Louisiana penny rounding law

With no Louisiana rule for store sales, the calculator applies the nearest-nickel method used by most state laws and the federal bill, or rounding in the customer’s favor. Choose another state to compare.

Louisiana law and bills

House Resolution 252 (Rep. Tehmi Chassion) urges and requests the Attorney General to study the use of pennies and credit card fees by businesses. The House adopted it 92-0 on May 20, 2026. A House resolution states the chamber’s view and does not change the law. We found no Louisiana bill setting rounding rules in the 2026 regular session, which has ended, and no Department of Revenue guidance.

A few 2026 media reports said Louisiana had “adjusted its guidelines” to make rounding legal. We found no statute, rule or agency notice behind that claim.

Can a Louisiana store round cash totals?

As store policy, yes. Louisiana-based Rouses Markets rounds cash change up to the nearest nickel, in the customer’s favor, once a store runs out of pennies. No rounding statute bans rounding the other way, but the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law prohibits deceptive practices, so a sign and symmetric rounding are the safe choice.

Federal law

There is no federal rounding rule in force either. The Common Cents Act (H.R. 10167) passed Congress on September 28, 2026, but as of October 31, 2026 we found no record of it being signed. If enacted, it would let sellers in Louisiana round cash totals symmetrically to the nearest 5¢ without requiring anyone to round, keep pennies legal tender, and protect sellers that follow its method from conflicting state or local rules. Federal status of the penny.

Your options as a customer

• Pay by card, debit, EBT or app. Those payments are charged the exact amount; rounding only ever touches cash.
• Pay with exact change. Pennies are still legal tender (31 U.S.C. § 5103). The Federal Reserve notes, though, that no federal law makes a private business accept cash or coins. We found no Louisiana law that changes that, so a store sets its own payment policy. Federal Reserve FAQ.
• Check the receipt. It should show the exact total and a separate rounding line, so you can see which way it went.
• Report a problem. If a store rounds every cash total up without telling customers, contact the Louisiana Attorney General, Consumer Protection Section. See also is it legal for a store to round up?

Sales tax

Louisiana’s state sales tax rate is 5%, and parishes and municipalities add substantial local taxes. Food for home consumption is exempt from the state tax but can be taxed locally. Compute every tax on the actual price, then round the cash total. More on sales tax and cash rounding.

SNAP, EBT and card payments

SNAP and WIC benefits are paid electronically, so the EBT part of any purchase in Louisiana is always charged to the exact cent. Federal rules require stores to treat SNAP shoppers the same as other customers, so a store that rounds the cash part of a split payment should use the same rule for everyone. SNAP/EBT, cards and refunds.

Stores and local news in Louisiana

Rouses announced its round-up-for-the-customer policy in November 2025, as reported by KLFY and KPEL in Lafayette.

Rules in neighboring states

Shopping across the line? Rounding rules change at the border.

Checked against the sources below as of October 31, 2026. Compare every state in the state-by-state tracker.