Louisiana Security Deposit Rules (2026): The One-Month Deadline, Itemized Statements and the $300 Penalty

Louisiana’s rules on security deposits are in the Lessee’s Deposit Act, La. R.S. 9:3251 to 9:3253. They are short, but they have teeth: a landlord has one month after the lease ends to return the deposit or explain in writing what was kept, and a landlord who willfully ignores the rules can owe the tenant a penalty on top of the deposit. This guide explains the rules in plain English and shows how to leave a rental so cleaning costs you nothing.

Louisiana deposit rules at a glance

• Return deadline: within one month after the lease ends
• What must be sent: the deposit, or the balance with an itemized statement of what was kept and why
• Forwarding address: give it in writing so the deposit and statement can reach you
• Allowed deductions: unpaid rent and other tenant defaults, and damage beyond normal wear and tear
• Penalty: for willful failure to comply, the greater of $300 or twice the amount wrongfully kept, on top of the deposit
• Deposit cap: the act does not set one; the lease sets the amount

This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, so check the current statute or ask a lawyer about your situation.

How the one-month deadline works

The month runs from the end of the lease. Within that month the landlord must return the deposit, or the part that is left together with an itemized statement giving the reason for each amount kept. The law expects you to give a forwarding address so the money and the statement can reach you. If you leave without the notice your lease requires, or abandon the home before the lease ends, the landlord’s duties work differently, so give notice in writing as your lease requires.

What can and cannot be deducted

A landlord may keep all or part of a deposit for damage beyond normal wear and tear caused by the tenant, and for a tenant’s default, such as unpaid rent, abandoning the home or not giving the notice the lease requires. The act does not define normal wear and tear, but courts and landlords generally treat it as the decline that comes from ordinary living.

Common Louisiana move-out charges: usually allowed and usually not

Usually deductible	Usually normal wear and tear
A greasy oven or a fridge left with food in it	Faded paint and light scuffs
Mildew left to spread on grout, caulk and closet walls	Flooring worn along walking paths
Mud or pet stains ground into floors	A few small nail holes
Trash, furniture or belongings left behind	Minor wear on blinds and handles
Holes in walls, broken blinds, pet damage	Fixtures that aged with normal use

Cleaning charges are where many disputes start. Whether a landlord can charge for cleaning depends on whether the dirt is damage beyond normal wear and tear and on what your lease says, so read the lease carefully. The safest approach is simple: leave the home as clean as you received it, and be able to prove it.

The penalty for willful violations

Louisiana raised the penalty in 2019. A landlord who willfully fails to return the deposit or to send the itemized statement can owe the tenant the greater of $300 or twice the amount wrongfully withheld, in addition to the deposit itself. A court may also award costs and attorney fees to the winning side. The word “willful” matters: a good-faith mistake is treated differently from ignoring the law.

Humidity and the Louisiana move-out

In Louisiana’s humid climate, the cleaning issue that comes up most is mildew. It grows on grout, caulk, shower curtains, window sills, closet walls and AC vents, especially in a home left closed and warm after the furniture goes. Keep the air conditioning running until the walk-through, wipe and dry the shower, and leave closet and cabinet doors open. In rural homes, mud at the entrances and pollen on porches and screens are the next most common issues.

Start at move-in

The best time to protect a deposit is the week you move in. Walk through with the landlord if you can, list every stain, scratch, chip and broken item in writing, and send the list by email so it is dated. If the home was handed over dirty, say so and photograph it, including inside the oven and fridge. A clear record of the condition you received makes it hard to charge you for problems that were already there.

Keep a record that speaks for itself

Most disputes come down to what the home looked like on two days. Dated photos and short videos settle that quickly. Shoot each room from the doorway, then close-ups of the oven, fridge, cabinets, bathrooms, floors and any damage. Keep the lease, your move-in list, your notice, your forwarding address letter, receipts for any cleaning or repairs and every message with the landlord in one folder.

Reading an itemized statement

If the landlord keeps part of the deposit, the statement should list each amount and the reason for it. Check each line against your photos and the lease. A line that just says “cleaning” with a round number is worth questioning politely: ask which rooms, what was dirty and what it cost. Compare any flooring, paint or repair charge against normal wear and tear; a landlord shouldn’t charge you to replace something that simply wore out with age.

Roommates, early move-outs and pets

When several people share a lease, the deposit is normally returned once, when the whole lease ends, and roommates settle shares between themselves. If you leave early or without the notice your lease requires, the landlord can treat it as a default and apply the deposit to what is owed. If you have pets, expect the walk-through to focus on hair, odors, stains and scratched doors and floors.

If your deposit isn’t returned

Write to the landlord first. Quote the one-month rule, give your forwarding address again and ask for the deposit or an itemized statement by a set date. Keep copies of everything. If that fails, small claims cases are heard in your parish’s justice of the peace court or the small claims division of the city or parish court, depending on where you live and the amount. Southeast Louisiana Legal Services and local bar referral services can point you to help.

A move-out plan that protects your deposit

• At move-in: photograph every room, inside appliances and cabinets, and send the landlord a written list of existing damage
• Two to three weeks out: give notice as your lease requires, ask for a walk-through date and book your clean
• The day before: defrost and empty the fridge and freezer
• Moving day: remove everything, including closets, the shed, the carport and the porch
• Cleaning day: kitchen, bathrooms, mildew, fans and vents, baseboards and floors, then photograph each room
• Walk-through: return the keys and hand over your forwarding address in writing

Our move-out cleaning starts at $190 and follows the checklist landlords use, with the price confirmed before you book. See what affects the price of a clean, find move-out cleaning in Louisiana or get a free quote.