Breaking a Lease in Louisiana
Louisiana rules on breaking a lease for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short answer: Domestic abuse, stalking, cyberstalking (R.S. 9:3261.1; applies only to buildings with 6+ units, excluding owner-occupied buildings of 10 or fewer units): the tenant must assert in writing that they or a household member are a domestic abuse victim and request early termination; La. R.S. 9:3261.1(E)-(F) (as amended by Acts 2026, No. 64 to add stalking/cyberstalking); La. R.S. 9:3261.2(B)-(D)
The rules in Louisiana
| Ending a lease: domestic violence | Domestic abuse, stalking, cyberstalking (R.S. 9:3261.1; applies only to buildings with 6+ units, excluding owner-occupied buildings of 10 or fewer units): the tenant must assert in writing that they or a household member are a domestic abuse victim and request early termination; provide 'reasonable documentation' (a Uniform Abuse Prevention Order, or the statutory Certification of Domestic Abuse signed under oath by a qualified third party) of abuse on the premises within the past 30 days (for stalking/cyberstalking off-premises, a written declaration of why staying is a safety threat); commit in writing not to let the abuser access the unit; and, if asked, give the abuser's name and address. The landlord must then terminate the lease on a mutually agreed date within 30 days of the request; the tenant owes rent only through that date plus prior obligations, and the deposit may be withheld only as R.S. 9:3251 allows. Sexual assault (R.S. 9:3261.2, all leases): same process with documentation of a sexual assault in Louisiana within the past 60 days occurring after the lease was signed, using the statutory Certification of Sexual Assault or a protective order. R.S. 9:3261.2: https://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=1238736. Where there are multiple lessees, the whole lease ends on the agreed date. Effective date of Act 64 (2026) not separately confirmed, but the codified text already includes stalking. |
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| Ending a lease: military, medical, death | Military: an active or reserve member of the U.S. armed forces (including the National Guard and Coast Guard), or the member's spouse, may end a residential lease after permanent or initial change-of-station orders, or temporary duty orders of more than three months, to a place 35 miles or more away; discharge, release, or retirement; orders to live in government quarters; newly available government quarters (if the member told the landlord in writing at signing of a pending request); a service-related injury requiring more than 15 days in the hospital; or death in service. The tenant gives written notice effective at least 30 days later (and, for orders, no more than 60 days before departure) with a copy of the orders or other proof. The tenant owes no more than one month's rent as the early-termination charge if fewer than six months of the lease were completed, or half a month's rent if six months or more, and gets the full deposit back if the lease was otherwise followed. These rights cannot be waived, and a tenant who proves a violation may recover $200 plus other damages. Death: under the Civil Code, a lease does not end because the tenant dies, so there is no automatic right to end it early on a tenant's death. No Louisiana statute gives early-termination rights for medical reasons or age. La. C.C. art. 2717 ("A lease does not terminate by the death of the lessor or the lessee"): https://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=109781. The federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. § 3955) also applies. Domestic abuse and sexual assault rights are in early_termination_dv. |
Related questions
- Can I break my lease because of domestic violence?
- Can I break my lease for military orders, medical reasons or a death?
Louisiana vs. neighboring states
| State | Ending a lease: domestic violence | Ending a lease: military, medical, death |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | Domestic abuse, stalking, cyberstalking (R.S. 9:3261.1; applies only to buildings with 6+ units, excluding owner-occupied buildings of 10 or fewer units): the tenant must assert in writing that they or a household member are a domestic abuse victim and request early termination; provide 'reasonable documentation' (a Uniform Abuse Prevention Order, or the statutory Certification of Domestic Abuse signed under oath by a qualified third party) of abuse on the premises within the past 30 days (for stalking/cyberstalking off-premises, a written declaration of why staying is a safety threat); commit in writing not to let the abuser access the unit; and, if asked, give the abuser's name and address. The landlord must then terminate the lease on a mutually agreed date within 30 days of the request; the tenant owes rent only through that date plus prior obligations, and the deposit may be withheld only as R.S. 9:3251 allows. Sexual assault (R.S. 9:3261.2, all leases): same process with documentation of a sexual assault in Louisiana within the past 60 days occurring after the lease was signed, using the statutory Certification of Sexual Assault or a protective order. La. R.S. 9:3261.1(E)-(F) (as amended by Acts 2026, No. 64 to add stalking/cyberstalking); La. R.S. 9:3261.2(B)-(D) | Military: an active or reserve member of the U.S. armed forces (including the National Guard and Coast Guard), or the member's spouse, may end a residential lease after permanent or initial change-of-station orders, or temporary duty orders of more than three months, to a place 35 miles or more away; discharge, release, or retirement; orders to live in government quarters; newly available government quarters (if the member told the landlord in writing at signing of a pending request); a service-related injury requiring more than 15 days in the hospital; or death in service. The tenant gives written notice effective at least 30 days later (and, for orders, no more than 60 days before departure) with a copy of the orders or other proof. The tenant owes no more than one month's rent as the early-termination charge if fewer than six months of the lease were completed, or half a month's rent if six months or more, and gets the full deposit back if the lease was otherwise followed. These rights cannot be waived, and a tenant who proves a violation may recover $200 plus other damages. Death: under the Civil Code, a lease does not end because the tenant dies, so there is no automatic right to end it early on a tenant's death. No Louisiana statute gives early-termination rights for medical reasons or age. La. R.S. 9:3261; La. C.C. art. 2717 |
| Arkansas | No statutory right to end a lease early. Ark. Code § 18-16-112 protects victims of domestic abuse whose status is documented by a court order. A landlord may not terminate, refuse to renew, refuse to lease, or retaliate because of the tenant's or a household member's victim status. With the landlord's prior consent and at the tenant's expense, the locks may be changed, and the new key must go to the other party. The landlord may evict the abuser. The statute does not let the victim end the lease or escape liability for rent. Ark. Code § 18-16-112 | Not verified yet |
| Mississippi | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Texas | Yes. A tenant may end the lease and avoid future rent if the tenant or an occupant is a victim of family violence (protective order or documentation from a licensed health care or mental health provider or a family violence advocate), or if the tenant or the tenant's resident child is a victim of certain sexual offenses or stalking within the prior 6 months (documentation or protective order). Tenant gives written notice of termination; release takes effect after 30 days have passed and the tenant moves out (no 30-day notice needed where a cotenant/occupant committed the family violence and an order or documentation is provided). Past-due rent remains owed unless the lease lacks the statutory notice sentence about these rights. Landlord violation: actual damages + one month's rent + $500 + attorney's fees. Not waivable. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.016; 92.0161 | Military: a servicemember or dependent may terminate on entering military service, or on permanent change of station or deployment of 90+ days; written notice plus orders; for monthly-rent leases termination is effective 30 days after the next rent due date; prepaid rent refunded within 30 days; penalty one month's rent + $500 + damages and fees. Tenant death: representative of a deceased sole occupant may end the lease by written notice once property is removed; effective the later of 30 days after notice or when conditions are met. No statute for medical/disability or senior moves. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.017; 92.0162 |
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Breaking a Lease in Louisiana FAQ
Can a domestic violence survivor break a lease in Louisiana?
Domestic abuse, stalking, cyberstalking (R.S. 9:3261.1; applies only to buildings with 6+ units, excluding owner-occupied buildings of 10 or fewer units): the tenant must assert in writing that they or a household member are a domestic abuse victim and request early termination; provide 'reasonable documentation' (a Uniform Abuse Prevention Order, or the statutory Certification of Domestic Abuse signed under oath by a qualified third party) of abuse on the premises within the past 30 days (for stalking/cyberstalking off-premises, a written declaration of why staying is a safety threat); commit in writing not to let the abuser access the unit; and, if asked, give the abuser's name and address. The landlord must then terminate the lease on a mutually agreed date within 30 days of the request; the tenant owes rent only through that date plus prior obligations, and the deposit may be withheld only as R.S. 9:3251 allows. Sexual assault (R.S. 9:3261.2, all leases): same process with documentation of a sexual assault in Louisiana within the past 60 days occurring after the lease was signed, using the statutory Certification of Sexual Assault or a protective order. (La. R.S. 9:3261.1(E)-(F) (as amended by Acts 2026, No. 64 to add stalking/cyberstalking); La. R.S. 9:3261.2(B)-(D))
When can a tenant break a lease without penalty in Louisiana?
Military: an active or reserve member of the U.S. armed forces (including the National Guard and Coast Guard), or the member's spouse, may end a residential lease after permanent or initial change-of-station orders, or temporary duty orders of more than three months, to a place 35 miles or more away; discharge, release, or retirement; orders to live in government quarters; newly available government quarters (if the member told the landlord in writing at signing of a pending request); a service-related injury requiring more than 15 days in the hospital; or death in service. The tenant gives written notice effective at least 30 days later (and, for orders, no more than 60 days before departure) with a copy of the orders or other proof. The tenant owes no more than one month's rent as the early-termination charge if fewer than six months of the lease were completed, or half a month's rent if six months or more, and gets the full deposit back if the lease was otherwise followed. These rights cannot be waived, and a tenant who proves a violation may recover $200 plus other damages. Death: under the Civil Code, a lease does not end because the tenant dies, so there is no automatic right to end it early on a tenant's death. No Louisiana statute gives early-termination rights for medical reasons or age. (La. R.S. 9:3261; La. C.C. art. 2717)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.