Deposit laws by state › Louisiana
State law · Louisiana
Louisiana security deposit law
How long your landlord has to return your deposit, what they can deduct, and what happens if they get it wrong.
Short answer: Within one month after the lease ends, the landlord must return the deposit, or the balance with a written itemized statement of the reasons for keeping any of it.
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Louisiana?
- Return deadline
- Within one month after the lease ends, the landlord must return the deposit, or the balance with a written itemized statement of the reasons for keeping any of it.La. R.S. 9:3251(A)
- Itemized list
- The written itemized statement is due within the same month.La. R.S. 9:3251(A)
- Forwarding address
- The tenant should give a forwarding address at the end of the lease, but not giving one does not forfeit the right to the deposit.La. R.S. 9:3251
- Your demand starts the clock
- Failure to pay within 30 days after the tenant's written demand counts as willful.La. R.S. 9:3252(A)
Prefer a full page? Use the security deposit deadline calculator.
What happens if a Louisiana landlord misses the deadline?
- If the landlord misses it
- Louisiana's remedy is a penalty for willful noncompliance rather than a stated forfeiture.La. R.S. 9:3252
- Penalty
- If the landlord willfully fails to comply, the tenant recovers the amount wrongfully kept plus damages of $300 or twice that amount, whichever is greater. Failing to pay within 30 days after the tenant's written demand counts as willful. The court may award costs and attorney's fees.La. R.S. 9:3252(A), 9:3253
Penalties that depend on bad faith or willfulness are possible, not automatic. Only a judge can make that finding.
What can a Louisiana landlord deduct from your deposit?
What can be deducted: Damage beyond normal wear and tear caused by the tenant, and tenant default such as unpaid rent or abandonment. (La. R.S. 9:3251)
Normal wear and tear: Normal wear and tear cannot be charged. (La. R.S. 9:3251)
What the itemized list must include: A written itemized statement of the reasons for keeping any money. (La. R.S. 9:3251)
More on common charges: normal wear and tear, cleaning, painting, and a missing itemized list.
Taking a deposit case to small claims court in Louisiana
Small-claims limit: Louisiana justice of the peace courts hear civil claims up to $5,000, not counting interest, costs, attorney fees and penalties. City court small-claims limits vary. (Louisiana Attorney General's guide to JP courts)
Most deposit disputes never get that far. A clear demand letter, sent by certified mail, often settles them first.
Good to know
- Courts in some Louisiana circuits require a written demand before the penalty applies, so make your demand in writing.
- A tenant who did not give the notice of termination the lease required may be barred from recovering the deposit (La. R.S. 9:3251(C)), unless the landlord waived notice or both sides agreed to end the lease.
What to do if your Louisiana landlord kept your deposit
- Pin down your dates. When you moved out, returned the keys, and gave a forwarding address in writing. Compare them with the deadline above.
- Gather your evidence. Move-in and move-out photos, the lease, the landlord's list of deductions, receipts and messages. The case checklist covers what matters.
- Send a demand letter by certified mail. Ask for the money, cite Louisiana's rules, and give a deadline to pay. What a demand letter does.
- If they still don't pay, consider small claims court. You don't need a lawyer there.
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Sources
These rules come from the same verified table the Demand Letter Companion uses, checked against the sources below on October 25, 2026. Laws change; check the current official text before relying on a date.
- Louisiana Attorney General's guide to JP courts: ag.louisiana.gov
Other states: see the guides for all 50 states and DC
This page is general legal information, not legal advice. Local ordinances can add rules, and your lease and facts matter. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in Louisiana.