Property tax bill questions
When should I expect to receive a bill for Real Property taxes?
Tax bills are typically mailed in late December of each year for the upcoming tax year. The mailing date is subject to change depending on when the City sets the mill levy and when the bills are printed.
When are Property Taxes due?
Property taxes are usually due January 31 of each year.
What should I do if I do not receive a Real Property tax bill?
You can view your account on the tax payment portal, or you can contact the Treasury department at (504) 658-1712 or taxresearchunit@nola.gov.
There are “Tax Sale Costs” on my bill. What are tax sale costs?
Tax sale costs are the costs associated with preparing the property for the upcoming tax sale. The New Orleans Code of Ordinances Sec. 150-50. (a)(4)states that the charge is collectible from the property owner in the same manner as the tax.
There is a LIEN on my property Tax Bill. What is a lien? Can I pay my taxes first?
A lien is a form of security interest granted over an item of property to secure the payment of a debt or performance of some other obligation. If there is no homestead exemption on the property, any payment to this property tax bill will be applied to any lien placed on your property pursuant to the city code prior to being applied to your taxes.
Under city code 6-39(d) “Any monies collected pursuant to this chapter shall first satisfy all outstanding municipal liens recorded against an immovable property, and only when all outstanding municipal liens are satisfied in full shall monies be applied towards an immovable property’s ad valorem taxes.”
Additionally, "the provisions of subsection (d) shall not apply to monies received as a result of the enforcement of a lien and privilege encumbering an occupied residential property with a valid homestead exemption, except in circumstances where the property is currently permitted for short-term rental use or where the lien and privilege arises from a violation of Chapter 26, Title XI of the Code of the City of New Orleans."
The Department of Code Enforcement administers this program. They are located at 1340 Poydras Street, Suite 1100, New Orleans, LA 70112. Phone (504) 658-5050. www.nola.gov/code-enforcement/
Why do I have to pay a penalty and interest on a late payment when I never received my tax bill?
It is the property owner's responsibility to ensure their taxes are paid timely each year.
Failure to receive a tax bill does not relieve the taxpayer of responsibility for timely payment or constitute cause for cancellation of penalty, interest, or costs in cases of delinquency.
My tax assessment increased by 50% or greater. How am I impacted?
What is Act 718 of (2018)
Act 718 of 2018 is a constitutional amendment that provides that in a reassessment year, if the assessed value on residential property subject to the homestead exemption increases by greater than 50% of the amount of the property's assessed value in the previous year, the collector shall phase-in the additional tax liability resulting from the increase in the property's assessed value over a four-year period.
Watch Video Here
Who is impacted?
- Real estate properties with an assessment increase greater than 50% from the prior reassessment year.
- Properties in Orleans Parish were reassessed in two phases; 75% of the City was reassessed in 2019 for the 2020 tax year, and the other 25% was reassessed in 2020 for the 2021 tax year.
Who qualifies for the Phase-in?
- Current residential and mixed-use property owners with a reassessment of greater than 50% subject to a homestead exemption for the year of implementation
- Qualified parcels have an “Act 718” indicator on the tax bill
Who doesn’t qualify?
- Commercial Business Owners
- Real Estate property owners without a homestead exemption in the year of implementation
- New Real Estate property owners who purchase property already subject to Act 718
- Real Estate property owners who have improvement value as a result of new construction in the year of implementation
Note: If an appeal is approved to lower a property assessment below 50%, the property would no longer qualify for the phase-in, and a revised bill for the full amount of taxes will become due.
Property tax payment questions
Can I pay my Real Property taxes via the Internet or phone (i.e., using an electronic check or credit card)?
The City of New Orleans offers two forms of electronic payment -- electronic check and debit/credit card:
- The e-check option does not include a service charge.
- The credit/debit card payment option will include a third-party fee of approximately 2.49% of the tax amount paid.
Payments may be made online.
Payments by phone have been temporarily discontinued.
The City offers an electronic payment option as a way to provide additional choice and convenience to customers making payments on property taxes.
What Forms Of Payment Does Treasury Accept?
Cash, checks, money orders, or cashier's checks are accepted for regular tax payments. For tax sale and adjudication redemptions, payment must be cash or a cashier’s check.
Who do I make my check payable to?
Make checks, money orders, or cashier's checks payable to: City of New Orleans.
What address do I use to make a payment?
Mailing Address:
Bureau of Treasury – Property Tax Bureau – Department 165025 – P.O. Box 62600 – New Orleans, LA 70162-2600
Physical Address:
City of New Orleans – Bureau of Treasury – 1300 Perdido Street – Room 1W40 – New Orleans, LA 70112
Note: Please indicate your Parcel ID (address) or Alt ID (tax bill number) when making payment to ensure payment is applied to the proper account.
*Failure to include the department number may cause a delay in processing, or the postal service may return your parcel. The City of New Orleans will not waive interest for failure to include the department number, and the parcel is returned to the sender.
Payments mailed to an address other than those listed above, including but not limited to the Bureau of Revenue or the Orleans Parish Assessor's Office, that are received by the Bureau of Treasury after the delinquency date, are considered delinquent and interest will be imposed.
Mailing your payment to the P.O. Box with a printout from our website may delay processing.
What is the interest rate if I do not pay my property taxes timely?
The interest rate charged is 1% above the tax amount per month. The interest rate is multiplied by the unpaid principal balance, and charges accrue monthly.
Can partial payments be made on Property taxes?
Yes, but a partial payment does not suspend the interest or tax sale costs from being applied to the account. Partial payments may be made in person or via postal mail; partial payments cannot be made online.
Are advance payments for Property taxes accepted? And if so, how far in advance?
Unfortunately, the City of New Orleans cannot accept advance payments at this time.
I mailed a payment, but it hasn’t posted to my account. What should I do?
If the payment hasn’t posted at least fourteen (14) days following the date it was mailed, verify with your banking institution as to whether or not the check has cleared. If the check has cleared, forward a copy of the front and back of the cancelled check to our office, and the payment will be researched. If the check has not cleared, it is possible that the payment was lost in the mail.
Refunds questions
***Effective July 17, 2023, we updated our refund process. The intent of the NEW process is to be more efficient and more expedient.*** Please bear with us as we phase out our old process.
The Assessor’s Office approved my homestead exemption. Can I pick up the refund form from the office?
When applying for a homestead exemption, the Orleans Parish Assessor’s Office must submit a change order to the Louisiana Tax Commission (LTC). The LTC must approve the homestead exemption. Once the homestead exemption is approved by the LTC, the Bureau of Treasury receives a file of the approvals. Once the approvals are loaded to our database, a credit memo will be mailed.
Effective July 17, 2023, any homestead exemptions approved thereafter no longer require a refund application. As the Bureau of Treasury receives the data from the Assessor's Office, a credit memo will be mailed to the address on file. Refunds will then be reviewed and processed.
If your approval was prior to July 17, 2023, a completed refund application is still required.
If my taxes are overpaid, how do I receive a refund?
If the overpayment was due to a homestead exemption or reduction of assessment, a credit memo will be mailed to the property address. If the overpayment was due to a duplicate payment, the homeowner should contact the Treasury office at (504) 658-1712 or taxresearchunit@nola.gov.
Will I receive a refund of overpaid taxes if my value is adjusted after I have paid the taxes based on the higher value?
Yes, a credit memo and refund will be mailed to the property address.
When should I expect my refund check?
If you’ve submitted a refund application, the refund process typically takes 30-45 business days from the receipt of the application and the supporting documents. If a refund application is incomplete upon submission, it could delay the process.
For refunds created after July 17, 2023, the refund process will take approximately two (2) weeks.
Can I apply the refund to my future bill?
For credits $100.00 or greater generated after July 17, 2023, the Bureau of Treasury will no longer apply credits to future bills. For properties with credits/refunds generated after July 17, 2023, that are greater than $100, the Bureau of Treasury will process a refund check.
If your credit was generated before July 17, 2023, AND is greater than $100, yes, the refund may be applied to your future bill. Please notify our office of your desire to have the refund credited to your account.
All credits/ refunds under $100 will be applied to future bills.
Property & Address updates
How do I change my mailing address on my account(s)?
Address changes should be made with the Orleans Parish Assessor’s Office at:
City of New Orleans – 1300 Perdido Street – Room 4E01 – New Orleans, LA 70112
You can also call (504) 754-8811.
What should I do if I recently sold my property, but I am still getting the tax bill?
Contact the Orleans Parish Assessor’s Office at (504) 754-8811.
How do I change my mailing address on my account(s)?
Address changes should be made with the Orleans Parish Assessor’s Office at:
City of New Orleans – 1300 Perdido Street – Room 4E01 – New Orleans, LA 70112
You can also call (504) 754-8811
What should I do if I recently sold my property, but I am still getting the tax bill?
Contact the Orleans Parish Assessor’s Office at (504) 754-8811.