Louisiana Rental Fee Rules
Louisiana rules on rental fees for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short answer: No cap on the amount, and no refund rule. Before accepting an application fee, the landlord must give the applicant written notice of: the amount of the fee; La. R.S. 9:3258.1 (Acts 2021, No. 422)
The rules in Louisiana
| Application / screening fees | No cap on the amount, and no refund rule. Before accepting an application fee, the landlord must give the applicant written notice of: the amount of the fee; whether the landlord considers credit scores, employment history, criminal history, or eviction records in deciding whether to rent; and that the applicant may share, in good faith, a statement of 200 words or less explaining financial hardship from a state or federally declared disaster or emergency and how it affected the applicant's credit, employment, or rental history (the notice must mention the COVID-19 pandemic and hurricanes). The notice may be electronic. The rule covers rentals used as the tenant's primary residence, except owner-occupied buildings of four or fewer units. The statute gives applicants no right to sue: landlords and their agents are immune from suits over violations. No other provision of the Revised Statutes lease chapter (R.S. 9:3201 to 9:3261.2) regulates application or screening fees, and Louisiana has no portable screening report law. A 2024 bill to add a fair-chance screening disclosure (HB 333) did not pass (https://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=24RS&b=HB333&sbi=y). |
|---|---|
| Other rental fees | No statute. Louisiana has no rental junk-fee, total-price, or fee-disclosure law; fees other than rent are governed by the lease. Two narrow rules apply: a landlord must disclose an application fee in writing before collecting it (R.S. 9:3258.1), and in covered buildings a lease may not impose penalties on a tenant for calling police or emergency help after domestic abuse (R.S. 9:3261.1(C)). Late fees also have no statutory cap (see late_fees). R.S. 9:3258.1: https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=1238734. |
Related questions
- How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee?
- What rental fees are illegal (junk fees)?
Louisiana vs. neighboring states
| State | Application / screening fees | Other rental fees |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | No cap on the amount, and no refund rule. Before accepting an application fee, the landlord must give the applicant written notice of: the amount of the fee; whether the landlord considers credit scores, employment history, criminal history, or eviction records in deciding whether to rent; and that the applicant may share, in good faith, a statement of 200 words or less explaining financial hardship from a state or federally declared disaster or emergency and how it affected the applicant's credit, employment, or rental history (the notice must mention the COVID-19 pandemic and hurricanes). The notice may be electronic. The rule covers rentals used as the tenant's primary residence, except owner-occupied buildings of four or fewer units. The statute gives applicants no right to sue: landlords and their agents are immune from suits over violations. La. R.S. 9:3258.1 (Acts 2021, No. 422) | No statute. Louisiana has no rental junk-fee, total-price, or fee-disclosure law; fees other than rent are governed by the lease. Two narrow rules apply: a landlord must disclose an application fee in writing before collecting it (R.S. 9:3258.1), and in covered buildings a lease may not impose penalties on a tenant for calling police or emergency help after domestic abuse (R.S. 9:3261.1(C)). La. R.S. 9:3201 to 9:3261.2 (lease chapter checked); R.S. 9:3258.1; R.S. 9:3261.1(C) |
| Arkansas | No state cap or refund rule for rental application or screening fees, and no portable screening report law. Since Act 459 of 2025, cities, counties, and other local governments may not regulate or control the amount of rental application fees (or of rent or deposits) for private residential or commercial property. Ark. Code §§ 14-16-601, 14-54-1409 (as amended by Act 459 of 2025) | No statute limits other rental fees (move-in, convenience, or online-payment fees) or requires total-cost-of-rent disclosure. The Landlord-Tenant Act lets the parties include any lease terms not prohibited by law, so the lease governs. Ark. Code § 18-17-401(a) (Act 1004 of 2007) |
| Mississippi | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Texas | No cap on application fees. Landlord must make printed tenant-selection criteria available with the application, and the applicant signs an acknowledgment; if the landlord rejects an applicant without having made the criteria available, it must refund the application fee and any application deposit. An applicant not accepted within 7 days is deemed rejected (application deposits refundable). Bad-faith failure to refund: $100 + 3 times the amount wrongfully retained + attorney's fees. No portable screening report law. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.351-92.355 | No general statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees or requiring total-cost-of-rent disclosure. Specific rules: late fees (limited by Sec. 92.019; tenant may request a written statement of late fees owed, Sec. 92.0191) and fees in lieu of a security deposit (Sec. 92.111). Tex. Prop. Code ch. 92 (Sec. 92.019, 92.0191, 92.111) |
City rules that may add to state law
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Compare rental fees in all 50 states and DC →
Louisiana Rental Fee Rules FAQ
Is there a limit on rental application fees in Louisiana?
No cap on the amount, and no refund rule. Before accepting an application fee, the landlord must give the applicant written notice of: the amount of the fee; whether the landlord considers credit scores, employment history, criminal history, or eviction records in deciding whether to rent; and that the applicant may share, in good faith, a statement of 200 words or less explaining financial hardship from a state or federally declared disaster or emergency and how it affected the applicant's credit, employment, or rental history (the notice must mention the COVID-19 pandemic and hurricanes). The notice may be electronic. The rule covers rentals used as the tenant's primary residence, except owner-occupied buildings of four or fewer units. The statute gives applicants no right to sue: landlords and their agents are immune from suits over violations. (La. R.S. 9:3258.1 (Acts 2021, No. 422))
What rental fees are banned or limited in Louisiana?
No statute. Louisiana has no rental junk-fee, total-price, or fee-disclosure law; fees other than rent are governed by the lease. Two narrow rules apply: a landlord must disclose an application fee in writing before collecting it (R.S. 9:3258.1), and in covered buildings a lease may not impose penalties on a tenant for calling police or emergency help after domestic abuse (R.S. 9:3261.1(C)). (La. R.S. 9:3201 to 9:3261.2 (lease chapter checked); R.S. 9:3258.1; R.S. 9:3261.1(C))
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.