Bullion sales tax · Louisiana
Louisiana sales tax on gold and silver
Is gold taxed in Louisiana?
No.
Louisiana exempts gold, silver and platinum bullion (bars, rounds and coins priced on their metal content) from state and parish sales tax, plus numismatic coins that sell for $1,000 or less; palladium and higher-priced numismatic coins are taxed.
Palladium is taxed.
- Investment gold & silver
- Tax-free
- Order threshold
- None
- Metals covered
- Gold, silver and platinum; not palladium
- Jewelry
- Taxed · about 10.11%
What's taxed in Louisiana
| What you're buying | Sales tax | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gold and silver bars and rounds | No sales tax | No sales tax in Louisiana, whatever the order size. |
| Gold and silver bullion coins (Eagles, Maple Leafs, Krugerrands) | No sales tax | No sales tax in Louisiana, whatever the order size. |
| Platinum bars and rounds | No sales tax | No sales tax in Louisiana, whatever the order size. |
| Palladium bars and rounds | Sales tax applies | Louisiana's exemption doesn't cover palladium bars, so they are taxed. |
| Platinum coins (Eagles, Maple Leafs) | No sales tax | No sales tax in Louisiana, whatever the order size. |
| Palladium coins (Eagles, Maple Leafs) | Sales tax applies | Louisiana's exclusion (R.S. 47:301(16)(b)(ii)(aa)) names only platinum, gold and silver bullion, so palladium coins are taxed at any amount. |
| Rare and graded (numismatic) coins | Depends on the item | Depends on the coin and how it is priced; see the rule below. |
| Jewelry | Sales tax applies | Taxed like other goods in Louisiana. |
| Medals, collectibles and accessories | Sales tax applies | Taxed like other goods in Louisiana. |
The rule, in plain English
Louisiana exempts gold, silver and platinum bullion (bars, rounds and coins priced on their metal content) from state and parish sales tax, plus numismatic coins that sell for $1,000 or less; palladium and higher-priced numismatic coins are taxed.
What counts: R.S. 47:301(16)(b)(ii) excludes from 'tangible personal property': (aa) platinum, gold, or silver bullion valued solely upon its precious metal content, whether in coin or ingot form; (bb) numismatic coins with a sales price of no more than $1,000; (cc) numismatic coins sold at a national, statewide, or multi-parish numismatic trade show. There is no purity percentage. The test is whether the item is priced on metal content, not the buyer's investment purpose. LDR's return instructions list it as exclusion code 1083 with no exemption certificate required.
Still taxed: Palladium bullion in any form; numismatic coins priced over $1,000 that are not sold at a qualifying trade show; precious-metal items not valued solely on metal content (arguably including heavily premium proof or colorized bullion, which would then need the numismatic rule); jewelry; fabricated/art items; accessories; non-coin collectibles.
This rule took effect on October 1, 2017.
What you would pay: three Louisiana examples
| Purchase delivered to Louisiana | Sales tax |
|---|---|
| Silver coins, $500 | $0 exempt investment bullion |
| Gold coins, $5,000 | $0 exempt investment bullion |
| A gold necklace, $1,000 | about $101 jewelry is taxed |
Using Louisiana's 5% state rate plus the average local rate, 10.11% combined (Tax Foundation, January 2026). Your city or county rate may be higher or lower.
Recent changes in Louisiana
Act 11 of the 2024 Third Extraordinary Session (HB 10) repealed many exemptions and raised the state rate to 5%, but it retained this exclusion for state and local tax and renumbered it as R.S. 47:301(16)(b). The 2025 Regular Session (Act 384) did not touch it. Source
Act 340 of 2017 restored a full exclusion but narrowed it: bullion must be valued solely on metal content, and numismatic coins qualify only at $1,000 or less or when sold at a trade show. Source
2016 special-session acts suspended the exclusion: 5% state tax from April through June 2016, then a reduced 3% rate. Source
Louisiana and its neighbors
- Arkansas Tax-free
- Mississippi Tax-free
- Texas Tax-free
All of Louisiana's neighbors treat investment bullion the same way.
Buying from Bullion Trading LLC with delivery to Louisiana
No sales tax is added at our checkout for bullion delivered to Louisiana.
Orders ship insured and discreetly packed: USPS under $1,000, FedEx with adult signature from $1,000, usually within 2–3 business days after payment clears. Bank transfer and check are our best price; card and PayPal add 5% (up to $7,500).
Tax-free in Louisiana: popular coins and bars
The large price is the check/wire price; the card/PayPal price is listed under it. Prices follow the live spot price.
Selling gold in Louisiana
Selling gold to a dealer is not a retail purchase, so no sales tax applies. A profit is a capital gain: the IRS taxes gains on gold and silver bullion as collectibles, at up to 28% when held more than a year. Louisiana taxes the gain as ordinary income (top rate 3% in 2026).
Dealers have to report some larger sales to the IRS on Form 1099-B; keep your purchase receipts to show your cost.
We buy bullion at our counter at 20 West 47th Street in New York: walk in with a photo ID and we pay by same-day check. How selling to us works
Local taxes
The exclusion is part of the definition of 'tangible personal property', and LDR's Act 11 retained-exemptions chart says it applies to 'Both' state and local tax. Parish and municipal sales taxes therefore follow the same rule, and no separate parish review is needed for qualifying items.
Common questions about Louisiana
Is gold taxed in Louisiana?
No. Louisiana exempts gold, silver and platinum bullion (bars, rounds and coins priced on their metal content) from state and parish sales tax, plus numismatic coins that sell for $1,000 or less; palladium and higher-priced numismatic coins are taxed.
Is silver taxed in Louisiana?
No. Investment silver bullion and coins are exempt from sales tax in Louisiana.
Is gold jewelry taxed in Louisiana?
Yes. Jewelry is taxed like other goods in Louisiana (about 10.11% on average with local tax), even when it is made of gold, silver or platinum.
Do I pay tax when I sell gold in Louisiana?
Selling gold to a dealer is not a retail purchase, so no sales tax applies. A profit is a capital gain: the IRS taxes gains on gold and silver bullion as collectibles, at up to 28% when held more than a year. Louisiana taxes the gain as ordinary income (top rate 3% in 2026).
Selling to a dealer
No sales tax
A gain on the sale
Taxed by the IRS as a collectible, up to 28% when held more than a year
Sources
- La. R.S. 47:301(16)(b) — Exclusion of platinum, gold and silver bullion and certain numismatic coins from 'tangible personal property' (unofficial FindLaw copy, current as of 2023-01-01) (checked October 19, 2026)
- La. Act 340 of 2017 — Narrowed the coins/bullion exclusion, effective October 1, 2017 (legis.la.gov refused connections; seen only in search results) (checked October 19, 2026)
- LDR Form R-1002 (1/25) — Taxable Rate of Transactions for Exemptions and Exclusions, July 1, 2015 - December 31, 2029 (includes changes through the 2024 Third Extraordinary Session): 47:301(16)(b)(ii) at 0.00% state rate for 01/01/2025-12/31/2029 (checked October 19, 2026)
- LDR Chart: Sales and Use Tax Exemptions Retained by Act 11 of the Third Extraordinary Session (rev. 1/23/25), TEB No. 69 — R.S. 47:301(16)(b)(ii) 'Gold, silver, or numismatic coins or platinum, gold or silver bullion': Active, Retained, applies to Both (state and local), new citation R.S. 47:301(16)(b) (checked October 19, 2026)
- LDR Chart: Sales and Use Tax Exclusions and Exemptions Repealed by Act 11 (updated for 2025 Regular Session) — Lists 47:301(16)(b)(iii) as repealed; (16)(b)(ii) bullion/coins is not on the repealed list (checked October 19, 2026)
- LDR Form R-1029i (1/25), Sales Tax Return General Instructions — Exclusion code 1083: 'Qualifying sales of gold, silver, or numismatic coins, or platinum, gold, or silver bullion', no certificate required (checked October 19, 2026)
- La. R.S. 47:301(16)(b)(ii)(aa)-(bb) — Definition of tangible personal property: exclusions (official legis.la.gov page, read via Internet Archive snapshot of 2026-05-15; history through Acts 2025, No. 433) (coins by metal; checked October 21, 2026)
- State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 (table: State & Local Sales Tax Rates as of January 1, 2026) (Tax Foundation)
- 2026 Sales Tax Rates, Midyear Update (rates as of July 1, 2026) (Tax Foundation)
- State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (Tax Foundation)
- IRS Topic 409: capital gains and losses (collectibles rate)
How we research and check this guide: our method.