Make a Louisiana Rental Application

The Louisiana Rental Application Process

The Louisiana rental application allows landlords to verify a prospective tenant's background information and credit history before signing a lease agreement. In Louisiana, there is no maximum for an application fee; the landlord may ask for any amount and the fee is non-refundable. Louisiana Fair Housing laws prohibit discrimination against applicants based on race, gender, religion, disabilities, or familial status.

Landlords in Louisiana may also ask a prospective tenant any amount for a security deposit; there is no maximum.

A Sample Louisiana Rental Application with Examples for Each Step

The rental application should include the following sections:

• Prospective Property including complete address, type of unit, square footage, number of bedrooms/bathrooms, start date, and monthly rent
• Personal Information about the Applicant including full name, date of birth, social security number, photo ID (driver's license number or state ID), current address, phone number/cell phone number, and email address
• Rental History for the last three rental addresses, including current/previous address(es), name and phone number of landlord/manager, rent paid, how long they lived at the address, and reason for leaving
• Employment History/Income for the last five years (including the spouse and/or co-applicant), including current/previous employer(s), address, position, dates of employment, supervisor name and phone number, monthly income, other sources of income, monthly income, name, address, and phone number of provider, and bank account(s)/bank balance(s)
• Other Occupants/Roommates including full name and relationship to the prospective tenant
• Personal References (three unrelated references) including name, occupation, address, phone number, and how long known
• Emergency Contact including name, address, phone number(s), and relationship to the prospective tenant
• Vehicles including make/model, year, and license plate number/state
• Pet Information if any; if there are any restrictions or fees regarding pets on the property, they should be listed on the rental application
• Personal History/Statement including smoking status, need for a service animal or accessibility needs, prior evictions, prior bankruptcies, and prior criminal convictions
• Dated Agreement and Authorized Signature including consent to a credit/criminal background check and documentation of the non-refundable application fee

Rental Application Resources for Tenants in Louisiana

Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center     

LouisianaLawHelp.org        

New Orleans Bar Association    

Louisiana Rental Application Laws

Louisiana does not have any laws that set a cap on security deposits, but it does cover when the deposit must be returned. According to Louisiana law, the landlord must return the tenant’s deposit no later than 30 days after the lease has been terminated. However, a landlord may retain all or part of this deposit to cover any damage to the property or fees that the renter may owe.

If the landlord is deducting any fees from the tenant's deposit, he or she must send an itemized list that accounts for each fee and its amount. The tenant must provide the landlord with a forwarding address to receive his or her deposit back (Louisiana Revised Statutes Annotated § 9:3251).