How Long Does a Landlord Have to Return a Deposit in Louisiana?
In Louisiana, a landlord has 30 calendar days (return of deposit or itemized statement of retained amounts; the statute uses one month) or 30 calendar days (failure to remit within 30 days after written demand constitutes willful failure for penalty purposes under R.S. 9:3252) to return a security deposit. The deadline is measured from this trigger: 30 calendar days (return of deposit or itemized statement of retained amounts; the statute uses one month): after the lease terminates / date the tenancy terminates; 30 calendar days (failure to remit within 30 days after written demand constitutes willful failure for penalty purposes under R.S. 9:3252): after written demand for a refund. The verified penalty formula is for willful failure: recover the wrongfully retained portion plus $300 or twice the wrongfully retained portion, whichever is greater under La. R.S. 9:3251 to 9:3252.
Key facts
| Deadline | 30 calendar days (return of deposit or itemized statement of retained amounts; the statute uses one month); trigger: after the lease terminates / date the tenancy terminates |
|---|---|
| Deadline (branch 2) | 30 calendar days (failure to remit within 30 days after written demand constitutes willful failure for penalty purposes under R.S. 9:3252); trigger: after written demand for a refund |
| Penalty formula | for willful failure: recover the wrongfully retained portion plus $300 or twice the wrongfully retained portion, whichever is greater |
| Bad faith required | Yes |
| Statute citation | La. R.S. 9:3251 to 9:3252 |
Statute says
Any advance or deposit of money furnished by a tenant or lessee to a landlord or lessor to secure the performance of any part of a written or oral lease or rental agreement shall be returned to the tenant or lessee of residential or dwelling premises within one month after the lease shall terminate, except that the landlord or lessor may retain all or any portion of the advance or deposit which is reasonably necessary to remedy a default of the tenant or to remedy unreasonable wear to the premises. If any portion of an advance or deposit is retained by a landlord or lessor, he shall forward to the tenant or lessee, within one month after the date the tenancy terminates, an itemized statement accounting for the proceeds which are retained and giving the reasons therefor. The tenant shall furnish the lessor a forwarding address at the termination of the lease, to which such statements may be sent.
What this means
Read the deadline, trigger, and penalty together. Match the date you can prove to the trigger above, then compare the landlord's response to the rule in La. R.S. 9:3251 to 9:3252.
FAQ
Does New Orleans have its own security deposit law?
No separate city security-deposit ordinance is listed in the verified data. Check the applicable Louisiana law and local rules.
What happens if a landlord misses the Louisiana deposit deadline?
The verified penalty formula is for willful failure: recover the wrongfully retained portion plus $300 or twice the wrongfully retained portion, whichever is greater under La. R.S. 9:3251 to 9:3252. Keep the move-out date, forwarding address records, and any itemized statement before you act.
Does a demand letter change the legal deadline?
No. The deadline is still 30 calendar days (return of deposit or itemized statement of retained amounts; the statute uses one month) or 30 calendar days (failure to remit within 30 days after written demand constitutes willful failure for penalty purposes under R.S. 9:3252). The deadline trigger is 30 calendar days (return of deposit or itemized statement of retained amounts; the statute uses one month): after the lease terminates / date the tenancy terminates; 30 calendar days (failure to remit within 30 days after written demand constitutes willful failure for penalty purposes under R.S. 9:3252): after written demand for a refund. A letter documents the timeline and asks the landlord to resolve the deposit before the next step.
If the deadline passed
Send the letter that starts the clock and keeps the demand tied to the verified Louisiana deadline.
build a Louisiana demand letter
If the landlord stays silent, review landlord ignoring the deadline before choosing the next step.