Louisiana · LA · Money & taxes
Louisiana: Are groceries taxed?
Groceries exempt
Louisiana exempts food for home consumption from its state sales tax, but parish and city sales taxes can still apply.
Food sold to prepare and eat at home, including bakery products, is exempt from the state sales tax. The exemption covers only the state tax and statewide taxing bodies, so local parish and city sales taxes are separate. Food sold by restaurants, drive-ins, snack bars and similar places is not exempt.
What the law says
The sales and use tax imposed by the state or by a political subdivision whose boundaries are coterminous with those of the state shall not apply to sales or purchases of any of the following: (a) Food sold for preparation and consumption in the home including but not limited to bakery products.
Sources
- La. R.S. 47:305(C)(1)(a) Official · legis.la.gov
- Louisiana Department of Revenue: Is there sales tax on food? Official · revenue.louisiana.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Louisiana Department of Revenue
- Website
- revenue.louisiana.gov
How bordering states compare
- Arkansas Groceries exemptArkansas ended its state sales tax on groceries on January 1, 2026, but city and county sales taxes still apply.
- Mississippi Taxed at a lower rateMississippi taxes groceries at 5%, lower than its 7% general sales tax rate.
- Texas Groceries exemptTexas exempts most groceries from its 6.25% state sales tax. Soft drinks, candy and prepared food are taxed.