Last reviewed September 2026
Written by LawLease Editorial
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Louisiana Lease Amendment
This Lease Amendment is built with Louisiana as the governing state. These are the Louisiana landlord-tenant rules that most often bear on it, with the statute for each.
Louisiana rules at a glance
| Rent-increase notice | No statute; month-to-month terms can be reset by giving the 10-day termination notice |
|---|---|
| Rent control | None; lessors’ Civil Code rights can be changed only by state lawLa. R.S. 9:3258 |
| Rent increases | There’s no statutory rent-increase notice. A fixed-term lease can’t be raised mid-term unless it says so; for a month-to-month lease, the practical route is to give the 10-day notice needed to end it (art. 2728) and offer new terms. |
| Security deposit limit | No statutory cap |
| Deposit return | 1 month after the lease ends; since Aug. 1, 2026 the itemized statement may follow up to 15 days laterLa. R.S. 9:3251(A) |
| Itemized statement | If any part is kept, the landlord must send an itemized statement of the amounts retained and the reasons. Act 63 of 2026 (effective August 1, 2026) lets that statement go out within one month of termination or within 15 days after that one-month mark — the deadline for returning the deposit itself did not change. |
Security deposits in Louisiana
Louisiana places no limit on the amount of a security deposit. The rules focus on what the landlord may keep and how quickly the balance comes back (La. R.S. 9:3251).
- What can be kept — Only what is reasonably necessary to remedy the tenant’s default or to remedy unreasonable wear to the premises — normal wear and tear can’t be charged (R.S. 9:3251(A)).
- Return deadline — The deposit must be returned within one month after the lease terminates (R.S. 9:3251(A)).
- Itemized statement — If any part is kept, the landlord must send an itemized statement of the amounts retained and the reasons. Act 63 of 2026 (effective August 1, 2026) lets that statement go out within one month of termination or within 15 days after that one-month mark — the deadline for returning the deposit itself did not change.
- Abandonment — The one-month return rule doesn’t apply when the tenant abandons the premises, either without giving the required notice or before the lease ends (R.S. 9:3251(C)).
- Penalty — Willful failure to comply lets the tenant recover the amount wrongfully kept plus $300 or twice that amount, whichever is greater. Not refunding within 30 days after the tenant’s written demand counts as willful (R.S. 9:3252). The court may award attorney fees to the prevailing party (R.S. 9:3253).
Rent, late fees & rent increases
The tenant’s core obligations are to pay rent as agreed, use the property as a prudent administrator for its intended purpose, and return it in the same condition except for normal wear and tear (La. Civ. Code art. 2683).
- Late fees — Louisiana has no statutory late-fee cap. A late charge is generally treated as a stipulated-damages clause, which a court may modify only if it is so manifestly unreasonable as to be contrary to public policy (art. 2012). Write the amount and grace period into the lease.
- Rent increases — There’s no statutory rent-increase notice. A fixed-term lease can’t be raised mid-term unless it says so; for a month-to-month lease, the practical route is to give the 10-day notice needed to end it (art. 2728) and offer new terms.
- Rent control — No Louisiana city or parish has rent control. La. R.S. 9:3258 provides that lessors’ rights under the Civil Code’s lease title can’t be altered, abridged, or diminished except by state law.
Tenant protections you can’t waive
- Health & safety defects — In a residential lease, a waiver of warranty is ineffective for defects that seriously affect health or safety, or for defects the landlord knew or should have known of and the tenant didn’t (art. 2699).
- Liability limits — A clause that in advance excludes or limits a party’s liability for intentional or gross fault, or for causing physical injury, is null (art. 2004).
- Deposit rights — The one-month return rule and the $300-or-double penalty for willful retention apply by statute, regardless of what the lease says (R.S. 9:3251–9:3252).
- Retaliation — Louisiana has no general anti-retaliation statute for private rentals; courts have recognized “abuse of right” as a possible eviction defense, and New Orleans adds a local presumption of retaliation for non-renewals after a tenant seeks habitable housing.
Louisiana Lease Amendment FAQs
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Louisiana?
Louisiana sets no maximum deposit. The landlord may keep only what’s reasonably necessary to remedy the tenant’s default or unreasonable wear to the premises (La. R.S. 9:3251).
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Louisiana?
One month after the lease terminates. If any part is kept, an itemized statement of the amounts and reasons is required — and under Act 63 of 2026 (effective August 1, 2026), that statement may be sent up to 15 days after the one-month mark. Willful noncompliance costs the landlord $300 or twice the amount wrongfully kept, whichever is greater (R.S. 9:3251–9:3252).
Is there a limit on late fees in Louisiana?
No statute caps late fees. They’re treated as stipulated damages, which a court may modify only if manifestly unreasonable and contrary to public policy (La. Civ. Code art. 2012).
More Louisiana landlord documents
- Louisiana Residential Lease Agreement
- Louisiana Eviction Notice
- Louisiana Security Deposit Return Letter
- Louisiana Rent Increase Notice
- Louisiana Notice to Vacate
- Louisiana Application Approval Letter
- Louisiana Application Denial Letter
- Louisiana Background & Credit Check Authorization
- Louisiana Rental Application
- Louisiana Co-Signer Guarantor Agreement
- Louisiana Bed Bug Addendum
- Louisiana Mold & Mildew Addendum
- Louisiana No-Smoking Addendum
- Louisiana Parking & Storage Addendum
- Louisiana HOA & Community Rules Addendum
- Louisiana Crime-Free Housing Addendum
- Louisiana Utilities & Services Addendum
- Louisiana Early Termination Addendum
- Louisiana Lease Extension Addendum
- Louisiana Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
- Louisiana Military Clause (SCRA)
- Louisiana Pet Addendum
- Louisiana Cash for Keys Agreement
- Louisiana Mutual Lease Termination Agreement
- Louisiana Lease Renewal Agreement
- Louisiana Notice of Non-Renewal
- Louisiana Late Rent Notice
- Louisiana Lease Violation Notice
- Louisiana Notice of Entry
- Louisiana Move-In / Move-Out Inspection Checklist
- Louisiana Rent Receipt
- Louisiana Rent Verification Letter
- Louisiana Tenant Welcome Letter
- Louisiana Property Management Agreement
- Louisiana Commercial Lease
- Louisiana Rent-to-Own Agreement
- Louisiana Short-Term Rental Agreement
- Louisiana Room Rental Agreement
- Louisiana Roommate Agreement
- Louisiana Spanish Lease Agreement
- Louisiana Sublease Agreement
Lease Amendment in other states
- Alabama Lease Amendment
- Alaska Lease Amendment
- Arizona Lease Amendment
- Arkansas Lease Amendment
- California Lease Amendment
- Colorado Lease Amendment
- Connecticut Lease Amendment
- Delaware Lease Amendment
- Florida Lease Amendment
- Georgia Lease Amendment
- Hawaii Lease Amendment
- Idaho Lease Amendment
- Illinois Lease Amendment
- Indiana Lease Amendment
- Iowa Lease Amendment
- Kansas Lease Amendment
- Kentucky Lease Amendment
- Maine Lease Amendment
- Maryland Lease Amendment
- Massachusetts Lease Amendment
- Michigan Lease Amendment
- Minnesota Lease Amendment
- Mississippi Lease Amendment
- Missouri Lease Amendment
- Montana Lease Amendment
- Nebraska Lease Amendment
- Nevada Lease Amendment
- New Hampshire Lease Amendment
- New Jersey Lease Amendment
- New Mexico Lease Amendment
- New York Lease Amendment
- North Carolina Lease Amendment
- North Dakota Lease Amendment
- Ohio Lease Amendment
- Oklahoma Lease Amendment
- Oregon Lease Amendment
- Pennsylvania Lease Amendment
- Rhode Island Lease Amendment
- South Carolina Lease Amendment
- South Dakota Lease Amendment
- Tennessee Lease Amendment
- Texas Lease Amendment
- Utah Lease Amendment
- Vermont Lease Amendment
- Virginia Lease Amendment
- Washington Lease Amendment
- West Virginia Lease Amendment
- Wisconsin Lease Amendment
- Wyoming Lease Amendment
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