LA No exemptions Last reviewed: April 2026

Rules of Gold in Louisiana

What this means for me Coin & bullion dealers 4

The six facts

Statute-level rules. Each fact is sourced; click through to the primary citation.

Bullion exempt

Sales tax on bullion

La RS 47:301(16)(b)(ii) excludes from the definition of taxable "tangible personal property" the following: (i) platinum, gold, or silver bullion valued solely on precious metal content (in coin or ingot form); (ii) numismatic coins with a sales price of no more than $1,000; and (iii) numismatic coins sold at national, statewide, or multi-parish numismatic trade shows. Effective October 1, 2017 via HB 396 (2017), signed by Gov. John Bel Edwards on June 23, 2017. Exclusions: palladium and copper products are not exempt. Critical caveat: the state-level exemption does not automatically apply to local parish sales taxes, which Louisiana parishes administer separately from the state. Many parishes do not honor the state-level bullion exemption, meaning Louisiana bullion buyers may pay 0% state sales tax but 3-6% parish/local sales tax depending on point of purchase. Operator should surface this distinction prominently in public-site copy.

Source As of 2017-10-01 · high confidence

Yes

Recognized as legal tender

Louisiana recognizes gold and silver coin, specie, and bullion as legal tender within the state under La RS 6:341, enacted by SB 232 (2024) and signed by Gov. Jeff Landry effective August 1, 2024. The statute provides that "any gold or silver coin, specie or bullion issued by any state or the United States government as legal tender shall be recognized as legal tender in the state of Louisiana," with a voluntary-use clause (no person required to offer or accept legal tender for payment of debts; no liability for refusal except by contract). SB 232 passed the Senate 39-0 and the House 92-1, with Senate concurrence 38-0. Strengthening legislation followed: HB 695 (2025) became Act 304, signed by Gov. Landry and effective August 1, 2025; it broadens the recognition definition (changing "issued by" to "recognized as legal tender by" the US government), authorizes gold-backed debit instruments, and establishes a bullion depository account framework. HB 695 passed the Senate 39-0 and the House 84-0.

Source As of 2025-08-01 · high confidence

Taxed

Capital gains on bullion

Effective for tax years beginning January 1, 2025, Louisiana levies a flat individual income tax of 3.0% on all taxable income, replacing the prior graduated 1.85%-4.25% scale. Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income at the flat 3.0% rate. The longstanding Louisiana net capital gains deduction (which had provided exclusion for gains on certain in-state business sales meeting holding-period requirements) was repealed for taxable periods beginning on or after January 1, 2025 per the 2024 individual income tax reform legislation. There is no precious-metals capital gains exemption.

Source As of 2025-01-01 · high confidence

Authorized

State bullion depository

Louisiana enacted enabling legislation for bullion depository accounts via Act 304 (HB 695, 2025), signed by Gov. Jeff Landry effective August 1, 2025. The Act authorizes the establishment of "bullion depository accounts" linked to a transactional gold-and-silver debit-card framework, with bullion held in a state-authorized secure vault and convertible to traditional currency on demand. The Act creates the framework but no state-administered depository facility is currently operational; this is an authorization-in-place, implementation-pending posture analogous to Florida's HB 999 framework rather than an operating Texas-style depository.

Source As of 2025-08-01 · medium confidence

State gold & silver reserves

The Louisiana State Treasurer does not hold physical gold or silver as a reserve asset on the state balance sheet. State financial statements disclose no precious-metals line item.

Source As of 2026-04-26 · medium confidence

Pension fund holdings

Louisiana's public pension funds — including the Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System (LASERS), the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL), and other state and local retirement systems — do not hold physical gold or silver as portfolio assets. Per Sound Money Defense League's review, Louisiana government pension funds "do not appear to hold ANY assets in physical gold and silver," which contrasts with states like Texas where the Teacher Retirement System / UTIMCO have at times held physical bullion. Standard institutional asset allocation across public equities, fixed income, alternatives, and real estate.

Source As of 2026-04-26 · medium confidence

What this means for buyers

When you buy bullion in Louisiana: investment-grade bullion is exempt from state sales tax. The exemption typically covers gold, silver, platinum, and palladium meeting standard investment-grade purity. Verify the exemption applies to your specific purchase — definitions and minimum-purity thresholds vary by statute.

When you sell or otherwise realize a gain: capital gains on bullion are taxed as ordinary income at Louisiana’s state-tax rates, stacked on top of the federal 28% collectibles rate. This is a real drag on long-term holdings — consult a CPA before realizing a major position.

On state legal tender: Louisiana recognizes gold and silver coin as legal tender at the state level. Practically, specie can be used to settle private debts in-state and gains from specie transactions may be excluded from state taxation under related provisions. It does not obligate retailers to accept bullion in payment.

On state depository: legislation authorizes a state depository but operations haven’t commenced. Expect a startup window for facility, governance, and audit setup. Until then, private depositories handle storage.

A mixed picture — some friction on entry or exit, but a real exemption to plan around. Read the fact cards above and consider how each rule applies to your transaction size.

Coin & bullion dealers in Louisiana

Verified retail dealers — sourced from state corporation registries, BBB, and trade associations.

Full directory

Blanchard and Company

Operating since 1974

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Coin Quest

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James H. Cohen & Sons

Operating since 1898

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Louisiana Gold & Coins

Operating since 1986
PCGS Authorized, BBB rated

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About this page. Legislative data captured by the Empirical Research Orchestrator. Each fact links to its primary source. State laws change — confirm material facts with your CPA or the state Department of Revenue before acting on a transaction. Fair Market Value does not provide legal or tax advice.

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