How to Appeal Property Taxes in Orleans Parish, Louisiana (2026 Guide)

Direct answer: For the 2026 open-roll period affecting the 2027 Orleans Parish assessment roll, file your property tax assessment appeal by 4:00 p.m. Thursday, August 20, 2026. File online through the Orleans Parish Assessor’s Online Appeal of Taxation Valuation system, or submit the correct Board of Review (BOR) paper form with four copies of your evidence by hand or mail to the Assessor’s Office. (nolaassessor.com)

How assessments work in Orleans Parish

Orleans Parish is different from most Louisiana parishes because its open rolls run in July and August. State law says Orleans assessment lists are exposed from July 15 through August 15, excluding weekends and legal holidays, and if August 15 falls on a weekend or legal holiday the inspection period extends to the next business day. In 2026, August 15 is a Saturday, so the 2027 rolls are open July 15 through Monday, August 17, 2026; appeals are due three business days later, which the Assessor has posted as August 20, 2026 at 4 p.m. (legis.la.gov)

The Assessor values property at fair market value, then Louisiana assessment ratios convert market value to assessed value. For a homeowner, land and residential improvements are assessed at 10% of fair market value; commercial improvements are generally 15%. The Orleans Assessor uses a Computer-Assisted Mass Appraisal system, analyzing neighborhood sales, income data, construction/depreciation costs, appraisals and imagery; the office says Orleans is divided into nearly 400 residential assessment neighborhoods and more than 140 commercial neighborhoods. (nolaassessor.com)

The current citywide 2026 millage shown in the Assessor’s 2026 fact sheet is 133.99 mills on the East Bank and 134.01 mills on the West Bank, before any special district charges. One mill equals $1 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value, so the East Bank rate is roughly 13.399% of taxable assessed value. (nolaassessor.com)

Whether you should appeal

Appeal if the Assessor’s market value is too high, not because the tax bill feels high. The best Orleans Parish appeal evidence is specific: a recent appraisal, recent comparable sales near your property, a closing statement if you bought recently, dated photos of damage, insurance documents, or contractor repair estimates. The Assessor’s FAQ specifically warns that assessment appeals are about incorrect value assumptions—such as overstated living area or stronger nearby lower-value sales—not tax rates. (nolaassessor.com)

A practical test: if you can support at least a $25,000–$40,000 lower market value, the savings may be worth the time. Example: your East Bank owner-occupied home is valued at $520,000, but three similar sales and repair photos support $480,000. Residential assessed value drops from $52,000 to $48,000. After the $7,500 homestead exemption, taxable assessed value falls from $44,500 to $40,500. At 133.99 mills, the estimated annual savings is $4,000 × 0.13399 = $535.96. West Bank savings would be about $536.04 at 134.01 mills. Special security/development districts can change the final bill, so use this as a citywide estimate.

Also check exemptions before appealing. Orleans homeowners occupying their primary residence can claim the homestead exemption, which exempts the first $75,000 of market value ($7,500 assessed value). The Assessor also lists additional benefits for disabled veterans, age 65+ special assessment level freezes, disability freezes, and a first responder exemption; for 2026 the posted income limit for age/disability freezes is $102,700. (nolaassessor.com)

Step-by-step how to file

1. Review your record. Search your parcel on the Assessor’s property-search site and compare the living area, condition, class, land value and building value to reality. If the value increased or materially changed, the Assessor posts and mails annual valuation notices. (nolaassessor.com)

2. Talk to the Assessor during open rolls. Open-roll offices for 2026 are City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street, 4th Floor; Algiers Courthouse, 225 Morgan Street, 1st Floor; and Lakeview Christian Center, 5885 Fleur De Lis Drive, 2nd Floor. Hours are weekdays 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Appointments are encouraged and must be made at least 24 hours in advance; walk-ins are first come, first served. (nolaassessor.com)

3. Choose the correct filing method. The preferred method is the Assessor’s e-file portal, labeled Online Appeal of Taxation Valuation, open July 22 through 4 p.m. August 20, 2026. The portal lets you upload supporting files, see real-time status, and communicate with the Assessor’s Office. No filing fee is listed by the Assessor, City Council, state statute, or Louisiana Tax Commission rules for a normal homeowner assessment appeal. (nolaassessor.com)

4. If filing on paper, use the right BOR form. For a house, townhouse or condo, use BOR 1 – LAT 1 Residential Property Appeal Form. Vacant residential land uses BOR 2 – LAT 2 Vacant Land Appeal Form; apartments, commercial/industrial property and personal property have separate BOR forms. If someone other than the taxpayer of record files, include the BOR Agent/Representative Form. The residential BOR 1 form requires your requested land, building and total value; leaving that blank can get the appeal rejected. (nolaassessor.com)

5. Paper submissions need four copies. The Assessor’s 2026 notice says paper BOR appeal submissions must include four copies of the BOR form and all supporting materials, submitted by hand or mail. Use the Assessor’s East Bank office at 1300 Perdido St., New Orleans, LA 70112 or West Bank office at 225 Morgan St., New Orleans, LA 70114; if mailing, send early enough to arrive by the deadline. Email is not posted as an official 2026 appeal filing method, so do not rely on email unless the Assessor gives you written instructions. (nolaassessor.com)

What happens after

The appeal authority is the New Orleans City Council sitting as the Orleans Parish Board of Review. The Council’s own materials describe the Board of Review as independent from the Assessor; it hires real estate professionals/hearing officers to hear appeals and make recommendations, while final adoption occurs at a public City Council meeting. (council.nola.gov)

State law requires the Orleans Board of Review to convene hearings on or before September 15 and certify the assessment list to the Louisiana Tax Commission by October 20 each year. The hearing officer will not usually announce your result at the hearing; the Board sends a written determination after final action. Louisiana Tax Commission rules now give taxpayers 30 calendar days from the earlier of delivery or written transmission of the BOR decision to appeal to the Louisiana Tax Commission using Form 3103.A; include the BOR decision and re-submit your evidence. (legis.la.gov)

Recent Orleans hearings have used phone, video conference and in-person options, with recommendations presented to the Board of Review in open City Council Chambers. If you cannot attend, your written evidence still matters—but do not assume a “no show” is safe; check the notice letter and schedule carefully. (council.nola.gov)

Local tips

Do not wait for the last day. The online portal opens later than open rolls—July 22, not July 15—so use July 15–21 to gather sales and schedule a discussion. For paper appeals, four-copy mistakes are common and costly; make the packet once, then copy the entire signed form plus every exhibit.

Focus your evidence on January 1, 2026 market value conditions for the 2027 roll. Recent sales closest in location, age, size, renovation level and flood/condition issues beat broad Zillow screenshots. If your house has termite damage, foundation movement, roof issues or unfinished renovations, include dated photos and contractor estimates.

Published parishwide homeowner success rates or median reductions for the 2026 filing cycle were not posted on the official Assessor, City Council or Louisiana Tax Commission pages reviewed for this guide. The Council has posted prior BOR results files, so check the Council’s property-tax appeals page after the 2026 hearings for parcel-level outcomes rather than relying on rumors. (council.nola.gov)