Louisiana renter rights: the basics for first-time renters

Last reviewed: October 2026 · First Apartment Kit

Louisiana's rental rules come from its Civil Code (articles on lease), the Lessee's Deposit Act (La. R.S. 9:3251 to 3254), and the Code of Civil Procedure for evictions. Here are the basics for first-time renters, drawn from the laws on the Louisiana Legislature's site and the Attorney General's “Moving In, Moving Out” guide.

Quick facts

Security deposit max	No state cap — check your lease
Deposit returned within	1 month after the lease ends, with an itemized statement for anything kept (give a forwarding address)
Late fee cap	No set amount in state law (only if your lease or agreement provides for one) — check your lease
Rent increases	No state cap — check your lease. Month-to-month terms can change with 10 days' written notice before the end of the month
Month-to-month: notice to end	Written notice at least 10 calendar days before the end of the month (either side)
Landlord entry	No statewide notice rule — check your lease and local rules
Unpaid rent notice	Written notice to vacate giving at least 5 days, unless you waived it in the lease
Repairs	After a demand and a reasonable time, you can make necessary repairs and deduct a reasonable cost from rent

Quick facts are simplified. Read the sections below for exceptions, and check your city or county too.

Security deposits

Cap: Louisiana doesn't limit how much a landlord can ask for.
Return: the landlord must return the deposit within one month after the lease ends. Only amounts reasonably needed to cover your default or unreasonable wear can be kept, and the landlord must send an itemized statement of what was kept and why. Normal wear and tear isn't deductible.
Forwarding address: the law requires you to give one when you leave. The Attorney General suggests requesting your refund by certified mail on your last day and keeping a copy.
Penalty: if the landlord doesn't pay within 30 days after your written demand, that counts as willful, and you can recover what was wrongly kept plus $300 or twice that amount, whichever is greater. The court may also award costs and attorney's fees.
Exception: the one-month rule doesn't apply if you abandon the place without required notice or before the lease ends.
Pet deposits vs. pet fees: per the Attorney General, a refundable pet deposit is covered by the deposit law, but a nonrefundable pet fee may not be.

Rent increases and late fees

State law doesn't cap rent or set a late-fee amount. According to the Attorney General, late fees can only be charged if your lease (or an oral agreement) provides for them, and unreasonably high fees can be challenged. On a month-to-month lease, either side can change the terms, including rent, with 10 days' written notice before the end of the month.

Ending a month-to-month tenancy

For a month-to-month lease, notice to end must be given at least 10 calendar days before the end of the month. Residential notices must be in writing. For leases measured in periods longer than a month, it's 30 calendar days before the end of the period; for week-to-week, 5 calendar days.

Watch for automatic renewal clauses, which can renew a lease for another full term unless you give written notice, often 30 days ahead. Military members and spouses can end a lease early in certain situations, such as orders to move 35 or more miles away, with written notice of at least 30 days.

When the landlord can come in

Louisiana law doesn't set a specific notice period before a landlord enters. You have to allow repairs that can't wait until the lease ends. Your lease usually spells out entry rules, so read that section and ask for notice in writing.

Repairs and living conditions

During the lease, the landlord must make all repairs needed to keep the place suitable for its purpose, except those you're responsible for. You must tell the landlord promptly about damage or needed repairs. Make every repair request in writing and keep records.

Repair and deduct: if the landlord doesn't make necessary repairs within a reasonable time after you ask, you can have them made and either get reimbursed or apply the cost to rent, but only if the repair was necessary and the cost reasonable. Keep receipts and estimates.
For structural or hazardous problems, contact local building officials. You can also file a complaint with the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section.
Ending the lease over repairs is possible for serious problems, but get legal advice first. Leaving without good enough cause can cost you.

Write it all down from day one. The 12-page First Apartment Move-In Kit has a first-week timeline, lease and building facts, a utilities board, room-by-room unpacking, and a first-month money sheet — so your lease facts, notice dates, and move-in notes live in one place. $9.99 on Etsy. Undated.

Get the kit — $9.99 on Etsy

Eviction basics

To evict, the landlord must first deliver a written notice to vacate giving you at least five days. Many lease forms include a clause waiving this notice, so check yours. If that notice is waived, the landlord can file right away. The case goes to a justice of the peace or city court. If the landlord wins, you can be ordered to leave within 24 hours, and the window to file an appeal is just as short. Don't miss the hearing.

A landlord can't lock you out, put your belongings outside, or otherwise evict you without a court order. Doing so can make the landlord liable for wrongful eviction damages.

Retaliation and discrimination

Housing discrimination is illegal under federal law and the Louisiana Equal Housing Opportunity Act. The Attorney General's Fair Housing section takes complaints. We didn't find a general statewide anti-retaliation rule in the laws we reviewed, so check local rules and get legal advice if you believe a landlord is punishing you for complaining.

City and county rules

Some cities, including New Orleans, have their own housing codes and rental programs. Check with your city or parish.

Move-in checklist for Louisiana renters

☐ Get a written lease and read all of it before signing
☐ Get a receipt for the deposit and any move-in money
☐ Photograph every room, dated, before you unpack
☐ Fill out (or write your own) move-in condition list and keep a copy
☐ Note the rent due date, grace period, and late fee
☐ Write down how to request repairs, and do it in writing
☐ Save the landlord's legal name and address for notices
☐ Put your notice deadline for moving out in your calendar

Still apartment hunting? Our list of questions to ask a landlord before signing a lease covers deposits, fees, repairs, and move-out rules you will want answered in writing.

Where to get help in Louisiana

Louisiana Attorney General — Moving In, Moving Out guide (PDF) — state guide to deposits, leases, repairs, and eviction.
Louisiana Attorney General — Fair Housing — housing discrimination complaints.
Louisiana Attorney General — Consumer Protection — consumer complaints, including repair disputes (1-800-351-4889).
Find free legal aid near you — the federal Legal Services Corporation's directory of local legal aid offices.
File a housing discrimination complaint with HUD — the federal fair housing agency.

Official sources

These are the official state law and government pages we checked for every fact on this page. The law itself controls if anything here differs.

Not legal advice; laws change and cities may add rules. Check the official sources below or a local legal aid office. This page is a plain-language summary written by First Apartment Kit, not the law itself. Last reviewed: October 2026.

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