Credit card processing and merchant services in Shreveport, LA
Shreveport businesses register for local sales tax with the Caddo-Shreveport Sales and Use Tax Commission, separately from the state. Since August 1, 2026, Louisiana also bars retail businesses from surcharging debit card payments.
A Shreveport sale carries two layers of sales tax, and you file them in two places. The Louisiana Department of Revenue says the state rate has been 5% since January 1, 2025, and that share goes to the Department on its own return. Local taxes for the city and Caddo Parish come on top, and the Caddo-Shreveport Sales and Use Tax Commission handles them.
The Parish of Caddo's guide to opening a new business makes registering with the parish and state sales tax authorities one of its steps, and it names both offices: the Caddo-Shreveport Sales and Use Tax Commission for local tax, and the Louisiana Department of Revenue's Sales Tax Division for the state's share. Confirm the combined local rate for your address with the Commission before you program a terminal, and don't copy a rate from a store in New Orleans or Baton Rouge.
The Census Bureau estimated 175,902 residents in July 2025, down 6.2% from the 2020 base. In a city with fewer residents than five years ago, a surprise fee at checkout is a quick way to lose a regular. Since August 1, 2026, Louisiana has barred retail businesses from imposing a surcharge on a debit card payment, and that can catch a flat convenience fee added to every card payment. Credit cards can still carry a surcharge within Visa's 3% and Mastercard's 4% caps, with disclosure. Our convenience fee guide explains how the two kinds of fee differ.
On interchange-plus pricing, you see what each card type actually costs before you decide whether any fee is worth the trouble. Send a statement for a free statement review and we'll go through it line by line.
Rules that matter in Shreveport
Register with the Caddo-Shreveport Sales and Use Tax Commission
The Parish of Caddo's guide for new businesses includes a step to register with the parish and state sales tax authorities. For the parish, it names the Caddo-Shreveport Sales and Use Tax Commission; for the state, the Louisiana Department of Revenue's Sales Tax Division.
Local sales taxes are added to the state's 5% share, in place since January 1, 2025, which is filed separately with the Louisiana Department of Revenue.
Sources: Parish of Caddo, Opening a new business in the Parish of Caddo (PDF); Louisiana Department of Revenue, What is the state sales tax rate?; Louisiana Department of Revenue, What is the sales tax rate in Louisiana?
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Common questions
What sales tax rate should a Shreveport business charge?
The state's 5%, in effect since January 1, 2025, plus the local rate for your address. The Caddo-Shreveport Sales and Use Tax Commission handles local sales tax for the city and Caddo Parish, so confirm your combined local rate with the Commission when you register, before you set up a terminal or online store.
Where does a Shreveport business register for local sales tax?
With the Caddo-Shreveport Sales and Use Tax Commission. The Parish of Caddo's new business guide lists it as the parish sales tax authority to register with, next to the Louisiana Department of Revenue's Sales Tax Division for the state's 5%. Plan on two registrations, one local and one state, as part of opening.
My Shreveport office adds a flat fee to every card payment. Is that still allowed?
Not on debit cards. Since August 1, 2026, Act 751 bars a retail business from imposing a surcharge on a cardholder who pays by debit card, and a flat fee on every card payment lands on debit cards too, whatever you call it. Ask your attorney, and read our convenience fee guide for how card networks treat those fees.
Can a Shreveport business still surcharge credit cards?
Yes, within the card network rules, since we haven't found a Louisiana statute that caps credit card surcharges. Visa allows up to 3% or your merchant discount rate and wants 30 days' notice to your acquirer; Mastercard allows up to 4%. Post notice at the entrance and the register, itemize the fee on the receipt, and make sure your terminal skips debit cards.
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Disclaimer: general information, not professional advice
This page is general educational information, not legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. Rules and rates vary by place and change, so confirm them with the official source and a qualified professional before you act. Full terms are in our Terms of Service.
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