Louisiana $90 Vehicle Use Tax Cap for Arriving Veterans
A veteran or military retiree moving to Louisiana pays $90 in state and local vehicle use tax instead of the full amount, on one primary personal vehicle, if it is registered within 90 days of the move.
Also called: vehicle use tax, $90, new resident, 90 days, primary personal vehicle, military retiree, moving to Louisiana, registration, OMV.
This is a small-sounding benefit with a large number attached, and it expires 90 days after you arrive.
State and local use taxes on a motor vehicle brought into Louisiana from another state by a new resident, including veterans and military retirees, are limited to $90 for the vehicle use tax. Without it, use tax on a vehicle brought into the state is assessed against the vehicle's value at combined state and local rates, which in much of Louisiana runs close to 10 percent. On a recent vehicle that is a four-figure difference.
Three conditions, and each one has disqualified somebody.
The vehicle must be the veteran's or military retiree's primary personal vehicle. This is one vehicle, not a household fleet, and not a boat trailer or a second car.
It must have been previously registered or leased in another state. A vehicle bought new on arrival in Louisiana is an ordinary Louisiana purchase and this does not apply.
And it must be registered within 90 days of moving to Louisiana. That is the deadline that costs people the benefit, because a permanent change of station or a retirement move is exactly the period when registering a car slips. Put it on the calendar the week you arrive.
Take the discharge or retirement documentation to the Office of Motor Vehicles along with the out-of-state registration and proof of the move date. Ask for the provision by name, because it is a limitation on use tax rather than an exemption and it is applied at the counter.
While you are there, two other things are worth doing in the same visit. A veteran can have a VETERAN designation added to a Louisiana driver's license or ID, and a veteran at 50 percent or more can get a free license or ID and a free specialty plate, both covered in their own entry. Doing all of it in one trip saves a second appointment, and OMV appointments in Louisiana are not quick.
Note that a privatized office handling Office of Motor Vehicles business may not apply veteran fee waivers, so for the fee-waived items in particular use a state OMV office rather than a public tag agent.
Thresholds
Thresholds for Louisiana $90 Vehicle Use Tax Cap for Arriving Veterans
Gate
Rule
Registered within 90 days of moving to Louisiana
The vehicle must be registered within 90 days of the move. This is the condition most often missed, and it cannot be recovered afterwards. No disability rating applies, so the rating filter never hides this benefit.
One primary personal vehicle, previously registered out of state
The vehicle must be the veteran’s or military retiree’s primary personal vehicle and must have been previously registered or leased in another state. A vehicle purchased after arriving in Louisiana does not qualify.
Veterans and military retirees among new residents
The limitation applies to new residents generally, including veterans and military retirees. It is a cap on the use tax rather than an exemption from registration.
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Disclaimer
VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.