Louisiana Sales Tax Calculator 2026 — 5% Rate

Louisiana Sales Tax Rate: State vs Combined

The Louisiana state sales tax rate is 5%. However, most shoppers pay more than the state rate because parishes and cities add their own local taxes on top. The statewide average combined rate is 10.13% (Tax Foundation, rates as of July 1, 2026). This means a $100 purchase costs $105.00 with state tax alone, and $110.13 at the statewide average once parish and city taxes are added.

What Is and Isn't Taxed in Louisiana

Food sold for preparation and consumption in the home is exempt from the Louisiana state sales tax; parish and municipal sales taxes may still apply to it, depending on where it is sold. Louisiana taxes clothing purchases at the standard 5% state rate, plus any applicable local rates. Prescription drugs are exempt from the state sales tax.

Louisiana Raised the State Rate to 5% — Why Older Guides Say 4.45%

If a search result or an older receipt shows 4.45%, it is out of date. Act 11 of the 2024 Third Extraordinary Session (House Bill 10) raised the Louisiana state sales tax rate to 5% with effect from 1 January 2025, as part of the package that also cut the individual income tax to a flat rate. The increase is temporary by design: under current law the 5% rate applies through 31 December 2029 and the rate steps down to 4.75% on 1 January 2030.

Because Louisiana’s average local sales tax rate (5.13%) is the second-highest in the country after Alabama’s, the state rate is only about half the story. Adding parish and municipal levies takes the statewide average to 10.13%, the highest average combined rate of any US state (Tax Foundation, rates as of July 1, 2026), and individual localities run higher still. Two practical notes for anyone checking a bill: local rates are administered parish by parish rather than centrally, so the rate on a receipt from Orleans Parish will not match one from Caddo, and the calculator above therefore accepts your own combined rate — take the figure from your receipt or your parish's published table and enter it in the exact combined rate field for an exact answer. Rate confirmed against the Louisiana Department of Revenue and Tax Foundation midyear 2026 state and local sales tax data (rates as of July 1, 2026). Updated 2026-10-07.

Louisiana Sales Tax Holidays

Louisiana’s annual Second Amendment Weekend Sales Tax Holiday ran from Friday, September 4 through Sunday, September 6, 2026. During it, consumer purchases of firearms, ammunition and hunting supplies were exempt from both state and local sales tax. Source: Louisiana Department of Revenue news release. Check the Louisiana Department of Revenue website for the dates and eligible items each year.

How to Calculate Louisiana Sales Tax

To calculate Louisiana sales tax: multiply the purchase price by the applicable rate. For the state rate only: price × 5% = tax. For the combined rate: use 10.13% for a statewide-average estimate, or enter the exact combined rate from your receipt or your parish’s published table. Example: a $200 purchase at the 10.13% average combined rate = $20.26 in tax = $220.26 total.

Louisiana Sales Tax on Vehicles and Online Orders

Two purchases in Louisiana do not follow the rate printed on a store receipt, and both catch people out. A motor vehicle is taxed through the Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) when it is titled and registered, and the tax is based on the domicile of the vehicle — the parish and municipality where you live — rather than where the car was bought — so shopping in a lower-rate parish saves nothing once you register at home. The tax is assessed on the sales price minus any qualifying trade-in vehicle and rebate, according to the Louisiana OMV. Online orders from out-of-state sellers are handled centrally: Louisiana routes remote sellers through the Louisiana Sales and Use Tax Commission for Remote Sellers, and registered remote sellers collect state and local tax at the actual rates that apply at your delivery address. If a small out-of-state seller charges you nothing, the purchase is not tax-free — consumer use tax is owed, and you can report it on your Louisiana individual income tax return (IT-540) or on the Consumer Use Tax Return (R-1035). Because the local portion varies by parish, confirm the rate for your own address with the free rate lookup tool of the Louisiana Uniform Local Sales Tax Board before filing anything. Source: Louisiana Department of Revenue — Sales Tax. Updated 2026-10-07.

Tips for Accurate Sales Tax Calculations

Always confirm the exact local rate for your specific city or parish — the combined average (10.13%, Tax Foundation, rates as of July 1, 2026) is a statewide mean and may differ from your actual checkout rate. Large purchases like vehicles, appliances, or electronics are where the difference between state-only and combined rates matters most. Keep receipts that show the tax rate used; this helps verify correct tax was charged and supports any refund claims for exempt purchases. If you are making a business purchase, check whether your state offers a sales tax exemption certificate to avoid paying tax on resale items.

Last updated: October 2026. Sources: Louisiana Department of Revenue, What is the state sales tax rate?; Louisiana Department of Revenue, 2nd Amendment Weekend Sales Tax Holiday 2026; Louisiana Department of Revenue, Is there sales tax on food?; Louisiana Department of Revenue, Consumer Use Tax; Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, Title & Registration; Louisiana Sales and Use Tax Commission for Remote Sellers, FAQ; Louisiana Uniform Local Sales Tax Board; Tax Foundation, State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2026 (rates as of July 1, 2026).