How to Choose a Bookkeeper in Louisiana (2026)

The short version for Louisiana: look the firm up on the state's records, search the Louisiana State Board of Certified Public Accountants if it says it's a CPA practice, and don't sign until the fee and the monthly close date are written down. Of the 63 Louisiana firms we list, none publish a monthly price.

What a Louisiana bookkeeper keeps track of

These are the state filings your books feed in Louisiana. Which ones apply depends on your entity type, what you sell, whether you have employees and the schedule each agency assigns. It's general information, not tax advice. The bookkeeper keeps the records; you, or whoever your engagement letter names, file.

• State sales tax. Louisiana state sales tax returns and payments are due on or before the 20th of the month after your reporting period closes, whether that period is a calendar month or a calendar quarter. Source: Louisiana Department of Revenue, checked September 26, 2026.
• Withholding return (L-1). Form L-1 is a quarterly withholding return, due the last day of the month after each quarter: April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31. Semi-monthly payers file by the 15th instead. You file it even when nothing was withheld. Source: Louisiana Department of Revenue, checked September 26, 2026.
• Unemployment taxes. The Louisiana Workforce Commission collects unemployment taxes every quarter. They're due by the last day of the month after each quarter ends: April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31. Annual domestic filers are due January 31. Source: Louisiana Workforce Commission, checked September 26, 2026.
• Corporation franchise tax. The Department of Revenue confirms that Louisiana's corporation franchise tax is repealed for franchise tax periods beginning on or after January 1, 2026. Source: Louisiana Department of Revenue, checked September 26, 2026.
• Annual report. Louisiana businesses file an annual report with the Secretary of State every year, even when nothing has changed. You can file it online or send the signed form by fax or mail. Source: Louisiana Secretary of State, checked September 26, 2026.
• CPA title. Under Louisiana law, only a person with a valid active certificate, or a practice privilege, may use the title "certified public accountant" or the abbreviation "CPA". Source: Louisiana State Legislature, checked September 26, 2026.

How to check a Louisiana firm yourself

The Louisiana business entity search shows whether the firm's legal entity exists and its status. A sole proprietor may not appear, which isn't a warning sign on its own. Louisiana doesn't publish these records in a form we can match, so on our Louisiana pages a license or registration reads Not verified until someone looks it up by hand. Do that lookup yourself for the two or three firms you shortlist.

What Louisiana firms put in writing

Not one of the 63 firms we list in Louisiana publishes a monthly price or a starting price; nationally 4% do. 57 of 63 don't mention fees at all. 11 of 63 say how often reports arrive (17%, against 24% nationally), 7 describe onboarding and 2 offer catch-up or cleanup work. QuickBooks is the software named most, by 38% of Louisiana firms.

Where to start in Louisiana

• Metro pages: New Orleans-Metairie (18 firms, ranked), Shreveport-Bossier City (10 firms, compared) and Baton Rouge (8 firms, compared).
• Firms that say they take on catch-up work: Accounting Services Unlimited LLC and Cowart Roe CPA LLC.
• Highest Evidence Scores in the state: Accounting Services Unlimited LLC (63), Griffin & Furman, LLC (48) and Francois Accounting & Tax Service, LLC (43).

Questions for the first call

• What is the monthly fee, how many transactions does it assume, and what costs extra?
• On what day of the month will my books be closed, and what report do I get?
• Who files the state sales tax return, you or me, and is it inside the fee?
• How do you keep the records for withholding return (l-1) ready before each due date?
• Will you take on months I'm behind on, and is that priced separately?
• Which accounting software do you work in, and who owns the file if we part ways?