The property tax “open rolls” period is here for Louisiana taxpayers. This annual inspection period is important in any year, but this year early and appropriate action is critical in light of recent legislation that affects the process of appealing a valuation determination by a parish assessor.

The “open rolls” period in any Louisiana parish is the annual opportunity for taxpayers to check property tax assessments and determine whether they are correct. More importantly, it is a time to act quickly or lose your rights to contest property tax valuations. The property tax rolls are scheduled to be “open” for public inspection in selected Louisiana parishes as follows:

PARISH OPEN ROLLS DATES
Caddo 08/18-09/01/2022
Calcasieu 08/31-09/15/2022
East Baton Rouge 08/25-09/09/2022
Jefferson 08/22-09/06/2022
Lafayette 08/15-8/30/2022
Lafourche 08/31-09/15/2022
Orleans 07/15-08/17/2022
Plaquemines 08/15-08/30/2022
St Bernard 08/15-09/02/2022
St Charles 08/15-08/29/2022
St Mary 08/15-08/29/2022
St Tammany 08/15-08/29/2022
Terrebonne 08/29-09/13/2022
Washington 08/15-09/07/2022

Open rolls dates for other parishes can be found on the Louisiana Tax Commission website. The current property tax year for Orleans Parish is 2023. For all other Louisiana parishes, the current property tax year is 2022.

In evaluating a property tax assessment during “open rolls,” information for prior tax years can be useful in determining whether there has been a change, and this information may be included on a parish assessor’s website. However, note that some parishes may not have current or accurate information online, and in those cases it will be necessary to contact or meet with the assessor’s office for updated information. The compressed “open rolls” time window  requires diligence and quick work. In addition, the property tax assessments in some parishes can be viewed through the Louisiana Tax Commission website. The website for Orleans Parish is: www.nolaassessor.com.

The important thing to know is that, if you or your client wishes to challenge the correctness (i.e. dispute the value) of a property tax assessment and preserve rights to challenge it, the “open rolls” period is your only chance to do so. During this time (if not earlier), it’s important to review the assessor’s data and conclusions, discuss the assessor’s stance on valuation, and provide all available information to the assessor that supports the correct value. Under recent statutory changes (La. Acts 2021, No. 343, eff. January 1, 2022), a taxpayer must furnish the assessor with all information that supports the taxpayer’s valuation prior to the deadline for filing an appeal with the local Board of Review. That deadline date varies by parish but is typically just a few days after the “open rolls” period closes. Beware of this very short time frame! Under the new law that is applicable to property tax appeals filed on or after January 1, 2022, while the Tax Commission can allow additional evidence that was not provided to the assessor to be presented at the property tax hearing before the Commission, the recommended course is to provide the assessor all available evidence to support the correct value during, or prior to, the open rolls inspection period.

In short, August brings a different kind of heat to Louisiana property taxpayers. If you or your clients have questions or need assistance with these and other property tax matters, contact Kyle Polozola, Jaye Calhoun, or Phyllis Sims of the Kean Miller SALT group.