The St. Charles Parish Assessor's Office must appraise and assess value on approximately 50,000 parcels of property. The Louisiana Constitution requires the assessor to list and place a value on all property that is subject to ad valorem taxes. Ad valorem means "according to value." The value that the assessor determines is called "assessed value" and is a percentage of fair market value or use value as prescribed by law. The assessed value is calculated as a percentage of the market value as provided for by law.
Taxes are calculated by multiplying the assessed value by the tax rate set by various millages, bond rates and fees voted on by registered voters in different districts established by the Legislature or Constitution. If the property is your home, you may deduct a maximum of $7,500 from the total assessed value before finding the taxable assessed value. For example, if your home is valued at $100,000 and assessed at 10%, or $10,000, and you are eligible and have signed for homestead exemption, you would calculate your taxes as follows:
The St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office is responsible for mailing the tax notices and collecting the taxes based on the assessments and the millage rates. The annual parish tax bills are sent out in the latter part of the year and are due by December 31 of that year.
The different governing bodies within the parish set millage rates for the parish. These governing bodies include the St. Charles Parish School Board, St. Charles Parish Sheriff, St. Charles Parish Council, and several others.