Louisiana Security Deposit Return: The 30-Day Deadline (2026)

How long a landlord has to return your deposit, and what you can claim if they miss it

At a glance

Return deadline: 30 days after vacating
Measured from: Termination of the lease (per the termination date in the written/oral lease)
Penalty for late or wrongful withholding: no statutory multiplier
Deposit cap: No statutory cap under state law (a landlord may charge whatever amount the lease specifies).
Small claims cap: $5,000

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers residential security deposits in Louisiana, where a landlord has kept some or all of a deposit after a tenancy ends.

It does not cover:

Commercial leases
Deposits held in an escrow account or with a third party
Disputes about damage charges in an ongoing (not ended) tenancy
Any state other than Louisiana

Lease terms and local ordinances can change what applies. Where a city has its own deposit rules, those may differ from the state statute below.

What the statute actually says

30days

Measured from Termination of the lease (per the termination date in the written/oral lease).

The landlord must return the deposit within one month after the lease terminates, except for amounts reasonably necessary to remedy a tenant default or unreasonable wear. If any portion is retained, the landlord must forward an itemized statement within one month after the tenancy terminates. The tenant must furnish a forwarding address at termination.

La. R.S. 9:3251(A) ↗

Penalties

A flat penalty of $300.

Louisiana's remedy is the GREATER of $300 or twice the amount of the deposit wrongfully withheld (plus the refund itself). "Willful failure" is triggered automatically: failure to remit within 30 days after a written demand for refund constitutes willful failure. No separate bad-faith hearing is required.
La. R.S. 9:3252(A) ↗
The tenant may recover the landlord's attorney fees.

Under La. R.S. 9:3253, the court MAY in its discretion award costs and attorney fees to the prevailing party. Discretionary, not automatic.
La. R.S. 9:3253 ↗

Working out your own deadline

The clock does not start on the day you decided to leave. In Louisiana it starts Termination of the lease (per the termination date in the written/oral lease) — for most leases that is the date you hand back the keys, not the date your notice period began.

Find the date you vacated and returned the keys. Write it down; everything else depends on it.
Add 30 calendar days. Count calendar days, not business days.
If the landlord has provided a forwarding address, check the statute for whether the deadline is shortened — in some states it is.
Note the date the deadline falls on. If the deposit has not arrived by then, the clock for the penalty starts running.

Common landlord defences and how to answer them

““I kept the deposit for damages.””

You may retain only what is reasonably necessary to remedy my default or unreasonable wear, and you must send an itemized statement within one month of termination. Ordinary wear and tear is not deductible.

La. R.S. 9:3251(A)

““You never gave me a forwarding address.””

Here is my forwarding address now. Regardless, my written demand for refund starts the 30-day clock under § 9:3252(A), after which your failure to remit constitutes willful failure.

La. R.S. 9:3251(A), 9:3252(A)

““I will keep the deposit and you can sue me.””

Under § 9:3252(A), a willful failure to return my deposit entitles me to the wrongfully retained amount plus the greater of $300 or twice that amount — triggered automatically 30 days after my written demand.

La. R.S. 9:3252(A)

Sources and how to verify them

Every figure on this page comes from the official text, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked against the source.

Statute	Last verified	Source
La. R.S. 9:3251(A)	2026-10-15	official text ↗
La. R.S. 9:3252(A)	2026-10-15	official text ↗
La. R.S. 9:3253	2026-10-15	official text ↗
La. R.S. 9:3251	2026-10-15	official text ↗
La. R.S. 9:3251 et seq.	2026-10-15	official text ↗

Primary reference: La. R.S. 9:3251 to 9:3253 (Lessee's Deposit Act). Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Amendments are recorded on the site changelog.

When you need a lawyer instead of a tool

A self-help letter is the right starting point for a single deposit you can document. Get legal help if:

You have received an eviction notice — the timeline is now court-driven
The dispute involves discrimination, unsafe conditions or retaliation
The amount in dispute exceeds $5,000
Your landlord has filed anything in court already

Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.

More Louisiana guides

Louisiana Security Deposit Rules

→ All Louisiana tenant rights topics

Common questions

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Louisiana?

30 days, counted from Termination of the lease (per the termination date in the written/oral lease). La. R.S. 9:3251(A).

Can I claim more than my deposit back in Louisiana?

The statute cited for Louisiana does not provide a penalty multiplier beyond returning the deposit and any lawful deductions.

Does the 30-day deadline in Louisiana start when I give notice or when I move out?

It runs from Termination of the lease (per the termination date in the written/oral lease) — the date you vacated and returned the keys, not the date your notice period began.

Do I need a lawyer to file a deposit claim in Louisiana?

No — Louisiana handles small civil claims in city courts (up to $5,000) and justice of the peace courts (up to $5,000), depending on the parish. Attorney representation is permitted but not required.