Month-to-Month Tenancy Termination Notice Requirements in Louisiana

At a glance

Requirements one by one

Governing law

Louisiana is the country's only civil-law state, and its rental rules come from the Civil Code rather than a landlord-tenant act. A month-to-month tenancy is a "lease with an indeterminate term," which under La. Civ. Code art. 2727 "terminates by notice to that effect given to the other party by the party desiring to terminate the lease." The timing is in art. 2728 and the form in art. 2729. One term to know: reconduction — when a fixed-term lease continues past its end date without a new agreement, it becomes an indeterminate-term lease, which is how many Louisiana renters end up on a month-to-month footing. Nonpayment (art. 2704) and the mechanics of eviction are outside this page.

Landlord's and tenant's notice period

Louisiana's clock is short: at least 10 calendar days before the end of the month, and it is the same for both sides. Article 2728 requires the notice be given "(2) In a month-to-month lease, ten calendar days before the end of that month," and art. 2727 lets "the party desiring to terminate the lease" — landlord or tenant — give it. (A lease measured by a period longer than a month instead takes 30 days under art. 2728(1).)

When termination takes effect

The tenancy ends at month-end. The 10 days runs "before the end of that month," and the notice "terminates the lease at the end of the period specified in the notice, and, if none is specified, at the end of the first period for which the notice is timely" (art. 2728). Give the notice at least 10 days before the month ends and the lease ends that month-end; give it later and it takes effect at the end of the following month.

Form and required contents

For a home, the notice must be in writing: "If the leased thing is an immovable or is a movable used as residence, the notice of termination shall be in writing" (art. 2729). An oral notice is allowed only for non-residential leases. The notice may state a termination date; if it doesn't, the lease ends at the first month-end for which the notice was timely (art. 2728). A tenant has an extra option — under art. 2729, timely "surrender of possession to the lessor" itself counts as the tenant's notice of termination.

How notice must be delivered

The Civil Code does not prescribe a delivery method for the termination notice, so deliver the written notice in a way that fixes the date it was given, and count the 10 days back from month-end. Getting the tenant out is a separate step: to evict, the landlord must deliver a notice to vacate allowing "not less than five days" (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701), and for a month-to-month (indeterminate- term) lease, the termination notice itself "shall be considered as a notice to vacate."

Just-cause limits

Louisiana has no statewide just-cause law. Article 2727 lets "the party desiring to terminate" end an indeterminate-term lease by proper notice for any reason or none — no stated cause, no relocation payment. If the tenant does not leave, the landlord recovers possession by delivering a notice to vacate and then filing an eviction (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701 and following). A city may add requirements, so check local law for the specific address.

What trips people up

It's 10 days, not 30. Article 2728(2) sets "ten calendar days before the end of that month" for a month-to-month lease. Bills to lengthen the residential figure to 30 days have been introduced more than once but were not enacted, so the current-law number is 10 — much shorter than most states.

The 10 days is measured back from month-end, not forward from the notice. A notice must land at least 10 days before the month ends (art. 2728); serve it with nine days left and the lease does not end until the following month-end.

A written notice is required for a home. Oral notice works only for non-residential leases (art. 2729). For a residence, put it in writing.

Common questions

I rent month-to-month in Louisiana and want to move out. How much notice? At least 10 calendar days before the end of the month, in writing (arts. 2728(2), 2729). Moving out and surrendering the premises on time can itself count as your notice (art. 2729).

My landlord gave me only about two weeks' notice — is that legal? In Louisiana, yes, if it was at least 10 days before month-end and in writing (art. 2728(2)). The state's clock is short.

Does my landlord need a reason to end my month-to-month lease? No. Louisiana has no statewide just-cause rule, so a proper 10-day written notice for any reason is enough under state law — check whether your city adds anything.

Statutes and sources

• La. Civ. Code art. 2727 — termination of a lease with an indeterminate term (including a reconducted lease) by notice from the party desiring to terminate. https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=109791 (accessed 2026-07-15)
• La. Civ. Code art. 2728 — notice of termination; timing: 10 calendar days before month-end for a month-to-month lease (2), and the rule fixing the effective end date. https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=109792 (accessed 2026-07-15)
• La. Civ. Code art. 2729 — notice of termination; form: writing required for a residence, and a lessee's surrender of possession as notice. https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=109793 (accessed 2026-07-15)
• La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701 — termination of lease; notice to vacate (at least five days), the termination notice doubling as a notice to vacate, and waiver by written lease provision. https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=112073 (accessed 2026-07-15)