Louisiana Property Taxes 2026: Due Dates, Homestead Exemption, and What Acadiana Homeowners Should Check

By Alyson Finch, REALTOR® | Living in the 337 | Real Broker, LLC

Last updated: September 15, 2026

Louisiana 2026 property tax bills are mailed in November and must be paid by December 31, 2026. Unpaid balances generally start accruing 1% interest per month in January. Acadiana homeowners should confirm their escrow payment, verify their homestead exemption ($75,000 of market value exempt), and check whether city taxes are billed separately.

When are Louisiana property taxes due in 2026?

Louisiana property taxes for 2026 are due by December 31, 2026, and they become delinquent on January 1, 2027. Parish tax collectors mail bills in November. The Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office alone sends out roughly 100,000 property tax notices each November, and Lafayette Consolidated Government mails City of Lafayette tax notices at the end of the month.

How is a Louisiana property tax bill calculated?

Your bill comes from four numbers: your home's market value, Louisiana's 10% residential assessment rate, any exemptions, and the total millage where you live. One mill equals $1 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value.

1. Market value. Your parish assessor estimates what the property would sell for.
2. Assessed value. Residential land and buildings are assessed at 10% of market value. A $250,000 home has a $25,000 assessed value.
3. Exemptions. The homestead exemption subtracts $7,500 of assessed value from parish, school, and special-district taxes. It does not reduce municipal (city) taxes outside Orleans Parish.
4. Millage. Multiply the taxable value by your combined millage and divide by 1,000.

The assessor sets the value, not the tax rate. Millage is set by the taxing bodies on your bill, including the parish government, school board, sheriff, library, fire, and drainage districts. Louisiana's constitution requires every parish to reappraise all property at least once every four years. The last statewide cycle was 2024 and the next is 2028. In the year after a reappraisal, millages are rolled back so each taxing body collects about the same total as before. A taxing body can roll the rate back up only after a public hearing and a two-thirds vote.

What does a median-priced Lafayette Parish home pay?

Lafayette Parish's median sale price through February 2026 was $258,500, according to Market Scope Consulting data reported by The Acadiana Advocate. Here is what a homesteaded home at that price would owe using 2025 millage rates published by the Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA).

Estimate only. Assumes the 16.91-mill difference between LEDA's inside-city and outside-city rates is City of Lafayette municipal millage. 2026 millage, ward-level districts, and other municipalities such as Youngsville, Broussard, Scott, Carencro, and Duson will change the result. Your tax bill is the final word.

Who collects property taxes in Acadiana, and will I get more than one bill?

In every Louisiana parish except Orleans, the sheriff serves as the ex officio tax collector. The assessor values your property but does not take payments.

Lafayette Parish has a wrinkle that surprises many new homeowners. The Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office combines parish taxes with municipal taxes for Carencro, Youngsville, Scott, and Duson on one bill. City of Lafayette taxes are billed separately by Lafayette Consolidated Government (LCG), so homeowners inside city limits receive two bills. LCG requires its city bill to be paid in full and does not accept partial payments.

In St. Martin Parish, the sheriff's office collects parish taxes along with city and town taxes, so Breaux Bridge and St. Martinville homeowners pay in one place.

If my taxes are paid through escrow, do I still need to check anything?

Yes. When your mortgage includes an escrow account, your loan servicer pays the tax bill from that account. Most years this works smoothly, but these situations are where payments get missed:

• You refinanced in 2026. A new loan can mean a new escrow account and a new servicer who needs your tax information.
• Your loan was sold or transferred. Servicing transfers are a common point where a bill falls through the cracks.
• You bought your home in 2026. The 2026 bill may still show the previous owner's name. Check your closing statement to see how 2026 taxes were prorated and who is responsible for paying the bill.
• You live inside Lafayette city limits. Confirm your servicer is paying both the sheriff's bill and the separate LCG city bill.

How much does the homestead exemption save in Acadiana, and how do I file?

Louisiana's homestead exemption removes the first $7,500 of assessed value, which equals $75,000 of market value, from taxation on the home you own and live in as your primary residence. It applies to parish, school, and special-district taxes. Under Article VII, Section 20 of the Louisiana Constitution, it does not apply to municipal taxes, except in Orleans Parish and for municipal taxes levied for schools.

Key rules to know:

• It does not transfer from the seller. Every buyer has to apply with the parish assessor.
• Timing works in your favor. Under La. R.S. 47:1703, you qualify for a tax year if you own and occupy the home on or before December 31 of that year. A buyer who closes and moves in by December 31, 2026 can claim the 2026 exemption.
• One per person. You cannot hold a homestead exemption on more than one property.
• Bond for deed purchases don't qualify.
• New for 2026: Act 34 of the 2026 session, effective April 30, 2026, requires every parish assessor to offer a permanent homestead registration form. Some parishes previously required yearly renewal cards.

Savings = $7,500 × millage ÷ 1,000. Parish-default combined millage from Southern Title's Louisiana parish millage table (updated August 3, 2026); Lafayette figure from LEDA. Inside city or town limits, municipal millage is not reduced by the exemption, so actual savings can be lower.

What documents do I need to file for homestead exemption?

Most Acadiana assessors ask for:

• A recorded copy of your Act of Sale (your closing notary mails this after it's recorded)
• A valid Louisiana driver's license or state ID showing the property address
• A current utility, cable, or landline bill in your name at the property address

Can seniors, disabled homeowners, and veterans lower their property taxes further?

Yes. Louisiana layers several programs on top of the standard homestead exemption. Each requires a separate application with your parish assessor.

Veterans apply using Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Form A25. Municipal taxes may still apply to veterans' exemptions.

What happens if I miss the December 31 property tax deadline?

Late property taxes get more expensive the longer they sit.

• January: Unpaid taxes become delinquent on January 1. The Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office and LCG charge 1% interest per month, and LCG adds penalties starting in February. St. Martin Parish adds interest and costs to taxes still unpaid after January 31.
• Spring: Collection costs for certified mail, advertising, and recording are added. In Lafayette in 2026, delinquent taxes paid from May 25 on had to be paid by cash, money order, or certified check.
• June: Parishes auction tax lien certificates on properties with unpaid taxes. The 2026 legislature adjusted how these lien sales and owner notices work through Acts 14 and 96. Owners keep the right to redeem, but costs keep growing.

If you can't pay the full amount, call your parish tax collector in December, not in May.

What property tax measures are on Louisiana's November 3, 2026 ballot?

Several proposed constitutional amendments on the November 3, 2026 ballot involve property taxes. The rules described above still apply to 2026 tax bills because the companion laws would take effect in later tax years.

This is a plain-language summary, not a voting recommendation. Read the full ballot language from the Louisiana Secretary of State before you vote.

What property tax mistakes cost Acadiana homeowners money?

• Assuming the seller's homestead exemption carries over to you
• Waiting until next year to file after a fall closing, when owning and living in the home by December 31 qualifies you now
• Forgetting the separate City of Lafayette tax bill
• Skipping an escrow check after a refinance or loan transfer
• Treating a missing bill as a sign that nothing is owed
• Not applying for the senior freeze at 65, or not updating a veteran exemption after a rating change
• Never reviewing the assessor's record for errors such as wrong square footage

Alyson's take: what I tell my clients every fall

Property taxes aren't anyone's favorite topic, but they're one of the easiest places to protect your money. After a closing, the homestead exemption is the first thing I remind buyers about, because the assessor won't apply it for you and the seller's exemption doesn't come with the house.

If you're not sure your homestead exemption is on file, or you can't find your bill, message me. I'll send you the direct link for your parish so you can look up your bill and exemption status in a couple of minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Does the homestead exemption transfer to me when I buy a home in Louisiana?

No. The homestead exemption does not transfer from the seller. After closing, file with your parish assessor and bring your recorded Act of Sale, a Louisiana driver's license or ID showing the property address, and a utility bill in your name.

I bought my home in 2026. Can I still get the homestead exemption for 2026?

Yes, if you own the home and live in it as your primary residence on or before December 31, 2026, under La. R.S. 47:1703. File as soon as you move in. If your bill has already been issued, ask the assessor how the correction will be handled.

Does the homestead exemption lower my City of Lafayette property tax bill?

No. Louisiana's constitution excludes municipal taxes from the homestead exemption outside Orleans Parish, so City of Lafayette millage applies to your full assessed value. The exemption still lowers the parish, school, and district taxes on your Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office bill.

What if I never received my 2026 property tax bill?

The December 31 deadline still applies. Look up your bill by name, address, or parcel number on your parish sheriff's online tax site, and on LCG's site for City of Lafayette taxes, or call the tax office. If you have an escrow account, the bill may have gone to your lender.

Sources

• Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office: View and Pay Taxes
• Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office: Tax Division
• Lafayette Consolidated Government: Property Taxes
• St. Martin Parish Sheriff: Tax Collection
• St. Martin Parish Assessor: Exemptions and Special Assessments
• Lafayette Parish Assessor
• Louisiana Constitution, Article VII, Section 20 (Homestead Exemption)
• La. R.S. 47:1703 (Exemptions)
• Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs: State Benefits
• LEDA: Lafayette tax rates and incentives
• Southern Title: Louisiana Parish Millage Rates
• Steeg Law: 2026 Louisiana Legislative Update
• Ballotpedia: Special Assessment Income Limit Amendment (2026)
• The Acadiana Advocate: Lafayette Parish home prices (April 2026)