Security deposits in Louisiana
Louisiana sets its own rules for security deposits under La. R.S. 9:3251. Below is what that statute requires, verified against the primary source, plus the steps to take and where to read the law yourself.
The Louisiana statute
A deposit given to secure a residential lease must be returned within one month after the lease terminates (La. R.S. 9:3251(A)). The landlord may keep only what is reasonably necessary to remedy a default of the tenant or unreasonable wear to the premises, and must send the tenant an itemized statement of anything retained, with the reasons, within one month after the tenancy terminates or within fifteen days after the date that is one month after it terminates. The tenant must give the landlord a forwarding address at the end of the lease. If the property is sold during the lease, the new owner is responsible for returning the deposit (§ 3251(B)). These rules do not apply when the tenant abandons the premises without the required notice or before the lease ends (§ 3251(C)). Verified against primary statute text (legis.la.gov) 2026-09-30.
Read the Louisiana source text →How security deposit law works
Every state sets its own rules for security deposits — how much a landlord can collect, where the money must be held, what it can be spent on, and the deadline for returning it after you move out. What a landlord owes for missing that deadline, or for deductions the statute doesn’t allow, differs a lot by state: in some it is a multiple of the deposit, in others only the amount wrongfully kept.
Read the full security deposit law guide →
What to do in Louisiana, in order
- In Louisiana: document the unit on move-out day: video every room, appliance, and wall.
- Send your forwarding address in writing — several statutes start or extend the clock from this.
- Count the days. If the statutory deadline passes with no deposit and no itemized statement, send a demand letter citing the statute below.
- If the landlord still doesn’t pay, small claims court handles deposit cases cheaply and quickly — and statutory penalties often apply.
Common questions about security deposits in Louisiana
What counts as normal wear and tear in Louisiana?
Deterioration from ordinary living: faded paint, minor scuffs, carpet worn by foot traffic, small nail holes. Damage — stains, burns, broken fixtures, holes in walls — is deductible. The line is drawn by state case law, but "would this happen to any careful tenant over the same period?" is the test courts effectively apply.
Can my landlord keep the deposit for cleaning in Louisiana?
Only to return the unit to the cleanliness it had at move-in, and in many states only if the lease says so. Routine turnover cleaning between tenants is generally the landlord’s cost of doing business.
What if I never got an itemized list of deductions in Louisiana?
In most states an itemized written statement within the statutory window is a condition of keeping ANY of the deposit. No list, late list, or a list without real itemization is frequently a full-refund case — sometimes with penalties.
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