Does Louisiana have a real estate transfer tax?

Louisiana has no statewide real estate transfer tax. In fact, state law prohibits most local governments from imposing one. The major exception is the City of New Orleans, which levies a documentary transaction tax on property transfers within Orleans Parish.

What is the New Orleans documentary transaction tax?

New Orleans charges a flat documentary transaction tax on transfers of immovable property, historically around $325 regardless of sale price, collected when the deed is recorded. It functions like a fixed recording charge rather than a percentage of value.

What do other parishes charge to record a deed?

Outside New Orleans, parishes do not levy a transfer tax but do charge a clerk-of-court recording fee, typically a flat amount in the range of $100 to $250 depending on the number of pages. This tool uses a representative flat recording fee.

Who pays the transfer cost in Louisiana?

It is negotiable and set in the purchase agreement, but the buyer commonly pays deed recording fees and any New Orleans documentary tax as part of closing costs. Always confirm the allocation with your closing attorney or title company.

Is this an exact closing cost figure?

No. It estimates only the transfer/recording charge. Mortgage recording fees, title insurance, attorney fees, and prorated property taxes are separate and usually far larger. Confirm the exact amounts with your closing attorney.

Louisiana Real Estate Transfer Tax Calculator

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Unlike most states, Louisiana imposes no statewide real estate transfer tax — and state law bars most parishes from creating one. The notable exception is New Orleans, which charges a flat documentary transaction tax. This calculator shows what a deed transfer actually costs based on where the property sits.

How it works

The transfer charge depends almost entirely on the parish, not the sale price:

New Orleans (Orleans Parish):
  documentary transaction tax = flat ~$325 (recording-based, not % of value)

Other Louisiana parishes:
  no transfer tax — clerk-of-court recording fee only (flat ~$150)

total = applicable transfer/recording charge

Because the New Orleans tax and other parishes’ recording fees are flat amounts, a $200,000 home and a $2,000,000 home in the same parish pay the same transfer charge — a sharp contrast to percentage-based transfer taxes in other states.

Example and notes

Selling a $400,000 home in New Orleans costs roughly $325 in documentary transaction tax at recording, while the same sale in Baton Rouge’s East Baton Rouge Parish carries only a flat recording fee of about $150 and no transfer tax. This estimate covers the transfer/recording charge alone; title insurance, mortgage recording, and attorney fees are separate and typically much larger.