After a Louisiana closing, record the deed with the parish clerk of court. If you will occupy the home as a homestead, apply separately with the parish assessor. The first assessment can be protested only on the official calendar. Completing one of those steps does not complete the others.

Keep a folder with the closing statement, the recorded deed, tax receipts, insurance binders, and any flood policy.

What happens at the clerk of court?

The clerk records the deed, any mortgage, and related instruments, and collects the locally published recording fees. This article does not invent a statewide transfer tax or a uniform recording charge. Ask the closer to show the clerk's fees as separate lines and to return a recorded copy. Check the names and the legal description. If the package is rejected, the instrument is not yet in the public record.

Title insurance, if you bought it, does not replace recording. If a delay appears, call the closing office and the clerk. You will need the recorded deed when you apply for homestead and if you later refinance or sell.

When should you apply for homestead?

Article VII, Section 20 exempts a qualifying owner-occupied homestead of not more than 160 acres from state, parish, and special ad valorem taxes to the extent of $7,500 of assessed valuation. Because residential property is generally assessed at 10 percent of fair market value, that exemption equals $75,000 of market value. The exemption does not extend to municipal taxes, except as the constitution provides in Orleans Parish and for municipal taxes levied for school purposes.

Apply at the parish assessor's office with the recorded deed and proof that you occupy the home. Ask which tax year will first reflect the exemption if you close mid-year. Only one homestead exemption applies to any person in the state. A homestead filing will not correct an excessive market value. That correction, if you need it, is the assessment appeal.

What if the first tax value looks wrong?

Assessment lists are open for a 15-day public inspection period on official calendars that generally fall between August 15 and September 15, with earlier or different official dates in Jefferson Parish and Orleans Parish. Use Form 3101 to go to the Board of Review, observing the official filing cutoff, which is no later than seven days before the hearing in the statewide rule, with a different official intake path in Orleans Parish. If you disagree with the board, appeal in writing to the Louisiana Tax Commission within 30 calendar days of the earlier of actual delivery of the decision or written transmission of the notice of determination.

What official homestead and assessment rules apply after you move in?

Article VII, Section 20 of the Louisiana Constitution exempts a qualifying owner-occupied homestead of not more than 160 acres from state, parish, and special ad valorem taxes to the extent of $7,500 of assessed valuation. Article VII, Section 18 assesses land and residential improvements at 10 percent of fair market value, so that $7,500 of assessed value equals $75,000 of fair market value. The exemption does not generally extend to municipal taxes, except as Section 20 provides in Orleans Parish. Apply with the parish assessor and keep proof of occupancy.

Assessment lists are open for a 15-day public exposure period that generally begins no earlier than August 15 and ends no later than September 15. Jefferson Parish may begin as early as August 1. Orleans Parish exposure is July 15 through August 15, daily except Saturday, Sunday, and legal holidays, with an official extension to the next business day if August 15 falls on a weekend or holiday. File Form 3101 with the Board of Review during exposure. Statewide, appeals must be received by the Board no later than seven days before the public hearing, while Orleans has a different official intake. A further appeal to the Louisiana Tax Commission is due in writing within 30 calendar days of the earlier of actual delivery of the Board decision or written transmission of the notice of determination.

This article does not invent a statewide real-estate transfer tax. Confirm clerk recording fees in the parish where the land is located. Article VII, Section 2.3 bars new transfer or documentary taxes after November 30, 2011, while still allowing recordation fees. If you used a Louisiana Housing Corporation HomeStart program, keep the lender's closing package with the recorded deed and the homestead filing.

Insurance should be in force at closing, including a separate flood policy if the property or a lender requires it. A new resident also has 30 days after establishing a domicile in Louisiana to transfer an out-of-state driver license at the Office of Motor Vehicles. Complete recording, homestead, and any valuation protest on the official parish timelines, and talk with a licensed local agent about the homeowners and flood policies that took effect at closing.

FAQ

Who records the deed?

The clerk of court in the parish where the property is located. Confirm that the deed was recorded correctly and keep the stamped copy.

Is homestead automatic when I buy?

No. Apply at the parish assessor's office. Official relief is $7,500 of assessed valuation on a qualifying owner-occupied homestead of not more than 160 acres.

How long do I have to protest the assessed value?

Start during the official public inspection period, file with the Board of Review on that parish's official calendar, and, if needed, appeal to the Tax Commission within 30 calendar days of the official determination notice.

Do I still need to think about insurance after closing?

Yes. Recording and homestead do not replace a homeowners policy, and they do not create flood coverage. Confirm that the new owner is named on the policy.

Sources: Louisiana Constitution Article VII, Section 20, La. Admin. Code Title 61, Section V-3101, OMV License Transfers, Article VII, Section 18, Article VII, Section 2.3.

Louisiana's homestead exemption is $7,500 of assessed valuation on a bona fide owner-occupied homestead of not more than 160 acres. Article VII, Section 20 of the state constitution is the official rule. Apply with the parish assessor where the homestead is located.

Because residential property is generally assessed at 10 percent of fair market value under Article VII, Section 18, the $7,500 assessed-value exemption equals $75,000 of fair market value. A home assessed at $7,500 or less can be fully exempt from the taxes the exemption reaches. The exemption does not automatically erase municipal taxes.

What does the constitution include and exclude?

The same homestead exemption fully applies to a primary residence, including a mobile home, owned and occupied as a bona fide home, even if the homeowner does not own the land; however, the exemption shall not apply to the land if the homeowner does not own it. The exemption extends, as the constitution provides, to certain surviving or former spouses, to certain trusts, and to certain usufructuaries who occupy the homestead, but in no event shall more than one homestead exemption extend or apply to any person in this state. It extends only to a natural person or to a qualifying trust, and, except as otherwise provided, is limited to the pro rata ownership interest of the person occupying a property owned in indivision. No homestead exemption shall be granted on bond-for-deed property, subject to a limited grandfathering clause.

This exemption shall not extend to municipal taxes. However, the exemptions shall apply in Orleans Parish to state, general city, school, levee, and levee district taxes, and shall apply to any municipal taxes levied for school purposes. That official Orleans and school-tax exception is easy to miss if you only read a short "no municipal taxes" summary.

If a homestead is damaged or destroyed during a disaster or emergency declared by the governor, and the owner is unable to occupy it on or before December 31 of a calendar year because of that damage, the owner may claim and keep the exemption by filing an annual affidavit of intent to return and reoccupy, within the time periods the constitution describes, including a five-year period and limited official extensions.

How and when do I apply?

Visit the parish assessor's office. Bring proof of ownership, such as the recorded deed, and proof that you occupy the home as your bona fide homestead. Ask the assessor about the filing deadline for the next tax year and about any additional special-assessment programs that office administers for qualifying older or disabled owners. This article does not invent a single statewide income-credit figure, because official homestead relief is an assessed-value exemption, not a refund check from the Department of Revenue.

A homestead filing is not an assessment appeal. If the underlying value is wrong, use the official public-exposure and Board of Review path described by the Tax Commission. If you move, notify the assessor, because the exemption is tied to a qualifying occupied homestead, and only one exemption applies to any person in the state.

How does assessed value relate to fair market value?

Article VII, Section 18 of the Louisiana Constitution assesses land and improvements for residential purposes at 10 percent of fair market value. Because of that official classification, $7,500 of assessed valuation equals $75,000 of fair market value on a qualifying residential homestead. The exemption applies to a qualifying mobile home even if the owner does not own the land, but it does not apply to land the owner does not own. Only one exemption is available per person. It does not extend to municipal taxes, except in Orleans Parish to state, general city, school, levee, and levee district taxes, and to any municipal taxes levied for school purposes, as Section 20 provides.

Bond-for-deed arrangements are generally outside the exemption, with a limited official grandfather. Disaster and uninhabitable-homestead affidavit rules, including a five-year period and limited extensions, are also in Section 20. Apply at the parish assessor and keep proof of ownership and occupancy.

A separate special assessment level in Article VII, Section 18(G) can hold the assessment of a qualifying homestead for certain owner-occupants, including people 65 or older and people with official disability status, subject to official income limits and an application with the assessor. Those income limits are set in the constitution and can change by amendment. Confirm current eligibility and income figures with the assessor rather than relying on an unofficial summary.

After you buy, recording the deed at the parish clerk of court is a separate step from the homestead application. Completing one filing does not complete the other. Watch the official assessment public-inspection calendar so you can protest a value during the Board of Review period if needed.

If you occupy a Louisiana home as your primary residence, talk with a licensed local agent about homeowners and flood coverage, and apply for the official homestead exemption at the parish assessor's office.

FAQ

How large is the official homestead exemption?

Article VII, Section 20 exempts $7,500 of assessed valuation on a qualifying homestead of not more than 160 acres. At a 10 percent residential assessment ratio, that equals $75,000 of fair market value.

Does the exemption cover city taxes?

Generally, no. The exemption does not extend to municipal taxes, except in Orleans Parish for the taxes listed in the constitution, and except for municipal taxes levied for school purposes.

Do I have to own the land under a mobile home?

The exemption fully applies to a qualifying owner-occupied mobile home even if the owner does not own the land, but it shall not apply to land the homeowner does not own.

Where do I apply?

At the parish assessor's office where the homestead is located. The Department of Revenue does not replace that local filing for this exemption.

Sources: Louisiana Constitution Article VII, Section 20, La. Admin. Code Title 61, Section V-3101, Article VII, Section 18.

The Louisiana Housing Corporation offers HomeStart Advantage and HomeStart Assist through participating lenders and eHousing Plus. Official pages do not tell a buyer to mail a loan file to LHC for origination. Confirm current income limits, price caps, and assistance amounts before you write an offer.

The official contacts published on the program pages are 2415 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, and 225-763-8700.

What does HomeStart Advantage officially provide?

The official Advantage page describes a 30-year fixed-rate first mortgage along with 4 percent forgivable assistance based on the final amount of the first mortgage. The assistance is provided through a 0 percent interest second mortgage that can be fully forgiven after 60 months when all applicable program requirements are met. The program is available statewide.

Official qualifications include these points:

• The buyer is purchasing a home in Louisiana. All occupations qualify.
• First-time homebuyer status is not required. However, the borrower may not own another residence at the time of closing.
• The projected annual household income may not exceed $125,000.
• The minimum credit score is 640.
• At least one occupying borrower must complete an approved homebuyer education course.
• The home must meet applicable property and loan requirements.
• The purchase price may not exceed the applicable FHA loan limit.

If you reserved a loan in the former Keys for Service program before September 9, 2026, the official page tells you to follow those earlier program guidelines.

What does HomeStart Assist officially provide?

HomeStart Assist is designed to help buyers who may not have enough money for the down payment and closing costs. The official page states that interest rates are usually at market level. The program provides a 30-year fixed mortgage along with 4 percent assistance based on the original principal amount of the first mortgage, through a 0 percent interest, forgivable second mortgage that is fully forgiven after 60 months if program requirements are met.

Official qualifications include these points:

• The program is designed for first-time homebuyers, meaning you have not owned a home as your principal residence in the past three years.
• Eligible household income may be up to 115 percent of area median income in non-targeted areas, or up to 140 percent of AMI in targeted areas, depending on household size and location.
• A minimum credit score of 640.
• Completion of an approved homebuyer education course by at least one occupying borrower.
• The home must meet applicable property and loan requirements, and income and household eligibility requirements must be satisfied.

LHC publishes official income-limit tools for Assist government and conventional loans. Use those current tables rather than a number remembered from an older flyer. If you reserved a loan in the former MRB Assisted program before September 9, 2026, follow those earlier official guidelines.

What else should a Louisiana buyer budget?

LHC assistance does not replace parish clerk recording fees, a homestead application, or required insurance. A lender will still require an appraisal, title work, and a homeowners policy, and may require flood insurance. Ask the lender to show the official LHC term sheet, not only a marketing summary, and confirm whether Advantage or Assist is the program that matches your first-time-buyer status and income.

What official figures do the current HomeStart pages publish?

HomeStart Advantage, described at lhc.la.gov/homestartadvantage, offers a 30-year fixed first mortgage plus 4 percent forgivable assistance based on the final first-mortgage amount. The assistance is a 0 percent second mortgage that is forgiven after 60 months if program requirements are met. The program is available statewide. First-time-buyer status is not required, but the borrower may not own another residence at closing. Household income may not exceed $125,000, the minimum credit score is 640, approved homebuyer education is required for at least one occupying borrower, and the purchase price may not exceed the applicable FHA loan limit.

HomeStart Assist, described at lhc.la.gov/homestartassist, also offers a 30-year fixed first mortgage plus 4 percent assistance based on the original principal of the first mortgage, with a 0 percent second forgiven after 60 months. It is designed for first-time buyers, meaning no principal residence owned in the past three years. Income may be up to 115 percent of area median income in non-targeted areas, or 140 percent in targeted areas, depending on household size and location. The 640 credit-score floor and the education-course requirement also apply.

Apply through a participating lender. LHC's official address is 2415 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, and the published number is 225-763-8700. Former Keys for Service or earlier mortgage-revenue-bond assisted reservations made before September 9, 2026, follow those earlier official guidelines. Confirm every current limit with the lender and the official LHC pages before you write an offer, because published program terms can be updated.

A HomeStart purchase still requires recording the deed at the parish clerk of court and, if you will occupy the home, a homestead application at the assessor. Official homestead relief is $7,500 of assessed valuation under Article VII, Section 20.

If you are shopping for a Louisiana home and want official down-payment help, talk with a licensed local agent about the insurance the lender will require, and confirm current LHC limits with a participating lender and lhc.la.gov.

FAQ

Does LHC make the loan directly to the buyer?

Official program pages direct buyers to participating lenders and to the eHousing Plus portal to reserve a loan. Confirm the current application path on the official LHC site.

How much assistance is published?

Both HomeStart Advantage and HomeStart Assist publish 4 percent assistance as a 0 percent second mortgage that can be forgiven after 60 months. Advantage bases the 4 percent on the final first-mortgage amount. Assist bases it on the original principal of the first mortgage.

Is a 640 credit score published?

Yes. Both official program pages list a minimum credit score of 640 and require an approved homebuyer education course for at least one occupying borrower.

Can a repeat buyer use these programs?

HomeStart Advantage does not require first-time status, but the borrower may not own another residence at closing, and household income may not exceed $125,000. HomeStart Assist is designed for first-time buyers who have not owned a principal residence in the past three years.

Sources: LHC HomeStart Advantage, LHC HomeStart Assist.

If you disagree with a Louisiana property assessment, start with the annual public inspection of the assessment lists, then appeal in writing to the parish Board of Review, and, if needed, to the Louisiana Tax Commission. Official rules are in Title 61, Part V, Chapter 31, issued under R.S. 47:1992.

The lists are open for public inspection each year for a period of 15 days, beginning no earlier than August 15 and ending no later than September 15, except in Jefferson Parish, where the lists are open no earlier than August 1 and ending no later than September 15, and in Orleans Parish, where the lists are exposed daily, except Saturday, Sunday, and legal holidays, from July 15 through August 15, extending to the next business day if August 15 falls on a weekend or legal holiday.

How do I get the assessment and file a Board of Review appeal?

During the public exposure period, each assessor shall provide the taxpayer access to Form 3101, "Exhibit A, Notice of Appeal Request for Board of Review." Appeals must be received by the Board of Review no later than seven days prior to the public hearing, except that Orleans Parish has its own official complaint-timing rules: written complaints are received by the assessor's office no later than three business days after the last date the lists are exposed, and the assessor forwards them to the Board of Review.

If the taxable assessment increases by 15 percent or more from the previous tax year, the assessor shall, prior to opening the lists, provide notice of the current and previous assessments on Form TC-2. A property owner may also request the current year's assessment in writing, no sooner than June 1 and no later than June 15, with return postage, as the rule describes.

The parish police jury or parish council sits as the Board of Review. The board convenes hearings within 10 days of receiving the certified rolls and may increase or decrease an assessment in accordance with fair market or use value, determining each assessment on its own merits using recognized appraisal techniques. On the fifteenth day after the board begins public hearings, the lists, with any changes, are certified and sent to the Tax Commission within three days, under the statewide rule and R.S. 47:1992. Orleans Parish has official certification dates of its own, including certification to the Tax Commission on or before October 20.

Bring useful evidence: the official notice, the purchase price if it was a genuine sale, photographs, and comparable sales the board will actually consider. Submit value information to the assessor before the Board of Review filing deadline. The published exposure notice warns that failure to submit information to the assessor may prevent you from relying on that information if you protest the value.

How do I appeal to the Louisiana Tax Commission?

The Board of Review shall provide each taxpayer a written notice of the particular appeal determination, with a copy to the assessor and the Tax Commission, on or before certification of the list, and shall include Appeal Form 3103.A. The notice is sent simultaneously to the assessor and the taxpayer at the address on the appeal form by registered or certified mail.

The determination is final unless appealed in writing to the Tax Commission within 30 calendar days of the earlier of actual delivery of the Board of Review decision, or written transmission of the notice of determination. The taxpayer, the parish assessor, or a bona fide representative of an affected tax-recipient body may appeal. Do not wait for a tax bill if the 30-day window has already started.

What official valuation and calendar facts should you use?

Article VII, Section 18 of the Louisiana Constitution requires property to be listed at assessed valuation, which is a uniform percentage of fair market value for each official class. Land and improvements for residential purposes are assessed at 10 percent of fair market value. Public service properties, excluding land, are assessed at 25 percent, and other property at 15 percent, as that section provides. Each assessor determines fair market value, except that public service properties are valued by the Louisiana Tax Commission. Property subject to taxation shall be reappraised and valued at intervals of not more than four years.

A 15 percent or greater increase requires Form TC-2 notice before exposure. You may also make an optional written request for the current assessment between June 1 and June 15. Value information should be submitted to the assessor before the Board of Review filing deadline, according to the official warning in the rules. Statewide, appeals must be received by the Board no later than seven days before the public hearing, except as official Orleans intake rules provide.

If the Board of Review decision is adverse, a further written appeal to the Louisiana Tax Commission is due within 30 calendar days of the earlier of actual delivery of the Board decision or written transmission of the notice of determination. Form 3103.A accompanies that notice and is sent registered or certified. The taxpayer, the assessor, or a bona fide representative of an affected tax-recipient body may appeal. Orleans Parish has additional official certification dates, including certification to the Tax Commission on or before October 20.

Homestead and the assessment protest are separate. Apply for the official $7,500 assessed-value homestead at the assessor's office, and use this appeal path if the underlying value is wrong. If you are appealing a Louisiana assessment, talk with a licensed local agent only if the value discussion also changes insurance, and file the official Board of Review form on the calendar that applies in that parish.

FAQ

When are assessment lists open for inspection?

Generally for 15 days beginning no earlier than August 15 and ending no later than September 15. Jefferson Parish may begin as early as August 1. Orleans Parish uses July 15 through August 15, with an official weekend or holiday extension.

What form starts the appeal?

Form 3101, the Notice of Appeal Request for Board of Review, during the exposure period. Statewide, the Board of Review must receive the appeal no later than seven days before the public hearing. Orleans Parish has a different official intake path.

How long do I have to go to the Tax Commission?

Thirty calendar days from the earlier of actual delivery of the Board of Review decision or written transmission of the notice of determination.

Who sits as the Board of Review?

The parish police jury or parish council, under the official Tax Commission rule.

Sources: La. Admin. Code Title 61, Section V-3101, Louisiana Constitution Article VII, Section 20, Article VII, Section 18.

Louisiana deeds are recorded with the clerk of court in the parish where the property is located. This article does not invent a statewide transfer tax or a single statewide recording fee. Parish clerks set their own recording charges. Confirm the current fee schedule before you budget the closing.

Keep the recorded deed, any mortgage, and the stamped receipts in the closing file. Those papers are used later for a homestead application, a refinance, insurance, and a future sale. An unrecorded deed leaves the public record incomplete. The practical step is to record promptly after closing.

What should you expect at the clerk's office?

The clerk records original, recordable instruments. Requirements for margins, type size, names, and legal descriptions are set by the receiving office and by applicable recording statutes. If a package is rejected, the instrument is not yet in the public record. Call the clerk before you send an original deed from out of state so a rejectable paper does not sit unrecorded past the date you expected.

Closing offices usually arrange recording, but you should still confirm that the deed comes back recorded and that the names and legal description are correct. Title insurance, if purchased, is a contract with the title insurer. It is not a substitute for recording. If a delay appears, call the closing office and the clerk rather than waiting for a tax bill in the prior owner's name.

Do not treat a figure quoted on a single parish fee page as a statewide rule. Some unofficial summaries describe a uniform conveyance fee or a special documentary tax in one parish. Unless you are looking at that parish's current official clerk schedule, do not assume the same charge applies everywhere. This article will not invent an Orleans or other parish tax rate from a secondary source.

How do recording and property taxes connect after you buy?

Recording the deed does not, by itself, file a homestead exemption. The official homestead, under Article VII, Section 20 of the Louisiana Constitution, is an exemption of $7,500 of assessed valuation on a qualifying owner-occupied homestead of not more than 160 acres. Apply with the parish assessor. The exemption does not extend to municipal taxes, except as the constitution provides in Orleans Parish and for municipal taxes levied for school purposes.

The first written assessment after you take title is a separate matter. Assessment lists are open for public inspection for a 15-day period that, outside the official exceptions, begins no earlier than August 15 and ends no later than September 15, with different official calendars in Jefferson Parish and Orleans Parish, as the Louisiana Tax Commission rules provide. A protest uses the official Board of Review path, then a further appeal to the Tax Commission within 30 calendar days of the official determination.

If you borrowed money to buy the home, the mortgage is also recorded, and a lien-recordation charge may apply under local clerk rules. Ask the closer to show recording fees as separate lines, not only a bundled "closing cost" figure. There is no official statewide deed tax of $0.50 per $500 of the kind used in some other states, so do not import that math into a Louisiana closing.

What official rules apply to transfer taxes and recording fees?

Article VII, Section 2.3 of the Louisiana Constitution provides that no new tax or fee upon the sale or transfer of immovable property, including documentary transaction taxes or fees, shall be levied by the state or by a political subdivision after November 30, 2011. The same section states that fees for the cost of recordation, filing, or maintenance of documents or records effectuating the sale or transfer, impact fees for development of property, annual parcel fees, and ad valorem taxes shall not be considered taxes or fees upon the sale or transfer of immovable property. This article does not invent a pre-2011 local documentary-tax rate, and it does not import a uniform clerk fee from another state.

Ask the closing attorney or the parish clerk for the current recording fee schedule, accepted payment methods, and any name or legal-description requirements. After recording, keep a copy of the recorded deed, the conveyance book or instrument number, and the closing package. Those records are useful when you apply for a homestead exemption at the parish assessor, when you later sell or refinance, and if you need to protest an assessment during the official public-inspection period.

Recording is a parish-level act. A deed for land in one parish is not perfected for public-records purposes by recording it in a different parish. If a transaction includes property in more than one parish, confirm with counsel where each instrument must be recorded. The clerk's recording function is not the assessor's homestead filing, and it is not a Department of Insurance or Public Service Commission process.

If you are buying Louisiana property, talk with a licensed local agent about homeowners and flood insurance, and confirm the clerk's current recording fees and the assessor's homestead process in the parish where the land lies.

FAQ

Is there a statewide Louisiana transfer tax on deeds?

This official-source review does not find a uniform statewide deed transfer tax comparable to some other states' realty-transfer taxes. Recording is done at the parish clerk of court, and fees are local.

Where is a deed recorded?

With the clerk of court in the parish where the property is located. Confirm current formal requirements and fees with that clerk or the closing office.

Does recording the deed file my homestead exemption?

No. Homestead is a separate application with the parish assessor, under Article VII, Section 20 of the Louisiana Constitution.

How should I budget recording costs?

Use the current official fee schedule for the parish of the property. Do not rely on another parish's published fee, or on a statewide figure invented in an unofficial summary.

Sources: Louisiana Constitution Article VII, Section 20, La. Admin. Code Title 61, Section V-3101, Louisiana Real Estate Commission forms, Article VII, Section 2.3.

A Louisiana seller of residential or vacant residential property must complete an official property disclosure and deliver it no later than when the purchaser makes an offer. R.S. 9:3198 is the statute. If the form arrives later, the purchaser may withdraw within 72 hours, excluding weekends and holidays.

The official commission site publishes the current mandatory Property Disclosure form, including a 2026 form. Use the current official form, not an outdated copy. The document is for disclosure purposes. It is not a warranty, and it is not intended to be part of the contract between purchaser and seller. It is also not a substitute for inspections or warranties.

What if the disclosure arrives after the offer?

If the property disclosure document is delivered after the purchaser makes an offer, the purchaser may terminate any resulting real estate contract or withdraw the offer no later than 72 hours, excluding federal and state holidays and weekends, after receipt of the document. The termination or withdrawal is without penalty, and any deposit or earnest money shall be promptly returned, notwithstanding any other agreement between the parties.

Those termination rights are waived if they are not exercised prior to transfer of title or occupancy, whichever is earlier, in a sale or exchange, or prior to transfer of title in a lease-option purchase. A transfer is not invalidated solely because someone failed to comply with the chapter. Other contract termination rights are not taken away by this chapter.

What must the document include, and how is it completed?

The seller shall complete the document in good faith to the best of the seller's belief and knowledge as of the date it is completed and signed. If the seller has no knowledge or information required by the document, the seller shall so indicate and is then in compliance with the chapter. If information later becomes inaccurate because of an action, occurrence, or agreement after delivery, that later inaccuracy does not constitute a violation of the chapter.

The statute also requires statements, included with the disclosure documents, as to:

• Whether the purchaser is obligated to be a member of a homeowners' association, and whether the property is subject to a common regime of restrictive covenants or building restrictions, or both.
• Whether an illegal laboratory for the production or manufacturing of methamphetamine was ever located on the property.
• Whether a cavity created within a salt stock by dissolution with water lies underneath the property, and whether the property is within 2,640 feet of a solution mining injection well.
• On forms used on and after April 1, 2005, whether the property has been zoned commercial or industrial.

The homeowners' association statement is summary in nature. Restrictive covenants and building restrictions are a matter of public record. The statement shall tell the purchaser that association governing documents may be requested from the seller and how to obtain documents on the covenants and restrictions.

A "known defect" under the chapter is a condition actually known by the seller that has a substantial adverse effect on value, significantly impairs the health or safety of future occupants, or, if not repaired, removed, or replaced, significantly shortens the expected normal life of the property. Residential real property means one to four residential dwelling units intended as single-family residences. The chapter applies whether or not a real estate licensee is used, subject to the official exemptions in R.S. 9:3197, such as certain court-ordered transfers, foreclosure-related transfers, and other listed exceptions.

When is a seller not liable for an error?

A seller shall not be liable for an error, inaccuracy, or omission of required information if the error was not a willful misrepresentation according to the best of the seller's information, knowledge, and belief, or if it was based on information provided by a public body or by another person with a professional license or special knowledge who provided a report or opinion that the seller reasonably believed to be correct and transmitted to the purchaser.

What official statements and limits should you expect on the form?

The official LREC form, including the 2026 mandatory Property Disclosure document published at lrec.gov/forms, asks about homeowners association membership or common restrictive covenants, whether an illegal methamphetamine laboratory was ever on the property, whether a salt-stock dissolution cavity lies underneath and whether the property is within 2,640 feet of a solution mining injection well, and, on forms on or after April 1, 2005, whether the property is zoned commercial or industrial. The association statement is a summary. The covenants themselves are public record.

"Known defect" is defined in R.S. 9:3196. Residential real property under the chapter means one to not more than four residential dwelling units intended as single-family residences. The chapter applies with or without a real-estate licensee, subject to the exemptions in R.S. 9:3197, which include certain court-ordered and foreclosure-related transfers. The disclosure is not a warranty and is not intended to be part of the contract. It is not a substitute for inspections. The seller completes it in good faith to the best of belief and knowledge as of signing, and an indication of no knowledge is compliance. A later inaccuracy caused by an event after delivery is not a chapter violation.

The seller is not liable for a non-willful error, or for an error based on a public body or a licensed or special-knowledge report that the seller reasonably believed was correct and transmitted to the purchaser. A transfer is not invalidated solely for noncompliance with the chapter. Official statute notes also mention Acts 2026, No. 708, effective January 1, 2027. This article uses current official law and does not invent those 2027 changes.

Buyers should still inspect the property. Nothing in the chapter precludes the rights or duties of a purchaser to inspect the physical condition of the property. If you are buying or selling Louisiana residential property, talk with a licensed local agent about homeowners and flood coverage, and get the official disclosure in hand no later than the offer, or use the 72-hour withdrawal right if it arrives late.

FAQ

When must the seller deliver the disclosure?

No later than the time the purchaser makes an offer, or exercises an option to purchase under a lease with option to purchase, under R.S. 9:3198.

What if I already made an offer and then receive the form?

You may terminate the contract or withdraw the offer within 72 hours after receipt, excluding federal and state holidays and weekends, without penalty, and any deposit shall be promptly returned.

Is the disclosure a warranty?

No. The official statute states that the document shall not be considered a warranty and is for disclosure purposes only. It is not a substitute for inspections.

Where is the official form?

The Louisiana Real Estate Commission publishes the current mandatory Property Disclosure form on its official forms page.

Sources: R.S. 9:3198, R.S. 9:3197, Louisiana Real Estate Commission forms.