Property Tax Records in Louisiana

Louisiana has one of the lowest property tax rates in the country. The average property tax rate is just 0.51%, which falls well below the average tax rate throughout the U.S. Every parish in Louisiana has a different property tax rate that's applied to a home's assessed value.

Property tax bills are sent to homeowners annually. You should receive your bill at some point in November. Taxes must be paid in full by the end of December. If you don't pay your bill on time, your taxes will be considered delinquent. Property taxes are based on the tax rate in your parish and your home's assessed value.

The first property taxes were assessed to Louisiana homeowners in 1898. For 75 years, these taxes were collected by the state. Since 1973, property taxes have been collected solely at the local level.

Your property taxes are based on the assessed value of your property and any Louisiana property tax exemptions you may qualify for. Once your home's assessed value is calculated, you can reduce the amount by any exemptions you receive. The assessor in your parish will determine the assessed value of your property based on a mass appraisal of local market values.

In Louisiana, the assessed value for any property is equal to around 10% of the total market value. If your home is valued at $250,000, the assessment will be $25,000. If you qualify for the homestead exemption, the assessed value might drop to $17,500. Louisiana property tax assessment is a difficult subject to grasp, but once you understand, you'll be able to understand the full tax cost when owning a house in Louisiana.

It is difficult to estimate property taxes because homestead exemptions don't apply to city taxes included in the property tax. Each parish can have local government agencies that assess property taxes, which are combined into a single rate.

All property tax rates are based on a millage rate. In Louisiana, a single mill is equivalent to $1 in tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. If you have an assessed value of $17,500 and live in a place with a millage rate of 40, you'll owe around $700 for the year. The tax rates for the top parishes in Louisiana are:

As you can see, Louisiana property tax rates are some of the lowest in the nation. Even Orleans Parish tax rates are low, which is impressive considering that city tax rates are generally higher.

Local governments in Louisiana use property taxes to pay for some of their budgetary needs. For example, these taxes cover public services like K-12 education and police protection. The money also pays for a wide range of different public projects, which extend to roads and water systems. Each parish has different needs that determine what the taxes cover.

If you'd like to buy or invest in Louisiana real estate, you can discover how much taxes the owner is required to pay by looking up property tax records. Once you have access to Louisiana property records, you'll be able to get a bigger picture on what’s going on.

These records include a considerable amount of information that can help you perform due diligence on all types of properties. Even if you're thinking of buying a multifamily apartment building, you can obtain tax records for it. These records are available from several sources, which include your parish's website. The information you should see on a property tax report includes the following:

No matter where you live in Louisiana, you can claim an exemption that allows you to reduce your property's assessed value. As mentioned before, the assessed value is 10% of the market value. If your home has a current market value of $200,000, the assessed value will be $20,000. You can reduce this further with the homestead exemption.

Homestead Exemption: The Homestead Exemption applies to the first $75,000 of your home's market value, which means that you can reduce your assessed value by $75,000. If your home's assessed value is $20,000, this exemption allows you to lower the value to $12,500.

The tax rate in your parish would only apply to the $12,500 amount. The purpose of this exemption is to make owning a home in Louisiana more affordable and accessible. To qualify for this exemption, you must meet the following requirements:

• You'll need to own the property
• You must live in the home
• This exemption can only be applied once you know your home's assessed value
• The exemption can be used with a trust account

Veterans with Disabilities Exemption: At the beginning of 2023, new tax breaks were introduced for veterans with disabilities. To qualify for this exemption, your disability must be related to your service. Keep in mind that you can still qualify for the standard homestead exemption. The amount of the tax break depends on the disability rating you've received from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

If you have a disability rating that ranges from 50%-69%, your home's assessed value can be reduced by $2,500. This amount increases to $4,500 if you have a disability rating of 70%-99%. If you have a 100% disability rating that renders you fully disabled or unemployable, you don't need to pay property taxes on your home.

If the veteran who claims this exemption passes away, Louisiana allows spouses to gain access to the same tax break. The exemption will continue to be available while the spouse owns and lives in the home. Even if the veteran didn't use the exemption before passing away, their spouse can claim it at any time.

There are a few ways that you can search for property tax records in Louisiana. For example, every parish has its own online database that the public can easily access. In Orleans Parish, you can search by owner name, address, tax bill number, exempt property, or business personal property. Once you input the necessary information and find a property, you can view all of the information that's available in tax records.

You can also find local property tax records by searching the Louisiana Tax Commission's website. Once you reach this website, begin your search by selecting your parish from the drop-down area in the middle of the page.

If you live in Orleans Parish, you'll need to select the specific municipal district that your property is located in. You have five parameters you can use to narrow your search, which include property address, assessment number, taxpayer name, subdivision name, and legal description.

Property tax records are also available through third-party tools like PropertyChecker. This specific tool allows you to find property and deed records with ease. You can conduct your search with information like the owner's name, property address, parcel ID, phone number, and email address. Keep in mind that this search can take a minute, depending on the information you provide. The property data you'll receive extends to:

As touched upon previously, parish appraisers determine property values by performing mass appraisals. Instead of appraising properties one by one, an appraiser groups many homes together using data and statistical testing to find comparable properties.

Appraisers use models designed to account for supply and demand patterns that apply to groups of properties instead of a single one. While this process is effective, the parish appraiser may also make a mistake.

Your parish will send out an assessment notice that tells you what your home is valued at. If the property's assessed value is higher than you believe it should be, you can file an appeal with your local Parish. Follow the steps below to complete the property tax appeals process:

Step 1: You should be able to check your home's assessment value starting on August 1. Make sure you compare this year's assessment to last year's amount. If you believe that the value has increased by more than it should have, you can obtain a third-party appraisal to use as evidence in your appeal. You must first file an appeal with your parish assessor's office.

Step 2: If you choose to file an appeal, you need to fill out Form 3101, which is the Notice of Appeal Request for the Board of Review. You must also schedule an appearance with your local Board of Review, during which you can present evidence that indicates the assessment value is incorrect.

Step 3: If the Board of Review disagrees with your opinion, you can file an additional appeal with the Louisiana Tax Commission. Before setting a hearing date, it's highly recommended that you speak with the assessor and the Louisiana Tax Commission to ensure you meet all guidelines for the appeals process.

Step 4: If you successfully appeal your home's assessed value, your taxes should be reduced by the time you receive your bill in the mail.

Even though Louisiana's average tax rate is far below the national average, some parishes have higher rates than others, which can be a key factor in real estate transactions. Let's say a seller wants to list their home for $300,000. If buyers also need to consider high interest rates, they may be uncertain about making offers on expensive properties.

Property taxes are usually part of your mortgage payments, which means that potential buyers will need to consider them when estimating how much they'll pay every month. A seller who lives in a Louisiana parish with moderately high tax rates could gain more interest from buyers by reducing their listing price.

If you're a real estate investor, property taxes may also impact your purchase of a property in Louisiana. Keep in mind that the homestead exemption is only available to people who live in the home they own, which means that you likely wouldn't qualify for it. As an investor, you don't have access to exemptions or deductions that would allow you to reduce the assessed value of your home. In this situation, you'll need to estimate how property taxes will impact your cash flow.

If you're looking to invest in a home that's situated in Orleans Parish or St. Tammany Parish, tax rates in these locations are somewhat close to 1%. Before investing in real estate, determine how property taxes and the interest rate from your loan will affect your monthly mortgage payment. A high tax bill can lead to less cash flow, which might make it difficult for you to manage the property.

In Louisiana, property tax liens are sold to investors. This process occurs when homeowners don't pay their property taxes on time. While tax sales are often handled by cities and parishes, the state can also host sales occasionally. If you buy a property tax lien, you'll be expected to pay the remaining taxes immediately, which gives you limited ownership of the home. The homeowner will then have three years to repay the lien amount as well as any interest that accrues. If they don't pay on time, the home can be sold via foreclosure to ensure you get the money that's owed to you.