Closing costs in Louisiana: what buyers and sellers pay

How a Louisiana closing works

In Louisiana you sign an act of sale in front of a notary and two witnesses, or by act under private signature (Civil Code arts. 1833, 1839 and 2440). The act binds third persons only after it is filed for registry in the parish where the property is located (art. 1839). In Orleans Parish, the Clerk of Civil District Court’s Land Records Division records it.

The Civil Code sets one default rule on cost: “the expenses of the act and other expenses incidental to the sale must be borne by the buyer” (art. 2463). The New Orleans ordinance separately names the seller as the documentary-tax payer. Check your purchase agreement for how each cost is split in your deal.

Why there is no single “typical” total

Some costs are fixed by a public body: recording fees (Clerk of Court), the documentary tax (City) and the property taxes that must be paid to pass title. Others are set by private companies: lender charges, notary or closing fees, inspections, surveys and brokerage compensation. We found no official schedule for notary fees and no official typical total.

Two federal forms show the variable costs. The lender must give you a Loan Estimate within three business days of your application, and a Closing Disclosure at least three business days before you close (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau). For a walk-through of each line, see closing costs explained.

Line by line

The Clerk’s schedule says a document recorded in both the mortgage and conveyance records is charged separately for each. The fee covers one certified copy and indexing of up to ten names. Extra items apply, such as $5 per name past ten and $20 per page on non-standard paper.

Title insurance. The Louisiana Title Statistical Services Organization files title insurance rates with the commissioner of insurance, who reviews them (R.S. 22:1467). We did not find a published rate table, so we give no premium figure. Ask the title company or notary for a written quote on both the owner’s and the lender’s policy. See our guide to title insurance.

Property taxes. No officer may pass a sale of New Orleans real estate until state, parish, municipal and levee district taxes due on it are paid (R.S. 9:2921). The 2026 New Orleans tax bill is covered in property tax in Louisiana.

Example: recording costs on a financed New Orleans purchase

This is an illustration, not a quote. Assume a 12-page act of sale and a 25-page mortgage on a single-family house.

The recording subtotal does not include certificates, extra names or squares, or lender, title and notary charges. Confirm the schedule with the Land Records Division, which is at 1340 Poydras Street, 4th Floor.