Louisiana Ends Mail Delivery of Sales Tax Returns | Filing Methods & Compliance

The end of 2024 brought the announcement of the reform of the Louisiana tax regime, which included the adoption of several bills. New sales tax rules put more than 40 services and digital goods under the scope of the sales tax, extended the 0.45% state sales tax, and removed several sales tax exemptions and breaks.

The change of applicable sales tax rules continued in January 2025, when the Louisiana Department of Revenue (DOR) published that it would no longer print and mail copies of the state sales tax returns for registered businesses.

Impact on Taxable Persons

Taxable persons who previously used to receive a copy of the sales tax return from the DOR by mail will no longer receive it that way. Businesses registered for sales tax purposes in Louisiana have three remaining methods for filing state tax returns and making payments. 

Taxable persons can file and pay sales tax electronically and view account history and activity through the Louisiana Taxpayer Access Point (LaTAP). The second method is also electronically, but through the Parish E-File online portal, which allows filing multiple parish and city returns. The final method is to download a printed copy of the sales tax return from the DOR's website and mail it.

According to the DOR, this new policy should save the Louisiana government and state taxpayers up to USD 100,000 per year in printing and mailing costs.

Conclusion

The decision to stop the practice of printing and sending tax returns by mail to taxable persons is another step in reforming the Louisiana tax regime and making it more practical for all relevant parties. This decision also marks a step towards making the whole process digital and less reliant on government actions, thus ultimately shifting the entire responsibility to taxable persons.

Those who do not comply with the new rules and miss critical filing and payment deadlines will be penalized and charged interest.

Source: Louisiana Department of Revenue, VATabout