Louisiana Landlord-Tenant Law

Maximum deposit

Louisiana sets no statutory limit on the amount of a residential security deposit (La. R.S. 9:3251). (La. R.S. 9:3251 (no amount limit))

Return deadline

Landlords must return the deposit within one month after the lease terminates; since Aug. 1, 2026 the itemized statement for any amount kept may be sent up to 15 days after that one-month mark (La. R.S. 9:3251(A)). (La. R.S. 9:3251(A), Acts 2026, No. 63 (HB 292), amending R.S. 9:3251(A))

• In effect since August 1, 2026.
• Before August 1, 2026: Itemized statement for retained amounts was due within one month after the tenancy terminated (no 15-day extension).

Itemized deductions

If any part of the deposit is kept, the landlord must send an itemized statement of what was retained and why to the tenant's forwarding address (La. R.S. 9:3251(A)). (La. R.S. 9:3251(A))

Interest on deposits

Louisiana law does not require landlords to pay interest on security deposits (La. R.S. 9:3251). (La. R.S. 9:3251-9:3252 (silent on interest))

Penalty for wrongful withholding

A landlord who willfully fails to return the deposit owes the amount wrongfully kept plus the greater of $300 or twice that amount, and failing to pay within 30 days of a written demand counts as willful (La. R.S. 9:3252(A)). (La. R.S. 9:3252(A))

Late-fee limit

Louisiana has no statute capping residential late fees, but a fee is owed only if the lease provides for it and an unreasonably high fee can be challenged (La. R.S. 9:3251 et seq.). (La. R.S. Title 9, Ch. 2 (lease of residential premises; silent on late fees), Louisiana AG Guide to Landlord-Tenant Law ("The law sets no specific amount for late fees"))

Grace period

Louisiana law does not require a grace period before a late fee may be charged; the lease controls (La. R.S. 9:3251 et seq.). (La. R.S. Title 9 lease provisions (silent on grace periods))

Louisiana sets no notice period for landlord entry, so the lease controls, limited by the landlord's duty to protect the tenant's peaceful possession and its right to make repairs that cannot wait (La. Civ. Code arts. 2682, 2693). (La. Civ. Code art. 2682, La. Civ. Code art. 2693)

Either party may end a Louisiana month-to-month lease with written notice given at least 10 calendar days before the end of the month (La. Civ. Code arts. 2728(2), 2729). (La. Civ. Code art. 2728, La. Civ. Code art. 2729, La. Civ. Code art. 2727)

Louisiana has no rent-increase notice statute, so a fixed-term lease controls; on a month-to-month lease, give written notice at least 10 days before the month ends, the same lead time needed to end that lease (La. Civ. Code art. 2728(2)). (La. Civ. Code art. 2728)

Louisiana has no rent control, and state law says a lessor's Civil Code rights to lease property may be limited only by state law, not by local ordinance (La. R.S. 9:3258). (La. R.S. 9:3258)

Louisiana statutes add no general disclosure to ordinary residential leases, so the federal lead-paint disclosure for pre-1978 housing is the main required notice (40 CFR 745.107; La. R.S. 9:3251-9:3261 contain no general disclosure duty). (40 CFR 745.107, La. R.S. 9:3251-9:3261 (residential lease statutes; section titles checked))

• Lead-based paint disclosure, lead warning statement and EPA pamphlet (Housing built before 1978 (unless exempt under 40 CFR 745.101)) — 42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 40 CFR Part 745 Subpart F (§ 745.107)

Unpaid rent

After nonpayment ends the lessee's right to occupy, deliver a written notice to vacate giving at least five days (the AG counts them excluding weekends and holidays), unless the lease contains a written waiver of this notice (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701). (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701)

Lease violations

When the lease ends because of the tenant's breach, deliver the same written 5-day notice to vacate (unless waived in the lease); Louisiana's statute gives no right to cure (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701). (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701)