Who requires it
Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission / Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission
License & permit · Louisiana
Louisiana Motor Vehicle Dealer Bond
Louisiana uses two statewide dealer commissions with different bond amounts. The Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission requires a $20,000 bond before issuing a motor vehicle or recreational products dealer license under R.S. 32:1254. The Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission requires a continuing $50,000 surety bond under R.S. 32:791 for used motor vehicle dealer licenses. Used-dealer licenses issued under the LMVC Chapter instead of LUMVC follow a separate $10,000-per-location schedule in R.S. 32:1254(F).
Common bond amount
$10,000 / $20,000 / $50,000
LMVC motor vehicle/RP dealer $20,000; LMVC Chapter used-dealer locations $10,000 each; LUMVC used dealer $50,000 continuing.
How you file
File the commission’s bond form with the Motor Vehicle Commission or Used Motor Vehicle Commission
Renewal
New bond or continuation each license period; maintain without gaps
Who requires it
Applicants and licensees for LMVC motor vehicle or recreational products dealer licenses, LUMVC used motor vehicle dealer licenses, and—when applicable—used motor vehicle dealer or facility licenses issued under R.S. 32:1254(F). Confirm which commission licenses your activity before ordering a bond; franchise new-vehicle operations and independent used-dealer operations are not interchangeable filings.
How much is required
R.S. 32:1254 sets a fixed $20,000 amount for motor vehicle or recreational products dealer licenses delivered to the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission, payable to the secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections for the benefit of persons who suffer loss from contract breaches or Chapter violations. The same statute sets $10,000 per location for used motor vehicle dealer licenses under that Chapter. R.S. 32:791 sets a fixed continuing $50,000 surety bond for Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission used motor vehicle dealers. Amounts do not scale with unit sales on these schedules.
How to get and file it
Identify the licensing commission and statute that apply to your dealership. Have an authorized Louisiana surety complete the commission-approved form at the correct amount in the exact licensed name, then deliver the original to the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission or the Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission with the license application or renewal package. LUMVC publishes an official $50,000 bond form whose text must not be altered. Keep the bond in force for the license period. LMVC materials require a new bond or continuation certificate at the start of each license period; failure to maintain the bond suspends the license, and lack of proof within thirty days leads to revocation. LUMVC likewise requires a new bond or continuation at each license period; cancellation without a replacement revokes the used-dealer license as of the cancellation date.
Cost note
Twenty thousand, ten thousand, or fifty thousand dollars is the required bond amount for the matching license track, not the premium you pay. See bond amount vs premium. Bond amount vs premium →
Requirement checklist
- LMVC new / RP dealer
- $20,000 under R.S. 32:1254; payable to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections secretary via LMVC
- LMVC Chapter used dealer / facility
- $10,000 per location under R.S. 32:1254(F)
- LUMVC used dealer
- $50,000 continuing surety bond under R.S. 32:791
- Forms
- Commission-approved forms only; LUMVC posts an official unaltered $50,000 PDF
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Which bond does a Louisiana used-car lot need?
Most independent used motor vehicle dealers license with the Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission and post the $50,000 R.S. 32:791 bond. If your used operation is instead licensed under the LMVC Chapter provisions in R.S. 32:1254(F), that statute uses $10,000 per location. Confirm the commission on your license paperwork before ordering.
Does one bond cover every Louisiana dealer location?
Under R.S. 32:1254(F), used motor vehicle dealer licenses on that LMVC track need $10,000 for each location. LUMVC’s $50,000 instrument is a continuing dealer bond under R.S. 32:791—follow LUMVC instructions if you add locations. LMVC’s $20,000 motor vehicle or recreational products dealer bond is the amount for that license class as written in § 1254.
Related Louisiana bond guides
Mortgage Lender Bond
$25,000 or $50,000
Louisiana residential mortgage lenders, mortgage brokers, and mortgage loan originators license through the Office of Financial Institutions on NMLS. R.S. 6:1088 requires a surety bond naming OFI. The amount is $25,000 when prior-calendar-year Louisiana residential loan volume is under $100,000,000, and $50,000 when that volume is $100,000,000 or greater.
Money Transmitter Bond
$25,000–$500,000
Louisiana money transmitters and sellers of checks license with the Office of Financial Institutions under the Sale of Checks and Money Transmission Act. R.S. 6:1037 requires a surety bond—or approved cash or securities deposit—of at least $25,000 for the first license year, with renewals sized from outstanding checks or annual transmission volume, ordinarily capped at $500,000.
Public Adjuster Bond
$50,000
Louisiana public adjusters must show $50,000 of financial responsibility before the Department of Insurance issues the license. R.S. 22:1701 accepts either a surety bond from an authorized insurer or an irrevocable letter of credit from a qualified Louisiana financial institution. The Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) will not issue the license until the original bond form is on file.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Continue with a Louisiana application
Louisiana will be preselected. Choose your bond type in the application—we confirm the correct product against your agency form before anything is issued.
Last verified 2026-08-11. This guide is based on verified educational content and official sources.
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