§4502. Privilege for making or repairing movable goods, commodities, equipment, merchandise, machinery, and other movable objects

A.(1) Any person engaged in the making or repairing of movable goods, furniture, upholstery, commodities, equipment, merchandise, machinery, marine vessels, trailers used in transporting marine vessels, equipment or motors used on marine vessels, or movable objects or movable property of any type or description, has a privilege on the thing for the debt due him for materials furnished or labor performed. This privilege is effective for a period of one hundred twenty days from the last day on which materials were furnished or labor was performed, if the thing affected by such privilege is removed from the place of business where such labor was performed or materials furnished; provided that if the thing affected by such privilege remains in the place of business of the person who furnished such materials or performed such labor, such privilege continues as long as such thing remains in such place of business.

(2) This privilege is effective for a period of twelve months from the last day on which materials were furnished or labor was performed on any farm equipment or machinery, if said thing affected by such privilege is removed from the place of business where such labor was performed or materials furnished; provided, further, that this special farm privilege shall not be effective for more than one hundred twenty days as against third parties who purchase the equipment or machinery, or who lend money secured by the equipment or machinery, in good faith without knowledge of the existence of any privilege.

B. This privilege may be enforced by the writ of sequestration, without the necessity of the creditor furnishing security therefor, if the debtor is first given ten days' written notice by registered mail, and the exemptions from seizure granted by R.S. 13:3881 shall not be applicable to objects or property subject to this privilege for purposes of enforcing this privilege. This privilege is inferior to a vendor's privilege, a chattel mortgage previously recorded, a previously perfected security interest under Chapter 9 of the Louisiana Commercial Laws, or against a bona fide purchaser to whom possession has been delivered and who has paid the purchase price without previous notice of the existence of the privilege.

C. In addition to the remedy above granted, when the thing affected by the privilege remains in the place of business of the person having such privilege and the debt due thereon remains unpaid for more than ninety days from the date on which the last labor was performed or last material was furnished, the holder of such privilege may sell such property at private sale and without appraisement, after advertising such property for ten days as provided by law in case of judicial sales of movables. If the thing affected by such privilege and subject to such sale is of a value of ten dollars or less, to be shown by written estimate made and signed by two disinterested appraisers, then it shall not be necessary to advertise such property for sale, but in lieu thereof the privilege holder shall, at least ten days prior to such sale, mail by registered mail to the owner or apparent owner at his last known address a notice stating the intention to sell such property and giving the date, time and place of the sale. From the proceeds of any such sale, the amount of the debt secured by such privilege shall be satisfied, including all reasonable charges for registered notices, advertisement or charges for appraisers and costs of the sale; and the balance, if any, shall be held for the benefit of the owner for a period of six months, after which time, if it remains unclaimed it shall be paid to the state treasury.

D. This Section shall not be construed as repealing any of the provisions of R.S. 9:4501 or of any other law which grants a privilege, or grants another remedy for the enforcement thereof. However, the remedy granted by Subsection C of this Section is not available to any person who is granted a remedy for the enforcement of his privilege under any other Section of this Title. When property to which the privilege granted by R.S. 9:4501 does not apply, but for which a certificate of title from the office of motor vehicles of the Department of Public Safety is required, is sold at private sale pursuant to Subsection C, the office of motor vehicles shall issue a new certificate of title to the purchaser, if the application therefor is accompanied by an authentic act of sale and proof of compliance with the advertisement or notice requirement, as the case may be.

Amended by Acts 1952, No. 427, §§1, 2; Acts 1960, No. 31, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1961; Acts 1972, No. 518, §1; Acts 1979, No. 94, §1; Acts 1981, No. 252, §1; Acts 1983, No. 359, §1; Acts 1989, No. 137, §4, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 2004, No. 179, §1.