Louisiana Security Deposit Law
Louisiana rules on security deposits for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short answer: No statutory cap La. R.S. 9:3251-3254
The rules in Louisiana
| Security deposit limit | No statutory cap The Lessee's Deposit Act (R.S. 9:3251-3254) regulates return and penalties but sets no maximum deposit amount. The Attorney General's tenant guide likewise describes deposits without any limit. Source: La. R.S. 9:3251-3254 |
|---|---|
| Deposit return deadline | Within one month after the lease terminates. If the landlord keeps any part, the itemized statement is due within one month after the tenancy ends. As of Aug. 1, 2026, the landlord may instead send it within an additional 15 days after that one-month date. NEW 2026: Act 63 (HB 292) added the extra 15 days for the itemized statement only. The return deadline itself is still one month. The tenant must give the landlord a forwarding address when the lease ends. Under 9:3251(C), the return requirement does not apply if the tenant abandons the premises without required notice or before the lease ends. Act 63 digest: https://legis.la.gov/Legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1484270 |
| Itemized deductions | If any part of the deposit is kept for the tenant's default or unreasonable wear, the landlord must send an itemized statement of the amounts kept and the reasons. It is due within one month after the tenancy ends, or within an additional 15 days after that date (2026 amendment). Deductions are allowed only for the tenant's default or unreasonable wear. The AG guide says normal wear and tear is not deductible, and that cleaning clauses that deduct automatically regardless of condition may be invalid. Source: La. R.S. 9:3251(A) |
| Interest on deposits | No statutory requirement The Lessee's Deposit Act contains no interest requirement. Source: La. R.S. 9:3251-3254 |
| Penalty for withholding | For willful noncompliance, the tenant recovers the wrongfully kept amount plus $300 or twice the wrongfully kept amount, whichever is greater. Failing to refund within 30 days after the tenant's written demand counts as willful. The court may award costs and attorney's fees to the prevailing party. Fees statute: https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=107470. Under R.S. 9:3254, any waiver of these tenant rights is null and void: https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=107471. Suit may be filed in the parish of the landlord's domicile or where the property is located. CAUTION: the AG's 'Moving In, Moving Out' guide (2024 PDF) still says 'actual damages or $200', which is the pre-2019 text. The statute controls. |
Free calculators
- Security Deposit Deadline Calculator — See when your landlord must return your deposit, and the penalty your state sets if they don't.
Templates
Related questions
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit?
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit?
- What can a landlord charge for at move-out (cleaning, painting, carpet)?
Louisiana vs. neighboring states
| State | Security deposit limit | Deposit return deadline | Itemized deductions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | No statutory cap La. R.S. 9:3251-3254 | Within one month after the lease terminates. If the landlord keeps any part, the itemized statement is due within one month after the tenancy ends. As of Aug. 1, 2026, the landlord may instead send it within an additional 15 days after that one-month date. La. R.S. 9:3251(A), as amended by Acts 2026, No. 63 (HB 292), eff. Aug. 1, 2026 | If any part of the deposit is kept for the tenant's default or unreasonable wear, the landlord must send an itemized statement of the amounts kept and the reasons. It is due within one month after the tenancy ends, or within an additional 15 days after that date (2026 amendment). La. R.S. 9:3251(A) |
| Arkansas | Two months' rent. Example: with rent of $500, the maximum deposit is $1,000. The deposit rules apply only to landlords who rent six or more dwellings. Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-16-303, 18-16-304 | Within 60 days after the tenant moves out. Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-305 | The landlord may deduct unpaid rent and the cost of repairing damage. Any deductions require a written, itemized list delivered to the tenant within 60 days of vacating. Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-305 |
| Mississippi | No statutory cap. § 89-8-21 governs how deposits are held and returned but sets no maximum amount. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21 | Within 45 days after the tenancy ends, the tenant delivers possession, and the tenant demands return. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3) | Required. To keep any part of the deposit, the landlord must send the tenant a written notice itemizing each amount claimed. The landlord may keep only what is reasonably necessary for unpaid rent, damage the tenant caused beyond ordinary wear and tear, cleaning at the end of the tenancy, or other reasonable and necessary expenses caused by the tenant's default. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3) |
| Texas | No statutory cap. Tex. Prop. Code ch. 92, subch. C (92.101-92.113) | On or before the 30th day after the tenant surrenders the premises. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.103(a) | Required: written description and itemized list of all deductions, with the balance of the deposit. No deductions for normal wear and tear. Not required if the tenant owes rent at surrender and there is no dispute about the amount owed. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.104 |
City rules that may add to state law
More Louisiana rental law
- Louisiana Eviction Laws
- Louisiana Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in Louisiana
- Louisiana Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- Louisiana Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in Louisiana
- Squatters' Rights in Louisiana
- Louisiana Rental Fee Rules
- Louisiana Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- Louisiana Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- Louisiana Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- Louisiana Landlord Selling the House
- Louisiana Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- Louisiana Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All Louisiana landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in Louisiana
Compare security deposits in all 50 states and DC →
Louisiana Security Deposit Law FAQ
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Louisiana?
No statutory cap (La. R.S. 9:3251-3254)
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Louisiana?
Within one month after the lease terminates. If the landlord keeps any part, the itemized statement is due within one month after the tenancy ends. As of Aug. 1, 2026, the landlord may instead send it within an additional 15 days after that one-month date. (La. R.S. 9:3251(A), as amended by Acts 2026, No. 63 (HB 292), eff. Aug. 1, 2026)
Does a landlord in Louisiana have to give an itemized list of deposit deductions?
If any part of the deposit is kept for the tenant's default or unreasonable wear, the landlord must send an itemized statement of the amounts kept and the reasons. It is due within one month after the tenancy ends, or within an additional 15 days after that date (2026 amendment). (La. R.S. 9:3251(A))
Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in Louisiana?
No statutory requirement (La. R.S. 9:3251-3254)
What happens if a landlord in Louisiana wrongfully keeps a security deposit?
For willful noncompliance, the tenant recovers the wrongfully kept amount plus $300 or twice the wrongfully kept amount, whichever is greater. Failing to refund within 30 days after the tenant's written demand counts as willful. The court may award costs and attorney's fees to the prevailing party. (La. R.S. 9:3252 (as amended by Acts 2018, No. 416, eff. Jan. 1, 2019); La. R.S. 9:3253; La. R.S. 9:3254 (waiver void))
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.