Louisiana (LA) Property Tax

Editor’s Note: This post covers how Louisiana (LA) property tax works. For the purposes of the post, it will cover real property only. This includes land, buildings and other improvements to land, and mobile homes.

While federal tax rates are consistent across the board, state taxes are another story. In addition to income state taxes, any individual or business that owns real property must pay property taxes.

Property tax is a type of taxation that requires owners of land and buildings to pay an amount of money based on the value of their property.

Within the U.S., property taxes fluctuate. For instance, your property taxes in your area of Louisiana will differ from those in a different state, or even county, for that matter.

Who Owes Louisiana Property Taxes?

If you own property in Louisiana, you will be required to pay taxes on it. Even if the property was gifted to you through an estate or you own a rental property, you are required to pay property tax.

There is no minimum property value that triggers property taxes. Whether your house and land is worth $70,000 or $7,000,000, you will have to pay LA property taxes.

How is Louisiana Property Tax Calculated?

Local county assessor assesses all real property in their vicinities. Reassessment can happen at any time, and all property is assessed at least every four years.

Louisiana uses the following method to calculate your real property tax rate, according to the Louisiana tax commission:

“The rate used in determining assessed value differs depending on the type of property. The following types of property are assessed based on fair market value: residential 10%, commercial 15%, and public service 25%. Agricultural, horticultural, marsh and timber lands are assessed at 15% of use value.”

While this is the case, each Louisiana parish has it’s own tax rate.

What are Property Taxes Used For?

Property taxes are used for multiple public services throughout the state. It could be used for:

• First responders and other law enforcement
• General government services
• Municipal infrastructure and land construction or improvements
• Municipal employees’ pay
• Resident services like garbage pickup
• Recreational services
• Protective services

How Do You Pay LA Property Tax?

If you pay your mortgage statement, it’s likely you are already paying your LA property taxes. A standard mortgage payment includes:

• Principal
• Interest
• Homeowner’s insurance
• Property taxes

View your current mortgage statement and determine if your Louisiana property taxes are paid as part of your monthly mortgage. It will likely be listed as a line item on the statement.

When Do You Have to Pay Louisiana Property Taxes?

Each December the parish tax collector sends property owners a tax bill stating the various millage rates levied and amounts of tax due for each.

Louisiana property tax due dates vary based on the parish you own real property in. If you don’t pay your taxes by this deadline, there will be a 1% interest rate per month until the balance is paid.

Where to go for Tax Help

Figuring out how the property tax is calculated and the proper amount is important, otherwise, you may be paying too much, too little, or not at all. Beyond this, you’ll need to decide if you will itemize your deductions to claim state or local property taxes.

To determine if you should itemize your deductions, add up your calendar-year deductible expenses, including your state income tax expense, to see if the total is greater than the standard deduction amount for your filing status. If you are single you can claim a standard deduction of $12,400. So, if you pay more than $12,200 in state income taxes and other itemized deductions, then consider itemizing your taxes.

If you’re looking for more state of Louisiana tax help, look no further than H&R Block Virtual. We’ll pair you with a tax pro with state-specific expertise. You can have your taxes done by a real tax pro without visiting an office.

Prefer a different way to file? No problem – you can find Louisiana state tax expertise with all of our ways to file taxes.