Louisiana Tax Deed & Tax Lien Sales 2026

How tax sales work in Louisiana

Louisiana’s system has long been distinctive. Under the constitution and Title 47, the parish tax collector, usually the sheriff, sells “tax sale title” to a delinquent parcel rather than the parcel outright. Bidders pay the taxes, interest and costs, and when more than one bidder wants a parcel they bid down the undivided ownership interest they will accept, from 100 percent toward 1 percent. The buyer records a tax sale certificate and holds an inchoate interest until the redemption period ends, then must bring a court action to confirm and quiet title. In December 2024 voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing the legislature to replace this with a tax lien auction model, and enabling legislation directs a phased shift to selling liens with bid-down interest. Parishes are moving at different speeds; treat any sale from 2026 onward as one that requires checking which regime applies.

Redemption and interest

Under the tax sale title rules the owner or any interested party may redeem within three years of the certificate’s recording, or eighteen months for property certified as blighted or abandoned in some municipalities. The redemption price is the amount paid at the sale plus a 5 percent penalty and 1 percent interest per month, together with subsequent taxes the buyer paid. Redemption is routine, and most buyers treat Louisiana as a yield play with a small share of parcels going through to title. Under the newer lien auction model the redemption amount is the lien plus the interest rate set at auction; verify the period and rate the parish is applying.

When and where sales happen

Each parish sets its own date, usually once a year, with many sales between spring and midsummer. Orleans Parish and a number of others sell online through a contracted platform; many rural parishes still hold sales at the courthouse. Notice is published in the official journal for several weeks beforehand.

What to check before you bid

Confirm the sale type and rules for that parish this year. Check for homestead exemption status, municipal code and blight liens, and mortgages whose holders will redeem. Confirm the parcel’s legal description on the assessor map, since many are fractional lots in older subdivisions. If you intend to pursue title, plan for the post-redemption notice and confirmation lawsuit.

How AuctionScouts helps here

AuctionScouts consolidates parish tax sale lists across Louisiana, scores each parcel from 0 to 100, and flags recorded liens and blight designations that alter the redemption terms. The calendar tracks each parish’s annual sale date.