§707.3. Certificates of destruction; application requirements; restrictions on sale; disassembly requirement; department rules; penalties

A. When, as a result of an insurance settlement, a motor vehicle is determined to be water damaged, as defined in this Chapter, the insurance company that acquires ownership of the vehicle shall, within thirty days from the settlement of the property damages claim, send the certificate of title to the office of motor vehicles along with an application for a certificate of destruction. This period may be extended by rule or regulation promulgated by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act. If the insurance company or its authorized agent is unable to obtain the certificate of title from the owner or lienholder within thirty days from the settlement of such property damage claim, the insurance company or its authorized agent may submit an application for a certificate of destruction for such water damaged vehicle signed under penalty of perjury. Such application shall be accompanied by evidence acceptable to the office of motor vehicles that the insurance company has made at least two written attempts to the titled owner or lienholder of the motor vehicle by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by use of a delivery service with a tracking system, to obtain the endorsed certificate of title; evidence that the insurance company has made payment of a property damage claim involving such motor vehicle; and a release of lien executed by each current holder of a security interest in the motor vehicle.

B.(1) Each application for a certificate of destruction shall be accompanied by the fee required for an original certificate of title.

(2) Upon receiving an application for a certificate of destruction, the office of motor vehicles shall issue a certificate of destruction that is conspicuously labeled with such designation and that contains the same information as other certificates of title issued under this Chapter.

C.(1) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no motor vehicle for which a certificate of destruction has been issued shall be later issued a salvage or reconstructed title or otherwise titled or registered by the office of motor vehicles for use on the roads or highways of this state.

(2) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no motor vehicle which has been issued a certificate of destruction shall be resold as a retail unit, and such vehicle shall be dismantled, sold for any usable parts, or crushed.

D.(1) Notwithstanding R.S. 32:717, 759.1(B), or any other law to the contrary, a person who purchases or acquires a vehicle for which a certificate of destruction has been issued shall not be required to apply for or acquire a permit to dismantle. The certificate of destruction itself shall be sufficient for the vehicle to be dismantled, crushed, or scrapped by a person licensed under Chapter 4-A of this Title.

(2) When the water-damaged vehicle has been crushed or scrapped as provided above, the owner shall surrender the certificate of destruction to the office of motor vehicles with the word "recycled" written or stamped across its face, and no certificate of title of any type shall be issued again for such vehicle.

E. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections may adopt rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Section.

F. Whoever violates any provision of this Section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall for each offense be punished by imprisonment of not more than six months or by fine not less than five hundred dollars nor more than five thousand dollars, or both.

Acts 2005, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 42, §1, eff. Dec. 6, 2005; Acts 2011, No. 288, §1.