Louisiana Security Deposit Calculator (2026)

How Louisiana security deposits work

In Louisiana, a landlord must return your residential security deposit within one month after the lease ends, along with an itemized statement of any amount kept and the reason for keeping it. To make sure that statement reaches you, the law requires you to give the landlord a forwarding address when the lease terminates. Louisiana sets no cap on how much a landlord can charge for a deposit, so the amount is whatever your lease says. If a landlord willfully refuses to return your money, you can recover the wrongfully withheld portion plus $300 or twice that portion, whichever is greater, along with court costs and reasonable attorney fees. The clock on that penalty is specific: not refunding within 30 days after your written demand counts as a willful failure. These rules come from the Lessee’s Deposit Act, La. R.S. 9:3251 to 9:3254, and a landlord cannot make you waive them in the lease.

This calculator shows the Louisiana figures applied to your own rent and dates. It is informational only and not legal advice — exceptions this summary cannot weigh may apply. For the full rules, penalties, and citations, see the Louisiana security deposit reference.