your address. You have 30 days within moving to Louisiana to take care of your address change and vehicle registration.

MORE:

How to switch car insurance companies when you move to a new state

Other steps for a Louisiana change of address

Don’t forget to

update your address

with the United States Postal Service (USPS) and change your voter registration after you move. These steps are easy to overlook but are crucial to making your life easier.

Make safe driving pay

Get rewarded for safe driving. Earn points and unlock benefits. Totally free.

Start earning now

How to notify your insurance company of your Louisiana change of address

The last step to updating your address after a Louisiana move is to update your

car insurance

company for the most accurate rates.

You can easily update your address by calling your insurance agent or going to your provider’s app or online portal where you can also double-check the terms of your policy. Give your insurance company a call if you have any questions about the process.

Why notifying your insurance company of a change of address is so important

Getting into an accident after a big move and learning that you don’t have the insurance coverage you thought you’d been paying for is a nightmare scenario.

Louisiana's car insurance laws

require a minimum amount of liability insurance, and you could face serious penalties if you’re a resident who’s not in compliance.

So why is it a big deal to update your insurance company if you’re moving within the state and are meeting the minimum requirements already? Insurance companies evaluate the risk of insuring you set your rate by your address. It can be considered insurance fraud to lie to your insurer about where you live.

If you are found guilty of insurance fraud, you had better believe you’ll be paying the max for car, home, and renter’s insurance. That’s why you should update your address with your insurer as soon as you can.

MORE:

The 8 places you need to notify when you’re moving

"I’m earning

awesome rewards

every week, just for driving safe!”

“
Jerry
handles everything from finding quotes to signing on new policies right in the app. No more filling out hundreds of forms! Thank you, Jerry, for helping my move to a new state feel hassle-free.” —Dolores T.