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Homestead Exemption Laws in Louisiana

Louisiana protects $35,000 in value of a homestead from seizure, covering up to 5 acres in a municipality or 200 acres outside one.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Louisiana at a glance

Exemption amount
$35,000
The full value is protected against debts arising directly from a catastrophic or terminal illness or injury.
Unlimited in value
No
Exception: full value is exempt for obligations from catastrophic or terminal illness or injury.
Acreage limit
5 acres in a municipality, 200 acres elsewhere
Contiguous tracts count toward the total.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Louisiana

How much home equity does the homestead exemption protect in Louisiana?

Exemption amount in Louisiana: $35,000. The full value is protected against debts arising directly from a catastrophic or terminal illness or injury.

Is the homestead exemption unlimited in value in Louisiana?

No. Unlimited in value in Louisiana: no. Exception: full value is exempt for obligations from catastrophic or terminal illness or injury.

Is there an acreage limit on the homestead exemption in Louisiana?

Acreage limit in Louisiana: 5 acres in a municipality, 200 acres elsewhere. Contiguous tracts count toward the total.

Where do the Louisiana homestead exemption laws come from?

The rules above come from La. R.S. 20:1. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Catastrophic or terminal illness or injury means uninsured medical obligations over $10,000 that exceed 50% of the debtor's average adjusted gross income for the past three years.

What this means in practice

The exemption applies to equity, not to the full value of the home. Equity is the market value minus the mortgages and other liens on the property. A lender that holds a mortgage on the home, and certain other claims such as taxes on the property, can usually still be enforced against it regardless of the exemption.

Check whether you need to take a step to claim the protection. Some states protect a home automatically once it is your residence, while others require you to record a homestead declaration with the county or to claim the exemption in court when a creditor tries to collect.

In bankruptcy, federal law can limit a state homestead exemption for a home bought within a set period before the filing, and residency rules decide which state's exemptions apply if you moved recently. Some states also let filers choose the federal bankruptcy exemptions instead of the state list. A bankruptcy attorney can confirm which rules apply to your situation.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.