In many areas, the state department handling driver’s licenses, vehicle registration, and similar matters are called the Department of Motor Vehicles or DMV. In Louisiana, this same division of state government is known as the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles or OMV, but it has the same function as a DMV in other states.
The OMV operates over 60 field offices in cities and parishes all around the state of Louisiana. OMV field office locations include New Orleans, Shreveport, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Denham Springs, and Baton Rouge. In addition, many state residents can renew driver’ licenses and conduct other transactions using the online Louisiana OMV ExpressLane service.
Services Available at Louisiana OMV
If you are in Louisiana, the OMV is where you need to go to:
• apply for or renew a driver’s license
• take written and road tests for licenses
• register vehicles, including trailers
• change or replace vehicle title documents
• pay fees for reinstatement of a suspended license
• apply for a state ID card
• submit applications and take tests for commercial driver’s licenses
Because OMV in Louisiana provides so many important services for residents, field offices are busy. Making an appointment in advance can save you hours of waiting time.
Louisiana OMV Hours
Most Louisiana DMV offices are open from 8 AM to 4 PM, but each office may have restricted hours or days of operation for particular services. For example, driver road tests at some field offices in Louisiana are only available between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. by appointment. Be sure to check with the field office you are doing business with to find out their hours for the services you need.
Payment for services at Louisiana OMV offices can be made in cash or by credit card, debit card, money order, or personal check. Installment plans for payment of OMV fees are available on a limited basis.
Louisiana OMV Express Lane Services
Louisiana residents can save time by doing many types of OMV business at home with a personal computer over the Internet. This service is called OMV ExpressLane, and it is available 24 hours a day, every day with the only exception being that credit card transactions cannot be made between 11:50 PM and 12:10 AM CT.
At online Louisiana OMV ExpressLane customers can renew driver’s licenses and state ID card in five, simple steps by entering their renewal information, viewing the fees, authorizing payment, printing a receipt, and filling out an optional customer satisfaction survey at the end.
To be eligible for using ExpressLane OMV services, the driver must first receive a computer generated renewal notice by mail from OMV. A valid MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or Discover credit or debit card and a computer with Internet Explorer 5.0 or Netscape 4.73 or above browser and Internet access.
Changes of personal information cannot be done using ExpressLane OMV. Visit a field office in person if you need to make these changes. Also, ExpressLane OMV cannot be used to renew consecutive licenses. After renewing once online, you are then required to do the next renewal in person.