Louisiana Late Fee Laws for Landlords (2026)
What the statute actually says
Louisiana has no statute that sets residential late fees. A late fee is a stipulated damages clause: you and the tenant agree in advance what a late payment will cost (La. Civ. Code arts. 2005 and 2011). A court may not change that amount unless it is “so manifestly unreasonable as to be contrary to public policy” (art. 2012). The $25-or-5% cap with a 10-day wait that some sites quote comes from a law on consumer leases of movable property, not housing.
Citation: La. Civ. Code arts. 2005, 2011, 2012 · read the source
The most you can charge in Louisiana
Louisiana sets no number, so there is no statutory maximum to work out. At every rent level the test is the same:
| Monthly rent | Statutory cap | What limits the fee |
|---|---|---|
| $900 | None set | must be in the lease and not manifestly unreasonable |
| $1,200 | None set | must be in the lease and not manifestly unreasonable |
| $1,800 | None set | must be in the lease and not manifestly unreasonable |
| $2,500 | None set | must be in the lease and not manifestly unreasonable |
Work out your own figure with the late fee calculator →
The grace period in Louisiana
Louisiana sets no statutory grace period. A fee can apply from whatever day the lease says, but a fee that lands the day after rent is due is easier to attack as unreasonable than one that follows a few days of grace. Whatever grace you give should be written into the lease so both sides are working from the same date.
Does the fee have to be in the lease?
Yes. In Louisiana a late fee exists only as a clause in the lease. Without one there is no agreed amount to enforce, and a court will not invent one for you.
Charging it without getting it wrong
Most late-fee disputes are not about the amount. They are about the date the clock started, whether the fee was in the lease, and whether each payment was recorded against the right charge. Those are bookkeeping problems, and they are the ones that lose in court.
LandlordPro applies the grace period you set, charges the fee once, and records each payment against the oldest unpaid month first (that month's late fee when the payment covers it, then its rent), so the ledger shows where every dollar went. The rent roll shows exactly which day a charge landed and why, and the tenant sees the same breakdown in their portal.
Stop working late fees out by hand
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Start freeKey statute for Louisiana
Authority: La. Civ. Code arts. 2005, 2011, 2012
Statute text not quoted here yet — read it at the link above.
What this means: Louisiana sets no statutory cap or grace period for rent late fees. The fee has to be written into the lease and should be a reasonable estimate of what late rent actually costs you.
Citation from our review of the chapter cited above (see "How we checked"); statute text not quoted here yet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum late fee a landlord can charge in Louisiana?
Louisiana sets no cap by statute. A late fee is a stipulated damages clause under La. Civ. Code arts. 2005, 2011 and 2012, and a court will cut it down only if it is so manifestly unreasonable as to be contrary to public policy.
How many days late before a landlord can charge a fee in Louisiana?
Louisiana sets no statutory grace period, so the lease governs. Put the number of days in writing.
Does a Louisiana late fee have to be in the lease?
Yes. In Louisiana a late fee exists only as a clause in the lease. Without one there is no agreed amount to collect.
Can a landlord charge a late fee every month the rent stays unpaid in Louisiana?
Louisiana does not address repeat fees by statute. Compounding a fee month after month on the same unpaid rent is the kind of charge courts treat as a penalty, so it is a risk worth avoiding.
Is a late fee the same as interest in Louisiana?
No. A late fee is a one-off charge for the administrative cost of a late payment. Interest accrues over time and is regulated separately. Charging both on the same rent invites a challenge.
Related
Questions from Louisiana landlords
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