Louisiana Property Tax Assessment Appeals

In Louisiana, the Open Rolls Tax period varies by Parish, but will generally fall in mid-late summer. This is your first opportunity to contest the assessment of your property for that tax year (in Summer of 2024, Orleans Parish residents will have the chance to contest their 2025 assessment, in all other Parishes you will be able to contest your 2024 assessment). Because the open rolls period is fairly short, we encourage property owners to begin to think about the assessment process early, particularly if you were unhappy with last year's assessment. Assessments are seldom independent from year to year, so last year's bad assessment may haunt you for tax cycles to come.

The Stow Firm is offering several representation packages to assist property owners in appealing their property tax assessment, depending on the assessed value of your property. We have represented both residential and commercial property owners, with a particular focus on hotels and other hospitality clients.

Our Appeal service includes:

• E-filing your Board of Review or Parish level appeal using the proper forms and submitting the required supporting documentation
• An overview of the types of supporting documentation to gather about your property
• A property-specific negotiation strategy
• A tailored, professional assessment appeal report outlining seven areas of concern and how each impacts your property, this includes:
• A market comparison cost analysis conducted for your property by a licensed Louisiana realtor
• A neighborhood comparison assessment analysis conducted for your property
• Crime map information for your property
• Rental and investment property specific evaluations
• Insurance and property maintenance 
• Any implications of sales chasing (assessing based solely on the recent purchase price)
• Commercial-specific considerations, if appropriate
• Negotiating on your behalf with the Assessor’s Office
• If you are unsatisfied with the results of the Board of Review, we will appeal to the Louisiana Tax Commission, this includes:
• Additional negotiation with the Assessor's Office
• Supplementing your materials with the Louisiana Tax Commission, as necessary
• Representation before the Louisiana Tax Commission at your hearing in Baton Rouge
  

frequently asked questions

If you don't see the answer to your question below, feel free to contact us.

How much does the tax appeal service cost?

Our residential appeal pricing depends on the total value of your assessed residential property:

Property value under $400,000 = $299

Property value of $400,000 to under $700,000 = $399

Property value of $700,000 to under $1,000,000 = $499

Property value of $1,000,000 or more = $699

Our pricing for appeal services for commercial properties is $499, plus 25% of your first year property tax savings.

These fees do not include appraisal fees or other potential costs.

When do I have to sign up to have my appeal filed?

To have your appeal considered, you must file your appeal during the Open Rolls period for your taxing parish. This time period varies by Parish, but is generally a 15 day period beginning sometime in August. If you are interested in tax appeal representation services, it is best to contact the Stow Firm and sign up early, even before the open rolls period begins to ensure that your appeal can be promptly filed. We will do our best to assist clients who sign up after the Open Rolls period has started, but only as time and space allow.

In general, if you miss filing your appeal during the Open Rolls period, you will not be able to file a property tax assessment appeal until next year.

How do property tax appeals work?

You are appealing your property assessment or property valuation, not your tax bill. In other words, you aren't arguing that your taxes are too high, you are arguing that the property used to calculate your taxes is overvalued.

A property assessment appeal must first be filed in your Parish and heard by the Board of Review (some Parishes have slightly different names for this Parish level review panel) during the Open Rolls period. In some Parishes, you are required to appeal to the Assessor's Office prior to filing with the Board of Review. During this time, you can also try to negotiate with the Assessor's Office to lower your valuation. After your appeal is heard by the Board of Review, the result will be certified. If you still disagree with the certified property assessment value, you can appeal to the Louisiana Tax Commission (LTC). The LTC will hold a hearing where you can present your case for a lower valuation, supported by evidence. The decision of the LTC is final and can only be reviewed through filing a lawsuit in court.

You can visit our blog for more information about the process.

What happens after I sign up?

After you sign on as a client, we'll reach out to you to learn a little more about your property. We'll also send you a list of suggested documents that could help support your appeal. Don't worry if you don't have every document on the list, just send us what you have available. We'll also send you a form to sign that allows us to represent you and negotiate on your behalf. From there, we'll keep you updated as the status of your appeal changes.

After the Board of Review decision is announced, we'll check in and see if you are happy with the result or if you'd like to file an appeal with the Louisiana Tax Commission. This is all included in our property tax appeal service.

Ready to sign up?

Don't get stuck paying more than your fair share. Appeal today.

" We saved almost $1,500 off last year's property taxes.

I never expected to save that much! "

--A happy Orleans Parish Stow Firm client after having his $53,400 assessment reduced thanks to our tax appeal service.

                                                                                                                                                                                                   *results representative but not guaranteed

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