---
title: Louisiana Military & Veteran Property Tax Exemptions (2026)
slug: louisiana-veteran-property-tax-exemptions-2026
description: >-
  How Louisiana exempts disabled veterans from property tax in tiers, plus how
  the state taxes military pay. Connect with a VeteranPCS agent in Louisiana
  today.
publishedAt: '2025-12-10T09:00:00.000Z'
updatedAt: '2026-06-21T00:00:00.000Z'
author: VeteranPCS
categories:
  - Financial Guidance
canonical: 'https://www.veteranpcs.com/blog/louisiana-veteran-property-tax-exemptions-2026'
componentSlug: financial-guidance
stateSlug: louisiana
---
# Louisiana Military & Veteran Property Tax Exemptions (2026)

If you serve in the military or have served, Louisiana has grown into one of the friendlier states for a veteran's property tax bill. A 2022 constitutional amendment expanded the break for disabled veterans into tiers, and the state does not tax military retirement pay. Louisiana draws many military families after a PCS, which is short for Permanent Change of Station, the official military move from one duty station to another, with Barksdale Air Force Base near Shreveport and Bossier City, Fort Polk near Leesville, and Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans. This guide explains the main rules in plain language and points you to the state's own sources. Tax law changes, so confirm the current rules before you file.

## How Louisiana Helps Disabled Veterans With Property Taxes

Louisiana lets disabled veterans add an exemption on top of the standard homestead exemption. As the [Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs explains](https://vetaffairs.la.gov/benefits/state), a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 50 percent or higher may receive a property tax exemption on a primary residence in addition to the homestead exemption. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, known as the VA, is the federal agency that rates service-connected disabilities. Voters approved this expanded structure as a constitutional amendment in 2022, and it took effect for the 2023 tax year.

### The Disabled Veteran Exemption Tiers

The size of the break rises with your disability rating. Drawing on the Department of Veterans Affairs' summary, the tiers work like this, all measured in assessed value:

- 50 percent or more, but less than 70 percent: the next $2,500 of assessed value is exempt, on top of the homestead exemption
- 70 percent or more, but less than 100 percent: the next $4,500 of assessed value is exempt, on top of the homestead exemption
- 100 percent service-connected disability: exempt from all property (ad valorem) taxes, except for certain municipal assessments

Ad valorem simply means a tax based on the value of the property. For a fully rated veteran, that means the ordinary property tax on the home is removed, which is a major benefit.

### Surviving Spouses

The benefit can carry to a surviving spouse under the state's rules, and the 2022 amendment was written in part to extend these exemptions to qualifying surviving spouses. Because the details depend on your situation, confirm them with your parish assessor and the Department of Veterans Affairs before you count on the benefit.

## How It Works With the Homestead Exemption

Property tax in Louisiana is assessed and collected at the parish level, and homes are assessed at 10 percent of their fair market value. The standard homestead exemption, set by the Louisiana Constitution, covers the first $7,500 of assessed value, which equals the first $75,000 of a home's fair market value, as the [Louisiana Legislature's property tax overview](https://house.louisiana.gov/housefiscal/DOCS_TAXREV/2014_Louisiana%20Property%20Tax%20Basics.pdf) describes. The disabled veteran exemption then stacks on top of that homestead amount.

In plain terms, a 50 to 69 percent disabled veteran exempts $10,000 of assessed value in total, a 70 to 99 percent veteran exempts $12,000, and a 100 percent veteran can have the home fully exempt from ordinary property tax. You claim these breaks through your parish assessor. If you are weighing where to settle, our guide to the [military bases in Louisiana](/blog/what-military-bases-are-in-louisiana) and our [PCS guide to Fort Polk](/blog/pcs-to-fort-polk-2026-guide) can help you picture the local cost of owning a home.

## Military Pay and Louisiana State Income Tax

Louisiana does have a state income tax, and beginning with the 2025 tax year it moved to a flat 3 percent individual rate, as the [Louisiana Department of Revenue explains](https://revenue.louisiana.gov/tax-education-and-faqs/faqs/income-tax-reform/what-are-the-individual-income-tax-rates-and-brackets/). But the state shields the pay many military families rely on.

Louisiana fully exempts military retirement pay from state income tax, as the Department of Veterans Affairs confirms. Active-duty pay is treated differently: a resident service member generally owes Louisiana tax on active-duty pay, but the state lets a resident who was stationed outside Louisiana for 120 or more consecutive days exclude up to $50,000 of that pay. A service member who keeps another home state and is only stationed in Louisiana is not taxed by Louisiana on military pay. VA disability compensation is not part of your federal income, so Louisiana does not tax it either. Because rates and rules can change, confirm the current details with the Department of Revenue before you file.

## A Note for Military Spouses: MSRRA

If you are a military spouse, the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act, known as MSRRA, may matter to you. MSRRA is a federal law that lets a military spouse keep a home state for tax and voting purposes even after moving on military orders. You do not automatically become a Louisiana resident just because your service member got orders here.

Under the related federal rules, a service member, the spouse, or both may choose the service member's home state, the spouse's home state, or the service member's permanent duty station for residency. Because that choice affects both states' taxes, confirm yours before you file. For the property tax exemptions in this guide, what usually matters most is that you own and live in the home as your primary residence.

## How to Apply and Where to Verify

You first claim the homestead exemption with your parish assessor, then add the disabled veteran exemption by filing the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Form A25 and your VA disability documentation. Because the exemption rules and forms can change, confirm the current details with your parish assessor and the [Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs](https://vetaffairs.la.gov/benefits/state) before you file.

When you want a local read on a neighborhood and its tax rates, you can ask Iesha McDonald, a VeteranPCS agent in Shreveport near Barksdale Air Force Base, for current listings and a sense of local property taxes.

If a VA loan is part of your plan, which is a home loan backed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, learn [what the benefits of a VA loan are](/blog/what-are-the-benefits-of-a-va-loan), see [how a zero-down VA loan works](/blog/how-does-a-0-down-va-loan-work), and read our [complete guide to buying your first home with a VA loan](/blog/complete-guide-to-buying-your-first-home-with-a-va-loan). When you are ready, you can [connect with a VeteranPCS lender](https://www.veteranpcs.com/contact-lender) or [connect with our VeteranPCS network in Louisiana](https://www.veteranpcs.com/louisiana).

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Do disabled veterans pay property taxes in Louisiana?

It depends on your rating. A 100 percent service-connected disabled veteran is exempt from all ordinary property (ad valorem) taxes on the home, except certain municipal assessments. Veterans rated 50 to 69 percent and 70 to 99 percent get added exemptions of $2,500 and $4,500 of assessed value on top of the homestead exemption. Confirm your eligibility with your parish assessor and the [Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs](https://vetaffairs.la.gov/benefits/state).

### How does the Louisiana disabled veteran exemption stack with the homestead exemption?

The homestead exemption covers the first $7,500 of assessed value, equal to $75,000 of fair market value. The disabled veteran exemption adds to that: $2,500 more for a 50 to 69 percent rating, $4,500 more for 70 to 99 percent, and a full exemption from ordinary property tax at 100 percent.

### Does Louisiana tax military retirement pay?

No. Louisiana fully exempts military retirement benefits from state income tax. The state's individual income tax moved to a flat 3 percent rate beginning in 2025 for the income it does tax.

### What form do I use for the Louisiana disabled veteran exemption?

You file the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Form A25, along with your VA disability documentation, and claim the exemption through your parish assessor.

### Can a surviving spouse claim the Louisiana exemption?

In many cases, yes. The 2022 constitutional amendment was written in part to extend these exemptions to qualifying surviving spouses. Confirm the conditions with your parish assessor and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Property tax rules and dollar amounts change from year to year, and your situation may have details a general guide cannot cover. Please consult a tax professional or attorney before making decisions based on these exemptions, and verify the current rules and amounts with your parish assessor and the State of Louisiana before you file.

_This content is for informational purposes. Consult a professional for personal financial decisions._