The Louisiana Department of Public Safety’s Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) notes that Motor Vehicle Registration Requirements Number 110 states that under the authority or Louisiana Revised Statutes (RS 9:759, 768) a vehicle cannot be titled in the name of a minor.

A minor is defined here as a person who has not yet attained the age of eighteen (18) years or who is not emancipated or married. The Uniform Transfers to Minors Act, however, allows the transfer of a vehicle to a minor’s custodian.

A vehicle can be titled in the name of a person under the age of eighteen (18) years who is married or emancipated. A custodian is not required.

In LA, when a vehicle is sold or donated to a minor, the title application form, title assignment, bill of sale/act of donation, etc. must be completed using the following format:

"________________________ (name of parent, legal guardian, trust, etc.) as custodian for ________________________ (name of the minor)." This format must also be entered in the owner's name field when processing the transfer on the computer.

Example: John Doe as custodian for Bob Doe

All documentation for an original or duplicate title must be signed by the custodian. The minor is not required to sign. No documentation will be required to prove custodianship.

On or after the minor's eighteenth birthday, or when the minor marries or is emancipated, he/she can apply for a title to be issued in his/her name only. A TT32 must be processed to remove the custodian’s name. Applicable fees must be paid. The minor, not the custodian, must sign the title application and/or DPSMV 1660 form. The words "no longer a minor" must be indicated on the front side of the title application form or in block D (title correction) on the reverse side of the form.

If the vehicle is sold or donated before the minor reaches legal age, marries, or is emancipated, the custodian’s name, followed by the words "custodian for ____________ (name of minor)," and the custodian’s signature are required on the title documentation.

If the custodian dies before the minor reaches legal age, marries, or is emancipated, once a new custodian is appointed, a title correction can be processed to indicate the new custodian. Appropriate fees must be collected at the time of the transfer.

So it would not appear that as a seventeen (17) year old you could owner of a motor vehicle in the state of Louisiana unless you were emancipated or married. Since at 17 you are a minor your home state requires you to have a custodian to place the title's name in.

As for insurance, most all insurance companies will also required a guardian or parent to sign on your insurance documents with you when you are under 18 years of age and thus not yet an adult. Once you turn 18 and can legally sign contracts such as an insurance policy then you should be able to put both the title of your vehicle and your insurance policy in your name only.

For more information on Louisiana's motor vehicle and titling laws contact the LA DPS. If you want to get auto insurance quotes for a vehicle that a parent will sign on the title and policy with you now or want to research the cost of insurance that you can get on your own at age 18, click here for cheap student car insurance information.