United States · LA

Evicting a bad tenant in Louisiana costs ~$6,400.

That's an estimated combined hit from filing fees, 1 months of lost rent, property damage, legal costs, and turnover, per bad tenant. Here's the full breakdown and a calculator for your specific situation.

Filing fee

$200

Justice of the Peace / City Court

Avg timeline

30 days

~4 weeks

Lost rent

$1,200

1 months at $1,200/mo

Property damage

$2,500

Beyond the deposit; planning estimate, same in every state

Legal fees

$1,000

Attorney and court costs; planning estimate, same in every state

Turnover

$1,500

Repairs, cleaning, re-listing; planning estimate, same in every state

Most of that $6,400 is preventable with proper screening.

A 14-day free trial with 5 free screenings.

How Louisiana handles evictions

Short 5-day notice for nonpayment.

Calculate your risk
Adjust the inputs to model your specific situation in Louisiana.

Default: regional median

Filing → unit re-rented

Beyond security deposit

Court filing fee

$200

Lost rent during process

1 months at $1,200/mo

$1,200

Property damage

$2,500

Legal fees

$1,000

Turnover & re-listing

$1,500

Estimated total loss

$6,400

That's what one bad tenant typically costs a Louisiana landlord.

14-day free trial · 5 free screenings

Most of that loss is preventable.

Bad tenants almost always leave a paper trail, the problem is that most landlords don't check carefully. Here's what a proper screening catches before you sign the lease.

Fake pay stubs & inflated income

AI analysis catches font mismatches, math errors, and metadata red flags in uploaded income documents.

Identity that doesn't match

Cross-reference of public records and uploaded documents flags name, employer, or address inconsistencies the applicant didn't explain.

Former landlord reference gaps

Automated verification reaches out directly, applicants can't forward requests to a friend pretending to be their landlord.

Louisiana eviction cost FAQ

How much does it cost to evict someone in Louisiana?

TenantFort estimates a contested eviction in Louisiana at around $6,400 all-in: a $200 filing fee, roughly 1 months of lost rent ($1,200 at a typical $1,200/mo), plus legal fees, property damage beyond the deposit, and turnover costs, using national planning figures for those three. Uncontested cases cost less.

How long does an eviction take in Louisiana?

Roughly 30 days (~4 weeks) from notice to lockout, as an estimate; contested cases take longer. Short 5-day notice for nonpayment.

How much is the eviction filing fee in Louisiana?

$200, filed with the Justice of the Peace / City Court. Service, writ, and execution fees are typically extra and vary by county/court.

What court handles evictions in Louisiana?

Evictions in Louisiana are handled by the Justice of the Peace / City Court.

Sources & methodology

The filing fee is the Justice of the Peace / City Court's published fee; it has not yet been checked against the official fee schedule for this page, so confirm it with the court before you file. The timeline and typical rent are estimates. Property damage ($2,500), legal fees ($1,000) and turnover ($1,500) are round planning figures, the same for every state, not costs measured in Louisiana. Real costs vary by county, whether the tenant contests, and the market.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Consult a local attorney for your specific situation.

Louisiana landlord-tenant laws

Deposit caps, late fees, entry notice, and required disclosures for Louisiana.

View laws
The fix

$99 of screening vs $6,400 in losses.

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