Louisiana · Evictions · Updated Oct 2026

Louisiana eviction rules for tenants

The notices a landlord in Louisiana must give, how long you have to respond in court, why a lockout is illegal and where to get free legal help fast.

Short answer

Written notice to vacate giving you at least 5 days from delivery (Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701).

Notice for unpaid rent
5 days
Time to respond in court
No written answer is required.
Lockouts
See the rule

If you get an eviction notice

  1. Read it closely: the kind of notice, the amount, the dates and how it was delivered. Use the timeline below.
  2. Don't move out or stop paying because of a notice alone. Only a court can order an eviction; the notice is the first step.
  3. Get free legal help now. Legal aid and the court's self-help center can check whether the notice is valid.
  4. If you are served with court papers, respond by the deadline and go to every hearing. Missing one can mean losing by default.
  5. Keep copies of the notice, your lease, rent receipts, texts and photos.

Eviction in Louisiana

Notice for unpaid rent
Written notice to vacate giving you at least 5 days from delivery (Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701). Louisiana has no 'pay or quit' notice. Many leases contain a waiver of this notice; if yours does, the landlord can file right away.
Notice for a lease violation
Same written 5-day notice to vacate (unless waived in the lease). No right to cure is required by statute.
Ending a month-to-month tenancy
Written notice at least 10 calendar days before the end of the month, from either side (Civil Code arts. 2728-2729). For leases with periods longer than a month, 30 days before the end of the period; week-to-week, 5 days.
Time to respond to an eviction lawsuit
No written answer is required. The court sets a hearing ('rule to show cause') no earlier than the third day after you are served; go to court and present your defense (Code Civ. Proc. art. 4732). If the landlord wins, you have only 24 hours before the court can issue a warrant to remove you (art. 4733).
Lockouts and utility shutoffs
The landlord must go to court; the eviction articles give the landlord possession only through a court judgment and warrant. Exception: after the required notice, the landlord may retake a home it reasonably believes you abandoned. In parishes under a federal disaster declaration, leaving the home is not treated as abandonment for 30 days, and a landlord who breaks this rule owes you $500 or twice the monthly rent, whichever is greater (Code Civ. Proc. art. 4731).
Law
La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 4701, 4731-4733; Civil Code arts. 2728-2729

Eviction notice timeline for Louisiana

Got a notice from your landlord? Enter the kind of notice and the day you got it to see the dates that follow from your state's rule, what your landlord may not do, and where to get free help fast.

This is not legal advice. Eviction deadlines are short and missing one can cost you your home. Read your notice carefully and contact legal aid or your court's self-help center right away.

Enter the date you got the noticeThe timeline appears when you pick a date.

Dates are estimates from the rule in our data. We skip weekends only where the rule counts business or court days, and we don't skip holidays.

Where to get free help in Louisiana

Retaliation in Louisiana

No general statute protecting tenants from retaliation.

Rent increases and rent control in Louisiana

Notice of a rent increase
no statute; for a month-to-month lease, the landlord generally has to end the current lease with 10 days' notice before the end of the month to change the terms.
Rent control
No rent control. State law says landlords' rights may not be altered except by state law (R.S. 9:3258), which limits local rent rules.

Questions about eviction in Louisiana

How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in Louisiana?

Written notice to vacate giving you at least 5 days from delivery (Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701). Louisiana has no 'pay or quit' notice. Many leases contain a waiver of this notice; if yours does, the landlord can file right away.

How much notice for a lease violation in Louisiana?

Same written 5-day notice to vacate (unless waived in the lease). No right to cure is required by statute.

How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month lease in Louisiana?

Written notice at least 10 calendar days before the end of the month, from either side (Civil Code arts. 2728-2729). For leases with periods longer than a month, 30 days before the end of the period; week-to-week, 5 days.

How long do I have to respond to an eviction lawsuit in Louisiana?

No written answer is required. The court sets a hearing ('rule to show cause') no earlier than the third day after you are served; go to court and present your defense (Code Civ. Proc. art. 4732). If the landlord wins, you have only 24 hours before the court can issue a warrant to remove you (art. 4733).

Can my landlord lock me out or shut off utilities in Louisiana?

The landlord must go to court; the eviction articles give the landlord possession only through a court judgment and warrant. Exception: after the required notice, the landlord may retake a home it reasonably believes you abandoned. In parishes under a federal disaster declaration, leaving the home is not treated as abandonment for 30 days, and a landlord who breaks this rule owes you $500 or twice the monthly rent, whichever is greater (Code Civ. Proc. art. 4731).

More for Louisiana renters

Eviction in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.