The tax collector must give delinquency notices and later may seize and sell movable property if the taxes remain unpaid.
§2142. Movable property; notice of delinquency A. On the day of the deadline for payment of taxes, or as soon thereafter as possible, the tax collector shall address to each tax debtor who has not paid all the taxes which have been assessed to him on movable property a written notice stating: (1) In substance, that the taxes assessed to such tax debtor on movable property in the parish fell due and should have been paid in full on or before December thirty-first. (2) The aggregate assessed value of the property and the aggregate sum of the taxes for the current and all preceding years due thereon. (3) The tax debtor became delinquent for such taxes on December thirty-first. (4) Thirty days after receipt of said notice, the tax collector will seize and advertise for sale the movable property on which the taxes are due in the manner provided by law for judicial sales. (5) At the principal front door of the courthouse, where the civil district court of the parish is held or at the place of seizure or storage in the parish of Orleans, he will sell within the legal hours for judicial sales, for cash, cashier's check, certified check, money order, or wire transfer, without appraisement, such portion of the movable property as the tax debtor shall point out and deliver to the tax collector, and in case the tax debtor shall not point out sufficient property that he will at once and without further delay sell for cash, cashier's check, certified check, money order, or wire transfer, without appraisement, the least quantity of the movable property which any bidder will buy for the amount of taxes assessed upon it with interest and costs for the current and all preceding years and attorney fees. B. The tax collector in the parish of Orleans, as well as in other parishes of the state, shall mail to each tax debtor one of the notices provided for above, for which he shall be entitled to collect from each tax debtor actual mailing costs of each certified, with return receipt, notice, and further provided that mileage shall be charged for service of this notice, provided that no notice shall be charged for unless it has been actually delivered or mailed to the tax debtor. The collector shall certify on both tax rolls that he has served or mailed all of such notices, and such certificate on either tax roll shall make full proof until disproved in a judicial proceeding. C. The tax collector shall publish once in the official journal published in his district or parish, if there be one, or in the manner provided by law for judicial sales, one general notice substantially in the foregoing form, addressed to all owners of assessed movable property situated in his parish or district, whose names, post offices, or agents are unknown, in which he shall set forth substantially that the taxes of the unknown owners are due and unpaid, and if not paid within twenty days, that he will proceed to seize and sell such quantity of the movable property of each said unknown owner as will pay all the taxes, interest, and costs. He shall pay for the publication and shall be entitled to reimbursement of actual costs from each owner or from the property assessed to him. He shall certify on both tax rolls that he has published and posted such notices, and such certificate on either shall make full proof thereon, until disproved in a judicial proceeding. Acts 2008, No. 819, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2025, No. 411, §4, eff. Jan. 1, 2026. NOTE: Redesignated from R.S. 47:2141. NOTE: Former R.S. 47:2142 redesignated as R.S. 47:2143 by Acts 2025, No. 411, §4.