A. A succession representative may sell motor vehicles at prices not less than the appraised value of such motor vehicles in the succession inventory or descriptive list by obtaining an order authorizing sales, from time to time, for such prices as the succession representative shall determine. No advertisement shall be necessary, and the order authorizing such sales may be rendered upon the filing of the petition. If the succession representative desires to sell motor vehicles for less than the appraised value, advertisement shall be required. B. For purposes of this Article, "motor vehicles" shall include automobiles, two-axle trucks, and motorcycles.
Art. 3288.Motor Vehicles; Sale At Appraised Value
Book VI. Probate Procedure · Title III. Administration of Successions · Chapter 6. Alienation of Succession Property · Enacted 1986 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 3288 lets a succession representative sell motor vehicles -- automobiles, two-axle trucks, and motorcycles -- at prices no lower than appraised value through a court order obtained without advertisement upon filing the petition, requiring advertisement only if the vehicles are to be sold below that appraised value.
Full Text of Art. 3288
Amendment History
Acts 1986, No. 237, §1.
Plain-English Summary
Article 3288 mirrors the household-goods procedure in Article 3287, applied to motor vehicles. A succession representative can sell a decedent's motor vehicles at prices not less than their appraised value in the succession inventory or descriptive list, under a court order obtained without advertisement, issued upon the filing of the petition alone.
The article defines motor vehicles specifically: automobiles, two-axle trucks, and motorcycles. That definition matters because it draws a boundary around what this fast-track sale procedure covers; larger vehicles or other movables outside that description fall back on the general private-sale rules in Articles 3281 through 3284, or on whichever other article fits their type.
As with household goods, the shortcut has a floor. If the representative wants to sell a vehicle for less than its appraised value, advertisement is required, giving heirs, legatees, and creditors notice before the estate takes less than the inventory says the vehicle is worth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What vehicles does Article 3288's streamlined sale procedure cover?
Automobiles, two-axle trucks, and motorcycles, the definition Article 3288 sets out for its own purposes.
Is advertisement needed to sell a succession's motor vehicles at appraised value?
No. Article 3288 lets the representative obtain a court order authorizing such sales without advertisement, issued upon filing the petition.
Can a succession representative sell a car for less than the appraised value?
Yes, but only after advertisement. Article 3288 requires advertisement whenever a motor vehicle is to be sold below its appraised value.
Does one court order cover multiple vehicle sales over time?
Yes. Like Article 3287's household-goods procedure, Article 3288 authorizes sales from time to time at prices the representative determines, without a separate petition for each sale at or above appraised value.
Source & verification. Article text is reproduced verbatim from
the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure (legis.la.gov). Enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.
Last verified July 30, 2026.
· Official source
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