Sheriff Craig Webre announced the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office has begun the process of mailing out 51,704 tax notices to Lafourche Parish property owners. Of that number, 11,801 are homestead exempt and owe no taxes. A total of $132,332,464 in property taxes are now due and can be paid online, in person, or by mail. These taxes help fund all aspects of public service in the parish such as roads, drainage, levees, law enforcement, fire departments, hospitals, ambulance services, schools, and recreation.

Property taxes are due by December 31, 2016, and unpaid taxes become delinquent on January 1, 2017. Per state law, delinquent taxes accrue interest at a rate of 1% per month until paid. Sheriff Webre, though, has granted a “grace period” for tax payers this year by allowing payments to be made interest-free through January 31, 2017. This is due to the extension granted to the Assessor’s Office, on behalf of Lafourche Parish Government, by the Louisiana Tax Commission which delayed the completion of the Tax Roll.

Payments can be made in full online at www.LPSO.net/PayMyTaxes, or mailed to the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at P.O. Box 5608, Thibodaux, LA 70302. Full payments via cash, credit card, debit card, check, or money order can also be made at the LPSO Administrative Office (200 Canal Boulevard, Thibodaux) and at the South Lafourche Sub-station (102 West 91st Street, Cut Off). A surcharge will apply for all card payments.

For added convenience, customers of the following banks may pay their taxes at any Lafourche branch of their bank through December 31, 2016: First American Bank, Regions Bank, South Lafourche Bank, State Bank & Trust, United Community Bank, and Whitney Bank.

For those unable to pay in full by the due date, partial payments can be made by mail or at LPSO offices only. Each partial payment must be at least 25% of the total amount of property tax due, and the first partial payment must be made prior to December 31, 2016. After the grace period ends on January 31, 2017, the remaining unpaid amount is still subject to the 1% penalty per state law.

In addition to the aforementioned fees, any unpaid taxes remaining on April 1, 2017, will be subject to an additional 10% collection fee by a collection company for the unpaid amount. Unpaid taxes will also accrue additional costs associated with the tax sale. If property is sold at the tax sale, the property owner is subject to loss of the homestead exemption. Property sold at the tax sale may be redeemed up to three years from the date the property is sold, but per state law, a 5% penalty will apply as well as a monthly interest rate of 1%. The owner must contact the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office to redeem the property.

The current property owner is responsible for all taxes due. Anyone who purchased property in 2016 may not receive a tax bill due to it being sent to the previous owner. Homeowners should check with their mortgage company before paying a bill to avoid double payment. Property owners should direct related questions to the Lafourche Parish Assessor’s Office at (985) 447-7242.

For more information about tax payments, property owners can contact the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 449-4431 or via the website at www.LPSO.net.