§ 32:411 — Deposit of license in lieu of security upon arrest; receipt; licensee to have license or

§411. Deposit of license in lieu of security upon arrest; receipt; licensee to have license or
receipt in immediate possession; notification to vehicle owner; surrender of license;
issuance of temporary permits
A. Except as is otherwise specifically provided in this Section, the deposit of a
driver's license in connection with the issuance of a citation alleging the commission of a
traffic offense is prohibited.
B.(1) An arresting officer may retain the driver's license of an operator of a motor
vehicle when that operator has been issued a citation alleging that the operator was:
(a) Operating the motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or controlled
substances.
(b) Exceeding the speed limit by twenty-five miles per hour or more.
(c) Exceeding the speed limit in a school zone.
(d) Driving with a suspended license.
(e) Drag racing.
(f) Cited for failure to maintain compulsory security.
(2) An arresting officer may retain the driver's license of an operator when the
operator was involved in an accident in which a person was injured, or when an operator:
(a) Is alleged to have committed the same offense twice within a period of one hour.
(b) Is alleged by the investigating law enforcement officer to have a medical
condition which could result in suspension or revocation of his driver's license under the
provisions of R.S. 32:414(E), provided that the arresting officer first consults with his
superior officer as to his specific observations and such superior officer concurs with the
issuing officer's belief.
(3) In each instance listed in this Subsection, the provisions of Subsections C through
H of this Section shall apply.
C. Whenever any person lawfully possessed of a driver's license issued to him by
either:
(1) The Department of Public Safety and Corrections; or
(2) The appropriate agency of another state if such person resides in this state and
either:
(a) Is on active duty with the armed forces of the United States or is a dependent of
any person described in this Subparagraph; or
(b) Is enrolled in a Louisiana college or university is arrested and charged with a
violation of the Louisiana Highway Regulatory Act or any municipal or parish ordinance
regulating traffic in any municipality or in any parish he shall have the option of depositing
his driver's license with the arresting officer in lieu of bail.
(3) The arresting officer shall immediately forward any license so deposited to the
sheriff, district attorney, or city court clerk of the parish in which the charge is filed, except
in the parish of Orleans, where the license shall be forwarded to the clerk of the traffic court.
Additionally, any person described in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection must also furnish
satisfactory proof of his residency in this state by either providing the arresting officer with
a copy of orders assigning him, or the person whose dependent he is, to an area inside
Louisiana or with a valid student identification card issued by a Louisiana college or
university.
(4) This Subsection does not apply when the arresting officer has probable cause to
believe that the person charged has committed an offense as defined in Title 14 of the
Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950. The arresting officer shall take these persons forthwith
before the nearest or most accessible magistrate having jurisdiction.
D. Whenever any person as described in Subsection C of this Section deposits his
driver's license as provided in said Subsection, the arresting officer shall issue said person
a receipt for said license upon a form approved or provided by the Department of Public
Safety and Corrections, and thereafter said person shall be permitted to operate a motor
vehicle upon the public highways of this state during the pendency of the case in which the
license was deposited.
E. The district attorney, sheriff, or clerk of a court accepting the license as provided
in Subsection C of this Section, shall forward as soon as practicable to the Department of
Public Safety and Corrections, the license of a driver deposited in lieu of bail if the driver
fails to appear in answer to the charge filed against him. The department shall not return,
reissue, or renew the license until authorized to do so by the forwarding court.
F.(1) The licensee shall have his physical license, or a digitized driver's license as
provided in this Section, in his immediate possession at all times when driving a motor
vehicle and shall display it upon demand of any officer or agent of the department or any
police officer of the state, parish, or municipality, except that where the licensee has
previously deposited his license as provided in Subsection C of this Section, and has received
a receipt, as provided in Subsection D of this Section, the licensee shall display the receipt
upon demand of any officer or agent of the department or any police officer of the state,
parish, or municipality, the same to serve as a substitute for the license until the license is
returned to the licensee. However, when an officer or agent of the department or any police
officer of the state, or any parish or municipality has reasonable grounds to believe a person
has committed an offense of driving without a valid driver's license in his possession, the
police officer shall make every practical attempt based on identifying information provided
by the person to confirm that the person has been issued a valid driver's license. If the police
officer determines that the person has been issued a valid driver's license that is not under
revocation, suspension, or cancellation, but that the license is not in his possession, the peace
officer shall issue a written summons to the offender in accordance with law, commanding
him to appear and answer the charge.
(2) The provisions of this Subsection shall in no way limit the peace officer from
issuing a citation for operating a motor vehicle without physical possession of a valid driver's
license.
(3)(a) For the purposes of this Subsection, a digitized driver's license, which shall
include a license that complies with the standards of REAL ID as provided for in R.S.
32:410(E), shall mean a data file available on any mobile device which has connectivity to
the internet through an application that allows the mobile device to download the data file
from the department or an authorized representative of the department, contains all of the
data elements visible on the face and back of the license, and also displays the current status
of the license. For the purposes of this Subparagraph, "current status" shall include but is not
limited to valid, expired, cancelled, suspended, disqualified, hardship, or interlock hardship
status.
(b) A digital copy, photograph, or image of a driver's license which is not
downloaded through the application on a mobile device shall not be a valid digitized driver's
license as provided by this Section.
(c) A person shall not be issued a citation for driving a motor vehicle without a
physical driver's license in his possession if he presents a digitized driver's license to a law
enforcement officer in connection with a traffic stop or checkpoint in Louisiana. However,
in connection with requests for identification not associated with traffic stops or checkpoints
in Louisiana, a person may be required to produce a physical driver's license to a law
enforcement officer, a representative of a state or federal department or agency, or a private
entity when so requested and be subject to all the applicable laws and consequences for
failure to produce such license.
(d) The department shall promulgate such rules as are necessary to implement a
digitized driver's license. No digitized driver's license shall be valid until the department
has adopted such rules.
(e) The display of a digitized driver's license shall not serve as consent or
authorization for a law enforcement officer, or any other person, to search, view, or access
any other data or application on the mobile device. If a person presents their mobile device
to a law enforcement officer for purposes of displaying their digitized driver's license, the
law enforcement officer shall promptly return the mobile device to the person once he has
had an opportunity to verify the identity and license status of the person.
(f) The fee to install the application to display a digitized driver's license as defined
in Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall not exceed six dollars.
G. When a person is arrested or issued a summons for a violation of R.S. 14:98 or
98.1, the arresting officer shall determine whether the person is the owner of the vehicle
used. If the person is not the owner, the arresting officer, his agency of employment, or the
Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall take all reasonable measures to identify
and locate the registered owner and notify him of the arrest or summons. Such notification
may be oral or written. A record shall be kept of whether or not such notification was given.
H.(1) When a fine is levied against a person convicted of any offense as described
in Subsection C and the defendant is granted an extension of time to pay the fine, the judge
of the court having jurisdiction may order the driver's license to be surrendered to the sheriff
or official of the court collecting fines for a period of time not to exceed one hundred eighty
days. If, after expiration of one hundred eighty days, the defendant has not paid the fine, the
sheriff or official of the court designated to collect fines shall forward the license to the
Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
(2) Upon receipt of a surrendered driver's license, the sheriff or court official
responsible for collection of such fines shall issue a temporary permit for a period not to
exceed one hundred eighty days or for a period of time set forth by the judge having
jurisdiction. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall devise such temporary
permits and provide for a procedure for distributing such permits, all by the promulgation of
rules and regulations according to the Administrative Procedure Act. After final
promulgation of such rules and regulations, or after six months from August 15, 1995,
whichever occurs first, the temporary permits shall be distributed to the courts or other
agencies responsible for the collection of the fines and court costs for such violations.
(3) The department shall not return, reissue, or renew a driver's license in its
possession pursuant to this Section until payment of the fine and any additional
administrative cost, fee, or penalty required by the judge having the jurisdiction and any other
cost, fee, or penalty required by the department.

Legislative History

Amended by Acts 1958, No. 512, §1; Acts 1960, No. 591, §1; Acts 1966, No. 64, §1; Acts 1970, No. 490, §1; Acts 1972, No. 59, §1; Acts 1975, No. 497, §1; Acts 1976, No. 185, §1; Acts 1976, No. 520, §1; Acts 1979, No. 699, §1; Acts 1982, No. 294, §1; Acts 1987, No. 586, §1, eff. July 15, 1987 and Jan. 1, 1988; Acts 1989, No. 293, §1, eff. June 27, 1989; Acts 1993, No. 600, §1; Acts 1995, No. 1036, §1; Acts 1997, No. 807, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1288, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1296, §3, eff. July 15, 1997; Acts 2016, No. 625, §1; Acts 2018, No. 552, §1.