Quick answer: In Louisiana a lessor gives a written notice to vacate that allows the lessee not less than five days from delivery, whether the reason is unpaid rent, the end of the term or any other loss of the right to occupy. A month-to-month lease ends on notice given ten calendar days before the end of the month. A lease may waive the notice to vacate in writing.
This Louisiana eviction notice calculator applies La. C.C.P. 4701 and La. Civil Code art. 2728. Choose the kind of notice and enter the date the lessee received it: it shows when the lessee’s time ends and the earliest day the lessor can file. It does not say how long the court process takes: see the Louisiana eviction timeline calculator.
Louisiana eviction notice rules at a glance
| Rule | What Louisiana says |
|---|---|
| Notice to vacate | Not less than 5 days from delivery, for nonpayment, expiration or any other end of the right to occupy (C.C.P. 4701) |
| Waiver | The lessee may waive it in the lease, and the lessor may then file at once (4701) |
| Month-to-month | 10 calendar days before the end of the month (La. C.C. 2728(2)) |
| Longer than a month | 30 calendar days before the end of the period (2728(1)) |
| Fixed term | A notice to vacate may be given not more than 30 days before the term expires (4701) |
| Nonpayment | The lessor may dissolve the lease and regain possession as the law provides (C.C. 2704) |
| Counting | Weekends and holidays are not counted in periods under 7 days (C.C.P. 5059, R.S. 1:55) |
| Federal notice | A covered dwelling may need 30 days (15 U.S.C. 9058(c)) |
How does the Louisiana eviction notice work?
- Unpaid rent and other defaults. See the Louisiana 5-day notice to vacate for unpaid rent.
- Ending a lease and the waiver. See the Louisiana notice rules for ending a lease.
- What a lessor may not do. See Louisiana self-help evictions and the abandonment rule.
What does this eviction notice calculator check?
For a notice to vacate it starts from the day the lessee received the notice, does not count that day, and counts five days that are not Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays, because a period under seven days leaves them out (C.C.P. 5059). For a month-to-month lease it finds the first end of a rent month that is at least ten calendar days away, and for a longer period it checks the thirty calendar days against the end date you enter. The earliest filing day is the day after, moved to a day the clerk’s office is open (R.S. 1:55(E)). It does not check the wording of the notice or how it was delivered, and it also shows the 30-day federal date for a covered dwelling, which you should check with an attorney.
Related Louisiana landlord-tenant calculators
These four calculators cover the same tenancy from different angles. From here you can go to the Louisiana security deposit return deadline calculator for the date the landlord must refund or itemize the deposit, the Louisiana security deposit limit calculator for the most a landlord may ask for as a deposit and the Louisiana eviction timeline calculator for the earliest legal dates once an eviction case starts. Each one cites its own Louisiana statutes and shows only what the law says.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a Louisiana lessor have to give before an eviction?
A written notice to vacate allowing the lessee not less than five days from delivery.
Does this apply to unpaid rent?
Yes. The notice to vacate applies when the right of occupancy ends for nonpayment of rent or any other reason.
Can a lease waive the notice?
Yes. A written waiver in the lease lets the lessor file an eviction at once.
How much notice ends a month-to-month lease in Louisiana?
Ten calendar days before the end of the month.
Do weekends count in the 5 days?
No. A period under seven days does not count Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays.
Can a lessor change the locks after the notice period?
No. It must file a rule to show cause and obtain a judgment and a warrant.
Official sources
- La. C.C.P. art. 4701: termination of lease; notice to vacate
- La. Civil Code art. 2728: notice of termination; timing
- La. Civil Code art. 2704: nonpayment of rent
- La. C.C.P. art. 4731: rule to show cause; abandonment
- La. C.C.P. art. 5059: computation of time
- La. R.S. 1:55: legal holidays
- 15 U.S.C. 9058(c): 30-day notice to vacate for covered dwellings