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    Louisiana Residential Lease Agreement

    Louisiana sets no statewide ceiling on security deposits, but the landlord must refund it within 30 days after the lease ends.

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    Louisiana lease rules at a glance

    Key Louisiana rules for a residential lease, with the statute behind each
    RuleWhat the law says
    Security deposit capNo state capLa. R.S. 9:3251 (no amount limit)
    Deposit return deadline30 days after the lease endsLa. R.S. 9:3251(A), Acts 2026, No. 63 (HB 292), amending R.S. 9:3251(A)
    Late feesNo state cap · grace period: no state grace periodLa. 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"), La. R.S. Title 9 lease provisions (silent on grace periods)
    Landlord entry noticeNo state ruleLa. Civ. Code art. 2682, La. Civ. Code art. 2693
    Ending a month-to-month lease10 days (either side)La. Civ. Code art. 2728, La. Civ. Code art. 2729, La. Civ. Code art. 2727
    Rent increase noticeNo state ruleLa. Civ. Code art. 2728
    Rent controlNone; cities barred from adopting itLa. R.S. 9:3258
    Eviction notice for unpaid rent5 business days (5-day notice to vacate)La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701

    Louisiana lease disclosures checklist

    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))

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    Before you sign in Louisiana

    If a deposit is withheld wrongly
    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))
    Deductions from the deposit
    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 the deposit
    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))
    Rent control and increases
    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)

    No statewide rent control; La. R.S. 9:3258 provides that a lessor's rights under the Civil Code's lease title, including leasing on agreed terms, 'shall not be altered, abridged or diminished except by state law', which leaves no room for local rent control.

    If rent goes unpaid
    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)

    Louisiana lease FAQs

    How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Louisiana?

    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)).

    How long does a Louisiana landlord have to return a security deposit?

    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)).

    Is there a limit on late fees in Louisiana?

    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 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)).

    How much notice must a Louisiana landlord give before entering a rental?

    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).

    How much notice ends a month-to-month tenancy in Louisiana?

    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).

    What disclosures does a Louisiana lease need?

    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). The list covers Lead-based paint disclosure, lead warning statement and EPA pamphlet.

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