Tangipahoa Parish tax rates break into two main bills. Sales tax runs 8.5% in unincorporated parts of the parish and climbs as high as 11% inside certain towns. Property tax is set by local millage applied to 10% of a home’s fair market value, with a homestead exemption that shields the first $75,000 of market value for owner-occupied homes.
Sales Tax Rates by Location
Louisiana charges a 5% state sales tax on most retail purchases and taxable services.1Louisiana Department of Revenue. General Sales and Use Tax The state rate rose from 4.45% to 5% in January 2025, so older rate charts online are out of date.
Tangipahoa Parish layers on 3.5% of its own: a 2% School Board tax, a 1% Parish Council tax, and a 0.5% Educational Facilities Improvement District tax. Each municipality then adds its own tax on top of that. Combined rates effective April 2025 look like this:2Tangipahoa Parish School System. Sales Tax – Tangipahoa Parish School System
- Balance of Parish (unincorporated): 8.5% total
- Hammond: 10.5% total
- Ponchatoula: 10.5% total
- Kentwood: 10.5% total
- Tangipahoa (town): 10.5% total
- Tickfaw: 10.5% total
- Amite: 11% total
- Independence: 11% total
- Roseland: 11% total
- Fire District #1: 9% total
Those totals include the 5% state portion, the 3.5% parish portion, and any municipal add-on. The difference between shopping in unincorporated Tangipahoa and shopping in Amite is 2.5 percentage points, which adds up quickly on larger purchases.
Online and Out-of-State Purchases
Online buyers owe Louisiana sales tax too. After the 2018 Supreme Court decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, states can require remote sellers to collect tax without a physical presence. Louisiana’s threshold for remote sellers is $100,000 in gross revenue from Louisiana sales or 200 or more separate transactions delivered into the state during the previous or current calendar year.3Louisiana Sales and Use Tax Commission for Remote Sellers. Frequently Asked Questions
Most large online retailers collect and remit the correct combined rate automatically. The gap is with smaller sellers, private marketplace transactions, or vendors below the threshold. In those cases the buyer owes the equivalent use tax and is supposed to report it. Enforcement on individual consumers is minimal, but the legal obligation exists.
How Property Tax Is Calculated
Property tax uses millage rates applied to assessed value. One mill equals one dollar of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. The Tangipahoa Parish Assessor determines fair market value for each parcel, and the Louisiana Constitution then reduces that figure to an assessed value: 10% of market value for land and residential improvements, 15% for commercial and other non-residential property.4Justia Law. Louisiana Constitution Article VII – Revenue and Finance
A worked example makes the math concrete. A home with a fair market value of $200,000 has an assessed value of $20,000. If the total millage where the home sits is 120 mills, you multiply $20,000 by 0.120 for an annual bill of $2,400 before any exemptions.
Total millage varies by address because each taxing district (school board, parish government, fire protection, recreation, law enforcement) sets its own rate. The Assessor’s office publishes the detailed millage schedule each year after the tax rolls are finalized.
Homestead Exemption
Owner-occupied primary residences qualify for a homestead exemption that shields the first $7,500 of assessed value from parish and special ad valorem taxes.4Justia Law. Louisiana Constitution Article VII – Revenue and Finance Because residential property is assessed at 10% of market value, that exemption effectively shelters the first $75,000 of a home’s market value. On a $150,000 home, only half the assessed value gets taxed.
To qualify, you must own and occupy the property as your primary residence. Only one homestead exemption is allowed per person, and married couples cannot claim separate exemptions on different properties.5Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code RS 47:1703 – Exemptions The exemption also extends to surviving spouses, former spouses occupying the home, property held in qualifying irrevocable trusts, and mobile homes used as a primary residence. If you own a mobile home but not the land under it, only the home itself is exempt.4Justia Law. Louisiana Constitution Article VII – Revenue and Finance
Apply at the Tangipahoa Parish Assessor’s office with a valid Louisiana driver’s license or state ID showing the property address. Once granted, the exemption stays in effect as long as you own and occupy the home. Notify the Assessor if you move or sell, because failing to do so can create problems for the next owner’s application.
Appealing Your Assessment
If the Assessor’s value on your home looks too high, you can challenge it. Louisiana assessors open their tax lists for public inspection each summer, typically mid-July through mid-August. During that window you file a formal appeal with the Assessor’s office. The parish Board of Review then holds hearings, usually in September and early October, to decide whether the assessed value should change.
Bring concrete evidence to the hearing: a recent independent appraisal, comparable sales from nearby properties, photographs showing the property’s condition, or contractor estimates for needed repairs. The Board weighs the recent sale price of the property itself, comparable sales in the area, and the opinions of real estate professionals. Vague objections don’t move the needle; strong appeals show a specific dollar gap between the Assessor’s value and actual market conditions.
If the Board of Review rules against you, you can appeal in writing to the Louisiana Tax Commission within ten business days after the Board’s notice is postmarked or delivered. That second-level review is your administrative remedy before any court challenge becomes available.
Hotel Occupancy Tax
Guests staying in hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts, or short-term rentals in Tangipahoa Parish pay a 4% occupancy tax on top of the standard sales taxes. It applies to stays of 28 nights or shorter and is calculated on the listing price including cleaning fees. Revenue funds tourism promotion and the Tangipahoa Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit the tax automatically for hosts in the parish.
Payment Deadlines and Late Penalties
The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office serves as tax collector. Property tax notices go out every November, and all payments are due by December 31. You can pay online with a credit card, debit card, or ACH electronic check (a 3.99% convenience fee applies to the full transaction), by mail with a check to the Tax Collector office at 313 E. Oak Street, Amite, LA 70422, or in person during business hours.6Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. Pay Taxes and Fees On a $2,400 bill the online fee runs about $96, so mailing a check avoids the charge. The check needs to arrive before December 31, not just be postmarked by then.
Miss the deadline and interest accrues at 1% per month, non-compounding, starting the day after the due date.7Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code RS 47:2127 – Interest and Penalty That works out to 12% per year.
If the delinquency continues, the parish can sell a tax lien on the property at public auction, and an additional 5% penalty is added at that point.7Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code RS 47:2127 – Interest and Penalty After a tax sale certificate is filed, you have a three-year redemption period to reclaim the property by paying the full delinquent amount plus the 5% penalty, 1% monthly interest, and any other costs imposed by law.8FindLaw. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 47 2153 If three years pass without redemption, the lien holder can move to acquire the property outright.