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La. Rev. Stat. § 32:851 (2026)

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✓ current as of May 2026
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CHAPTER 5. MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY RESPONSIBILITY LAW

PART I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

§851. Definitions

           The following words and phrases, when used in this Chapter, shall, for the purposes of this Chapter, have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this Section, except in those instances where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

           (1) "Commissioner" means the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

           (2) "Judgment" means any judgment which shall have become final by expiration without appeal of the time within which a suspensive appeal might have been perfected or by final affirmation on appeal, rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction of any state or of the United States, upon a cause of action arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of any motor vehicle, for damages, including damages for care and loss of services, because of bodily injury to or death of any person, or for damages because of injury to or destruction of property including the loss of use thereof, or upon a cause of action on an agreement of settlement for such damages.

           (3) "License" means any license, temporary instruction permit, or temporary license issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the licensing of persons to operate motor vehicles.

           (4) "Mobile electronic device" means any small handheld computing or communications device that has a display screen with touch input or a miniature keyboard.

           (5) "Motor vehicle" means every self-propelled vehicle (except traction engines, road rollers, farm tractors, electric-assisted bicycles, tractor cranes, power shovels, and well drillers) and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead wires but not operated upon rails.

           (6) " Nonresident" means every person who is not a resident of this state but does not include persons dwelling outside of this state whose occupation or business requires them to spend one-half or more of their working hours in this state in pursuance of their business or employment.

           (7) " Nonresident's operating privileges" means the privileges conferred upon a nonresident by the laws of this state pertaining to the operation by him of a motor vehicle, or the use of a motor vehicle owned by him, in this state.

           (8) "Operator" means every person who is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle.

           (9) "Owner" means every person who holds the legal title to a motor vehicle or in the event a motor vehicle is the subject of an agreement for the conditional sale, lease, or transfer of the possession, however, thereof, with the right of purchase upon performance of the condition stated in the agreement and with an immediate right of possession vested in the conditional vendee, lessee, possessor, or in the event such or similar transaction is had by means of a mortgage, and the mortgagor of a vehicle is entitled to possession, then such conditional vendee, lessee, possessor, or mortgagor shall be deemed the owner for the purpose of this Chapter.

           (10) "Person" means every natural person, firm, co-partnership, association, or corporation.

           (11) "Proof of financial responsibility" means proof of ability to respond in damages for liability, on account of accidents occurring subsequent to the effective date of the proof, arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle in the amounts specified in R.S. 32:872 in reference to the acceptable limits of a policy or bond.

           (12) "Registration" includes a registration certificate or certificates and registration plates issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the registration of motor vehicles.

           (13) "State" means any state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any province of the Dominion of Canada.

           Acts 1952, No. 52, §1; Acts 1984, No. 237, §1; Acts 2012, No. 824, §1, eff. August 1, 2012; Acts 2020, No. 152, §1, eff. August 1, 2020.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 72 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1954–2024 · leading case: Clyde Boyett v. Redland Ins. Co., 741 F.3d 604 (5th Cir. 2014).
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Clyde Boyett v. Redland Ins. Co., 741 F.3d 604 (5th Cir. 2014). · cites it 4× “The Louisiana Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Law (“LMVSRL”), La. Rev. Stat. § 32:851 et seq., requires an owner to obtain minimum liability coverage for “[e]very self-propelled motor vehicle registered in this state,” subject to certain exceptions.”
Sensebe v. Canal Indem. Co., 58 So. 3d 441 (La. 2011). · cites it 2× “” We find that the “automobile business” exclusion in the insurance policy violates Louisiana’s public policy of requiring insurance coverage as expressed in the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Law, LSA-R.S. 32:851 to 1043. Most specifically, LSA-R.”
Marcus v. Hanover Ins. Co., Inc., 740 So. 2d 603 (La. 1999). · cites it 2× “R.S. 32:851 et seq. and, if so, whether the policy should be construed so as to provide coverage up to the full amount of the policy limits or the minimum amount required by state law.”
Kahl v. Chevalier, 188 So. 3d 449 (La. Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 2× “Chevalier: a motor vehicle liability policy as defined and governed by the Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Law (La, R.S.32:851, et seq.), particularly including La.”
Hollingsworth v. City of Minden, 828 So. 2d 514 (La. 2002). “R.S. 32:851; La. R.S. 40:2009.7; La. R.S.”
Gunn v. Auto. Cas. Ins. Co., 614 So. 2d 154 (La. Ct. App. 1993). · cites it 2× “Beyond strict construction, it seems to me that no offense to public policy may be shown by reference to the theory and approach embodied in the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Law, LSA-R.S. 32:851, et seq., and particularly in the Compulsory Motor Vehicle…”
Jones v. Henry, 542 So. 2d 507 (La. 1989). “For a self-insurer, this "proof of ability to respond in damages," R.S. 32:851(10), is a certificate indicating the state's satisfaction that the self-insurer has and will continue to have the ability to pay judgments.”
Collins v. Randall, 836 So. 2d 352 (La. Ct. App. 2002). “Nevertheless, *356 plaintiff contends that the exclusions are unenforceable, because they violate the requirements of the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Law, LSA-R.S. 32:851 et seq., and are in derogation of public policy.”
Kennedy v. Audubon Ins. Co., 82 So. 2d 91 (La. Ct. App. 1955). · cites it 2× “at the Louisiana Insurance Code prohibits the issuance of any insurance policy affording such limited protection to the insured and to the public; (2) that a defense based on such a limitation or exclusion of liability cannot be urged by the insurer against an injured third…”
Broussard v. Fields (In Re Fields), 203 B.R. 401 (Bankr. M.D. La. 1996). · cites it 2× “R.S. 32:851 et seq.). At the scheduling conference, this interpretation was borne out, Plaintiff acknowledging that he was in possession of no facts which would establish that the accident itself was caused by an intentional act on Defendant’s part.”
Abshire v. Desmoreaux, 970 So. 2d 1188 (La. Ct. App. 2007). “R.S. 32:851, et seq.). This court has previously recognized this distinction and has also held that La.”
Ashline v. Simon, 466 So. 2d 622 (La. Ct. App. 1985). “1981), and the Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Law, LSA-R.S. 32:851 et seq. [1] LSA-R.S. 22:1406(D) provides: "No Automobile Liability Insurance covering liability arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of any motor vehicle shall be delivered or issued for…”
Show all 72 citing cases →
La. Rev. Stat. § 32:851(1): 1 case
Hodges v. Taylor, 153 So. 3d 1115 (La. Ct. App. 2014).
La. Rev. Stat. § 32:851(10): 3 cases
Jones v. Henry, 542 So. 2d 507 (La. 1989). “For a self-insurer, this "proof of ability to respond in damages," R.S. 32:851(10), is a certificate indicating the state's satisfaction that the self-insurer has and will continue to have the ability to pay judgments.”
Provost v. Unger, 752 F. Supp. 716 (E.D. La. 1990).
Jones v. Henry, 533 So. 2d 1279 (La. Ct. App. 1988).
La. Rev. Stat. § 32:851(12): 1 case
Clyde Boyett v. Redland Ins. Co., 741 F.3d 604 (5th Cir. 2014). “The Louisiana Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Law (“LMVSRL”), La. Rev. Stat. § 32:851 et seq., requires an owner to obtain minimum liability coverage for “[e]very self-propelled motor vehicle registered in this state,” subject to certain exceptions.”
La. Rev. Stat. § 32:851(2): 1 case
Nasello v. State, Dep't of Pub. Saf., 953 So. 2d 87 (La. Ct. App. 2007).
La. Rev. Stat. § 32:851(4): 1 case
Clyde Boyett v. Redland Ins. Co., 741 F.3d 604 (5th Cir. 2014). “The Louisiana Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Law (“LMVSRL”), La. Rev. Stat. § 32:851 et seq., requires an owner to obtain minimum liability coverage for “[e]very self-propelled motor vehicle registered in this state,” subject to certain exceptions.”
La. Rev. Stat. § 32:851(7): 2 cases
Bryant v. United Servs. Auto. Ass'n, 881 So. 2d 1214 (La. 2004).
Bryant v. United Servs. Auto. Ass'n, 881 So. 2d 1214 (La. 2004).
La. Rev. Stat. § 32:851(8): 3 cases
Pelletier v. Colonial Lloyds, 649 So. 2d 31 (La. Ct. App. 1994).
Bryant v. United Servs. Auto. Ass'n, 881 So. 2d 1214 (La. 2004).
Bryant v. United Servs. Auto. Ass'n, 881 So. 2d 1214 (La. 2004).
La. Rev. Stat. § 32:851(9): 1 case
Jacobs v. Sampson, 206 So. 3d 1191 (La. Ct. App. 2016).
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