Louisiana Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
Louisiana rules on rent increases & late fees for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short answer: No statute — Louisiana has no state rent control law, and no city or parish is known to have adopted rent control; rent is set by the lease. No statute expressly addresses local rent control, but R.S. La. R.S. 9:3258; 2026 Reg. Sess. HB 472 (involuntarily deferred 5/5/2026)
The rules in Louisiana
| Rent control / increase limits | No statute — Louisiana has no state rent control law, and no city or parish is known to have adopted rent control; rent is set by the lease. No statute expressly addresses local rent control, but R.S. 9:3258 says lessors' rights may not be altered, abridged or diminished except by state law (subject to the police power). A 2026 bill to let municipalities adopt rent stabilization (HB 472) died in committee. Whether R.S. 9:3258 bars local rent control has not been decided by statute; it never mentions rent control. HB 472 history: https://legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=26RS&b=HB472 |
|---|---|
| Late fees | No statutory cap. A late fee can be charged only if the lease or an oral agreement provides for it. AG guide: 'The law sets no specific amount for late fees' and unreasonably high fees can be contested. Separately, for ORAL leases only, R.S. 9:3259 lets the landlord recover reasonable attorney fees for collecting past-due rent if it wins a judgment, after a 20-day written demand: https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=107473 Source: No statute; AG tenant guide |
Free calculators
- Late Fee Checker — Check a late fee against your state's cap and grace period.
- Rent Increase Calculator — In states with a statewide rent cap, see the most your rent can go up this year.
Related questions
- Can a landlord raise the rent in the middle of a lease?
- How much can a landlord charge for a late fee?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent?
- Can a landlord evict you for no reason?
Louisiana vs. neighboring states
| State | Rent control / increase limits | Late fees |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | No statute — Louisiana has no state rent control law, and no city or parish is known to have adopted rent control; rent is set by the lease. No statute expressly addresses local rent control, but R.S. 9:3258 says lessors' rights may not be altered, abridged or diminished except by state law (subject to the police power). A 2026 bill to let municipalities adopt rent stabilization (HB 472) died in committee. La. R.S. 9:3258; 2026 Reg. Sess. HB 472 (involuntarily deferred 5/5/2026) | No statutory cap. A late fee can be charged only if the lease or an oral agreement provides for it. No statute; AG tenant guide |
| Arkansas | Local rent control is preempted. Local governments may not enact, maintain, or enforce ordinances controlling rent, and since Act 459 of 2025, rental application fees or rental deposits, for private residential or commercial property. There is no statewide rent cap. Ark. Code Ann. §§ 14-16-601, 14-54-1409 (as amended by Act 459 of 2025) | No statutory cap — no Arkansas statute limits residential late fees or requires a grace period. The Landlord-Tenant Act defines 'rent' to include late charges and lets the parties set rental terms not otherwise prohibited by law, so the lease governs. Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-17-301(10), 18-17-401(a) |
| Mississippi | No rent control. State law bars cities and towns (§ 21-17-5(2)(h)) and counties (§ 19-3-40(3)(g)) from regulating, directly or indirectly, the rent charged for private residential property in which they have no property interest, unless the Legislature gives prior approval. Miss. Code Ann. § 21-17-5(2)(h); § 19-3-40(3)(g) | No statutory cap or grace period. The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act does not regulate late fees. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-1 to 89-8-45 (no late-fee provision) |
| Texas | No statewide rent control. Cities may adopt rent control only if the governing body finds a housing emergency due to a disaster and the governor approves the ordinance. Tex. Local Gov't Code Sec. 214.902 | Allowed only if notice of the fee is in a written lease, the fee is reasonable, and rent remains unpaid two full days after the due date. Safe-harbor reasonable fee: up to 12% of monthly rent (buildings with 4 or fewer units) or 10% (buildings with more than 4 units), or more if it does not exceed the landlord's uncertain damages. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.019 |
City rules that may add to state law
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- Free legal help in Louisiana
Compare rent increases & late fees in all 50 states and DC →
Louisiana Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws FAQ
Is there rent control or a limit on rent increases in Louisiana?
No statute — Louisiana has no state rent control law, and no city or parish is known to have adopted rent control; rent is set by the lease. No statute expressly addresses local rent control, but R.S. 9:3258 says lessors' rights may not be altered, abridged or diminished except by state law (subject to the police power). A 2026 bill to let municipalities adopt rent stabilization (HB 472) died in committee. (La. R.S. 9:3258; 2026 Reg. Sess. HB 472 (involuntarily deferred 5/5/2026))
Is there a limit on late fees in Louisiana?
No statutory cap. A late fee can be charged only if the lease or an oral agreement provides for it. (No statute; AG tenant guide)
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.