10 of the 10 rules below carry a statute citation that was read at the official source (most recently October 2026), with the controlling text quoted. The rest are conservative reference values from Aptoria's compliance data and are labeled unverified.
Security deposit size: No statutory cap on the amount of a security deposit; La. R.S. 9:3251 governs return and itemization only. (La. R.S. 9:3251, confirmed 2026-10). Returning the deposit: Return the deposit within one month after the lease terminates. If any portion is retained, send an itemized statement of the amounts retained and reasons within one month after termination, or within 15 days after the date that is one month after termination (extension added by Act 63 of 2026, HB 292). Tenant must furnish a forwarding address. Willful failure (including failure to remit within 30 days after written demand) exposes the landlord to the wrongfully retained amount plus the greater of $300 or twice the amount wrongfully retained (R.S. 9:3252). (La. R.S. 9:3251(A); La. R.S. 9:3252, confirmed 2026-10).
How Louisiana treats the landlord's core obligations
Late fees: No statewide statutory cap on late fees and no mandatory grace period. A late fee may be charged only if provided for in the lease (written, or orally agreed if no written lease). Fees must still be a reasonable, agreed term of the contract. (La. Civ. Code arts. 2668 et seq. (lease is governed by contract); Louisiana Attorney General, 'Moving In, Moving Out', confirmed 2026-10). Application fees: No statewide cap on rental application fees. Neither the Lessee's Deposit Act (R.S. 9:3251-3254, which governs only advances/deposits that secure the lease) nor the Civil Code lease title regulates application or screening fees; rent and other charges are set by agreement (Civ. Code art. 2703 defaults apply only 'in the absence of a contrary agreement'). (La. Civ. Code art. 2703; La. R.S. 9:3251(A), confirmed 2026-10).
Nonpayment notice: Before filing for eviction (including for nonpayment), the lessor must deliver a written notice to vacate allowing not less than 5 days from delivery. The tenant may waive this notice by a written waiver in the lease, in which case eviction proceedings may be filed immediately on termination of the right of occupancy. Louisiana has no statutory pay-or-quit cure right; the notice is a notice to vacate. (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701, confirmed 2026-10). Rent increases: No statute specifically governing rent-increase notice and no statewide rent cap. For a month-to-month lease, a change of terms is effected by the Civil Code's termination/notice rule: written notice at least 10 calendar days before the end of the month (Civ. Code art. 2728). The AG guide states either party may 'terminate or change the terms' on ten days' written notice before month-end. (La. Civ. Code art. 2728; Louisiana Attorney General, 'Moving In, Moving Out', confirmed 2026-10). Ending a month-to-month tenancy: Month-to-month lease: notice of termination must be given at least 10 calendar days before the end of that month. (Term longer than a month: 30 calendar days before end of term; term of a week or more but less than a month: 5 calendar days; term shorter than a week: any time before the term ends.) The notice terminates the lease at the end of the period specified, or the end of the first period for which the notice is timely. (La. Civ. Code art. 2728, confirmed 2026-10). Entry: No statutory minimum notice period for landlord entry. The lessor must protect the lessee's peaceful possession (Civ. Code art. 2682(3)) but has the right to enter to make repairs that cannot be postponed until the end of the lease (art. 2693); any notice requirement comes from the lease. (La. Civ. Code art. 2693; La. Civ. Code art. 2682(3), confirmed 2026-10).
Louisiana has no statewide rent regulation on file, so any cap on increases would come from a local ordinance. Source-of-income protection is not on file statewide, although cities and counties can add it. Card surcharges on rent: allowed within card-network limits. Managing property for others for compensation generally requires a state license: State real estate broker license required for property management for others — confirm with state commission.
Security deposits
What Louisiana allows a landlord to collect up front, how it must be held, and the deadline and paperwork for returning it.
Security deposit limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statutory cap on the amount of a security deposit; La. R.S. 9:3251 governs return and itemization only.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The maximum a landlord may collect up front as security against unpaid rent or damage, usually expressed as a multiple of one month's rent. Separate pet, key or cleaning deposits often count toward the same limit.
Deposit return deadline
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Return the deposit within one month after the lease terminates. If any portion is retained, send an itemized statement of the amounts retained and reasons within one month after termination, or within 15 days after the date that is one month after termination (extension added by Act 63 of 2026, HB 292). Tenant must furnish a forwarding address. Willful failure (including failure to remit within 30 days after written demand) exposes the landlord to the wrongfully retained amount plus the greater of $300 or twice the amount wrongfully retained (R.S. 9:3252).
“shall be returned to the tenant or lessee of residential or dwelling premises within one month after the lease shall terminate.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
the one-month return deadline is unchanged. R.S. 9:3252 read at https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=179445 ('Failure to remit within thirty days after written demand for a refund shall constitute willful failure').
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days after move-out”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The window after the tenant vacates in which the landlord must refund the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions. Missing the deadline is the most common way a landlord forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit.
Separate pet deposit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statute authorizes or prohibits a separate pet deposit or pet fee, and Louisiana has no statewide cap on the total deposit. The Lessee's Deposit Act (La. R.S. 9:3251-3254) covers 'any advance or deposit of money' given to secure the lease, so a refundable pet deposit is governed by the same one-month return/itemization rule and the R.S. 9:3252 penalty (wrongfully retained amount plus the greater of $300 or twice that amount).
“Any advance or deposit of money furnished by a tenant or lessee to a landlord or lessor to secure the performance of any part of a written or oral lease or rental agreement shall be returned to the tenant or lessee of residential or dwelling premises within one month after the lease shall terminate.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
the statute is silent, so the pet-deposit conclusion rests on the definition's breadth ('any advance or deposit of money').
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Permitted”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a refundable pet deposit can be collected on top of the security deposit. Even where it is permitted, the combined amount usually has to stay inside the overall deposit limit.
In practice
• Hold the deposit the way the statute requires (separate or escrow account where applicable) and record the account in the file.
• Document move-in condition with a dated, photographed inventory the tenant can sign; it is the only evidence that supports a later deduction.
• Send the itemized statement and any refund by a trackable method, and keep the receipts or estimates behind every deduction.
Rent, late fees and application fees
The fees a Louisiana lease can charge, the statutory ceilings that override the lease, and whether rent increases are regulated statewide.
Late fees
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide statutory cap on late fees and no mandatory grace period. A late fee may be charged only if provided for in the lease (written, or orally agreed if no written lease). Fees must still be a reasonable, agreed term of the contract.
“Late fees cannot be charged unless they are provided for in the lease agreement. If not written lease exists, fees cannot be charged unless they are agreed upon orally. The law sets no specific amount for late fees;”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Quote is from the official AG guide (PDF text extracted), not a statute; no Louisiana statute sets a cap. Treat as agency guidance.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Any statutory ceiling on the fee for late rent and any mandatory grace period before it can be charged. Where there is no statutory cap, courts still strike fees they find punitive rather than a reasonable estimate of the landlord's cost.
Application fee limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide cap on rental application fees. Neither the Lessee's Deposit Act (R.S. 9:3251-3254, which governs only advances/deposits that secure the lease) nor the Civil Code lease title regulates application or screening fees; rent and other charges are set by agreement (Civ. Code art. 2703 defaults apply only 'in the absence of a contrary agreement').
“In the absence of a contrary agreement, usage, or custom: (1) The rent is due at the beginning of the term. If the rent is payable by intervals shorter than the term, the rent is due at the beginning of each interval.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Absence-of-rule finding confirmed against the official Civil Code lease title (arts. 9:3251/3254; no application-fee provision exists.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
A cap on what an applicant can be charged to apply, sometimes limited to the actual cost of screening and sometimes prohibited outright. Fee receipts and refund rules usually travel with the cap.
Statewide rent regulation
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Posture (d) with a lessor-rights preemption clause: no statewide rent cap and no local rent control in effect. Louisiana has no statute titled as a rent-control prohibition; R.S. 9:3258 declares that lessors' property rights 'shall not be altered, abridged or diminished except by state law' (commonly read as barring local rent control). A 2026 bill to authorize municipal/parish rent stabilization (HB 472, adding R.S. 33:9731) was involuntarily deferred in House committee on 4/29/2026 and did not pass.
“which said rights shall include all rights granted to lessors by Title IX of the Louisiana Civil Code dealing with lease, and which said rights shall not be altered, abridged or diminished except by state law, and which said rights are subject to the reasonable exercise of the police power.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
HB 472 (2026 RS) status 'Involuntarily deferred in House Municipal, Parochial, and Cultural Affairs - Considered 4/29/26' per https://legis.la.gov/Legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=26RS&b=HB472 (digest: 'a municipality or parish may, by a majority vote of its governing authority, adopt ordinances to implement rent stabilization measures'). Secondary sites cite R.S. 9:3258 as a rent-control ban; the text is a general lessor-rights clause, not an express ban.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide rent regulation (check local ordinances)”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a statewide law caps annual rent increases or whether rent control exists for covered units. Local ordinances can add limits even where the state has none.
In practice
• State the late fee, the grace period and the application fee in the lease in dollars or a clear percentage; a fee that is not in the lease is rarely enforceable.
• Never charge above the statutory cap even when the lease says more; the excess is unenforceable and can expose the landlord to penalties.
• Keep fee calculations in the ledger so a tenant, a court or an auditor can reproduce them from the rent roll.
Notices, rent increases and termination
How much written notice Louisiana requires before a rent increase, before ending a month-to-month tenancy, and before filing for nonpayment.
Rent-increase notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statute specifically governing rent-increase notice and no statewide rent cap. For a month-to-month lease, a change of terms is effected by the Civil Code's termination/notice rule: written notice at least 10 calendar days before the end of the month (Civ. Code art. 2728). The AG guide states either party may 'terminate or change the terms' on ten days' written notice before month-end.
“In a month-to-month lease, ten calendar days before the end of that month;”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Rent-increase mechanism is inferred from the termination-notice article plus the official AG guide ('The tenant or the landlord may terminate or change the terms of the lease with ten days written notice before the end of the month'). No statewide rent regulation.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “10 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The written notice a landlord must give before a rent increase takes effect on a periodic (month-to-month) tenancy. Fixed-term leases generally cannot be changed mid-term.
Month-to-month termination notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Month-to-month lease: notice of termination must be given at least 10 calendar days before the end of that month. (Term longer than a month: 30 calendar days before end of term; term of a week or more but less than a month: 5 calendar days; term shorter than a week: any time before the term ends.) The notice terminates the lease at the end of the period specified, or the end of the first period for which the notice is timely.
“In a month-to-month lease, ten calendar days before the end of that month;”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “10 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a landlord must give to end a periodic tenancy without cause. Some jurisdictions require longer notice for long-term tenants or require a stated cause.
Pay-or-quit notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Before filing for eviction (including for nonpayment), the lessor must deliver a written notice to vacate allowing not less than 5 days from delivery. The tenant may waive this notice by a written waiver in the lease, in which case eviction proceedings may be filed immediately on termination of the right of occupancy. Louisiana has no statutory pay-or-quit cure right; the notice is a notice to vacate.
“The notice shall allow the lessee not less than five days from the date of its delivery to vacate the leased premises.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
The AG guide describes the period as 'five (5) business days'; the statute says 'five days'. Court-day computation for short periods should be confirmed with counsel. Many standard Louisiana leases contain the waiver.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “5 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a tenant must receive for nonpayment before the landlord can file for possession, and the time the tenant has to pay in full and cure. This is the step most often done wrong in an eviction.
In practice
• Serve notices in the form and by the method the statute names, and keep proof of service with the dated notice.
• Count notice periods the way the statute counts them (calendar days, business days, or "before the next rent due date") and build in a margin.
• Treat a notice to a possibly rent-regulated or subsidized unit as a legal check, because longer periods and extra content requirements usually apply.
Landlord entry
When a Louisiana landlord may enter an occupied unit and how much notice the tenant must receive.
Non-emergency entry notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statutory minimum notice period for landlord entry. The lessor must protect the lessee's peaceful possession (Civ. Code art. 2682(3)) but has the right to enter to make repairs that cannot be postponed until the end of the lease (art. 2693); any notice requirement comes from the lease.
“If during the lease the thing requires a repair that cannot be postponed until the end of the lease, the lessor has the right to make that repair even if this causes the lessee to suffer inconvenience or loss of use of the thing.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Art. 2682: 'The lessor is bound: ... (3) To protect the lessee's peaceful possession for the duration of the lease.' (https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=109743). Absence finding: no Louisiana statute states an entry-notice period.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Reasonable notice”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The advance notice required before a landlord enters an occupied unit for repairs, inspections or showings. Emergencies are the usual exception.
In practice
• Give written notice with the date, a reasonable time window and the purpose, and log the entry afterwards.
• Emergencies are the only common exception; document what made the entry urgent.
• A pattern of unannounced entries is a common basis for tenant complaints and counterclaims.
Payments, fair housing and licensing
Operational rules that sit outside the landlord-tenant act but decide how rent can be collected, who can be screened out, and who may manage for others.
Card surcharges on rent
Allowed within card-network limits
Returned-payment (NSF) fee
No statewide statutory cap on file
Source-of-income protection
No statewide protection on file
Local ordinances can extend protection beyond the statewide rule.
Property-management licensing
License generally required to manage for others
State real estate broker license required for property management for others — confirm with state commission.
Compliance posture values are reference data compiled from public statutes and are not source-confirmed line by line. Confirm with the state agency before relying on them.
Louisiana next to its neighbors
Own units on both sides of a state line? These are the reference values for every bordering jurisdiction. Open a state to see which values carry a citation.
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard); 5 days grace
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)
Capped at 12% of monthly rent; 2 days grace
Rent-increase notice
10 days
30 days
30 days
30 days
Non-emergency entry notice
Reasonable notice
Reasonable notice
Reasonable notice
Reasonable notice
Pay-or-quit notice
5 days
10 days
3 days
3 days
Source-of-income protection
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
Card surcharges on rent
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Lease disclosures on file
Federal and state disclosures Aptoria's lease workflow surfaces for Louisiana. This is a working checklist from public sources, not a complete legal inventory for a specific property.
• Lead-based paint hazards (pre-1978 housing) — EPA Pamphlet "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home"
Official sources
Primary sources a Louisiana landlord should bookmark. Each link was fetched and read during the October 2026 review; the binding text is always the current official version.
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Louisiana?
No statutory cap on the amount of a security deposit; La. R.S. 9:3251 governs return and itemization only. (La. R.S. 9:3251, confirmed 2026-10).
How long does a Louisiana landlord have to return the security deposit?
Return the deposit within one month after the lease terminates. If any portion is retained, send an itemized statement of the amounts retained and reasons within one month after termination, or within 15 days after the date that is one month after termination (extension added by Act 63 of 2026, HB 292). Tenant must furnish a forwarding address. Willful failure (including failure to remit within 30 days after written demand) exposes the landlord to the wrongfully retained amount plus the greater of $300 or twice the amount wrongfully retained (R.S. 9:3252). (La. R.S. 9:3251(A); La. R.S. 9:3252, confirmed 2026-10).
What is the maximum late fee in Louisiana?
No statewide statutory cap on late fees and no mandatory grace period. A late fee may be charged only if provided for in the lease (written, or orally agreed if no written lease). Fees must still be a reasonable, agreed term of the contract. (La. Civ. Code arts. 2668 et seq. (lease is governed by contract); Louisiana Attorney General, 'Moving In, Moving Out', confirmed 2026-10).
How many days does a Louisiana pay-or-quit notice give the tenant?
Before filing for eviction (including for nonpayment), the lessor must deliver a written notice to vacate allowing not less than 5 days from delivery. The tenant may waive this notice by a written waiver in the lease, in which case eviction proceedings may be filed immediately on termination of the right of occupancy. Louisiana has no statutory pay-or-quit cure right; the notice is a notice to vacate. (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701, confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice must a Louisiana landlord give before entering?
No statutory minimum notice period for landlord entry. The lessor must protect the lessee's peaceful possession (Civ. Code art. 2682(3)) but has the right to enter to make repairs that cannot be postponed until the end of the lease (art. 2693); any notice requirement comes from the lease. (La. Civ. Code art. 2693; La. Civ. Code art. 2682(3), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to raise rent in Louisiana?
No statute specifically governing rent-increase notice and no statewide rent cap. For a month-to-month lease, a change of terms is effected by the Civil Code's termination/notice rule: written notice at least 10 calendar days before the end of the month (Civ. Code art. 2728). The AG guide states either party may 'terminate or change the terms' on ten days' written notice before month-end. (La. Civ. Code art. 2728; Louisiana Attorney General, 'Moving In, Moving Out', confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to end a month-to-month tenancy in Louisiana?
Month-to-month lease: notice of termination must be given at least 10 calendar days before the end of that month. (Term longer than a month: 30 calendar days before end of term; term of a week or more but less than a month: 5 calendar days; term shorter than a week: any time before the term ends.) The notice terminates the lease at the end of the period specified, or the end of the first period for which the notice is timely. (La. Civ. Code art. 2728, confirmed 2026-10).
Does Louisiana have statewide rent control?
No statewide rent regulation is on file for Louisiana. Local ordinances can still limit increases, so check the city or county where the unit sits before setting a renewal rent.
Is source of income a protected class in Louisiana?
No statewide source-of-income protection is on file for Louisiana, but cities and counties can adopt it. Check local law before refusing a voucher or benefit income, and apply any screening criteria consistently.
Can a Louisiana landlord add a surcharge for paying rent by card?
Allowed within card-network limits. Where a surcharge is allowed, it must still follow card-network rules and be disclosed before payment.
How this page was verified
Every rule is shown in one of two states. “Source-confirmed” means an editor opened the official statute page named next to the rule on the date shown, read the controlling text, and recorded the excerpt you see; the excerpt is quoted verbatim so you can check it. “Reference value” means Aptoria's compliance engine applies a conservative number for this rule, but nobody has yet tied it to a specific statute section on this page, so it must be checked before you rely on it.
This page meets Aptoria's evidence floor for publication (10 source-confirmed rules and 6 fetched official sources). Statutes change; local ordinances can be stricter; the facts of a tenancy change the result.