The term Salvage Retention is used when an owner elects to retain a vehicle that has been determined to be a total loss. When a total loss settlement is made and the owner choses to retain the vehicle:

• The insurance company must report the salvage retention to the Office of Motor Vehicles
• The owner must apply for either a Salvage Title or a Permit to Dismantle

The insurance company shall notify the Office of Motor Vehicles within thirty (30) days from the date of the settlement of the property damage claim when the owner elects to retain the vehicle after it has been declared a total loss. The notification must include the:

• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
• year and make of the vehicle
• name of the policyholder
• name of the vehicle owner
• claim number
• policy number
• date of loss

This information may be submitted by utilizing the online Insurance Salvage Retention Notification or by mailing the notification, written on company letterhead, to the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles.

Once the notification has been received, the Office of Motor Vehicles will flag the vehicle record as salvage retention (SR). This flag will prevent any transaction from being processed on the vehicle record until an application is made for a salvage title.