Bossier Parish Landlord-Tenant Law

Bossier Parish Ordinances & Local Rules

Last verified: March 2026 · Source: Bossier Parish, LA

Louisiana State Law Framework

⚡ Quick Overview

5

Days Notice (Nonpayment)

5

Days Notice (Violation)

14-30

Avg Total Days

$50-150

Filing Fee (Approx)

💰 Nonpayment of Rent

Notice Type 5-Day Notice to Vacate

Notice Period 5 days

Tenant Can Cure? No - Louisiana notices are unconditional. No right to cure by paying rent. However, tenant can negotiate with landlord. Notice can be waived entirely in lease.

Days to Hearing 2-7 days

Days to Writ 1-3 days

Total Estimated Timeline 14-30 days

Total Estimated Cost $100-$400

⚠️ Watch Out

VERY landlord-friendly state. 5-day notice is UNCONDITIONAL - no cure right, tenant must vacate. Notice can be WAIVED in lease - if waived, landlord can file immediately without any notice. No grace period. No statewide late fee cap. No security deposit cap. Tenant gets only 24 hours to appeal after judgment. Lease term notice: 10-day for month-to-month, 30-day for year lease. Do not count weekends/holidays in 5-day period.

📜 Eviction Laws Main 📊 Compare This State

Underground Landlord

📝 Louisiana Eviction Process (Overview)

1. Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
2. Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
3. File an eviction case with the Justice of the Peace Court / City Court / District Court. Pay the filing fee (~$50-150).
4. Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
5. Attend the court hearing and present your case.
6. If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
7. Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.

⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Louisiana eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice. Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections. For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Louisiana attorney or local legal aid organization.

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Underground Landlord

🔍 Reduce Your Risk Before Signing a Lease: Louisiana landlords who screen tenants carefully before signing a lease significantly reduce their risk of ending up in eviction court. Understanding tenant screening in Louisiana — including background checks, credit history, income verification, and rental references — is one of the most cost-effective steps you can take to protect your rental property. Before you ever need Louisiana's eviction process, proper tenant screening can help you identify red flags early and avoid problem tenancies altogether.

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Bossier Parish Louisiana Landlord-Tenant Law: A Complete Guide for Rental Property Owners in Bossier City, Haughton, and the Barksdale Corridor

Bossier Parish is the growth engine of northwest Louisiana. While Shreveport across the Red River has faced the population and economic headwinds that have challenged many mid-sized Southern cities in recent decades, Bossier City and its surrounding communities have expanded steadily — driven by Barksdale Air Force Base’s stable federal employment anchor, the casino entertainment corridor along the Red River, healthcare and commercial development, and a steady flow of residents who prefer Bossier’s newer neighborhoods and commercial infrastructure. For landlords, Bossier Parish represents one of north Louisiana’s most attractive operating environments: strong rental demand, a below-average poverty rate, a large and financially stable military tenant base, and a city court system that makes eviction processing relatively efficient for properties within Bossier City limits.

Barksdale Air Force Base: The SCRA Imperative

Barksdale AFB is home to Air Force Global Strike Command and the 2nd Bomb Wing, one of the Air Force’s premier B-52 units, and houses thousands of active duty airmen and their families in Bossier Parish and the greater Shreveport-Bossier area. Military families represent one of the strongest tenant segments available to any landlord — regular, direct-deposit paychecks from the federal government, a culture of financial accountability and property respect, and income that is not subject to the cyclical employment risks of the private sector. Every Bossier City landlord who rents to active duty military personnel must understand the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).

The SCRA (50 U.S.C. § 3955) allows active duty military personnel to terminate a residential lease without penalty when they receive deployment orders or Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, by providing written notice of intent to terminate and a copy of the orders at least 30 days before the termination date. The lease terminates 30 days after the next rental payment date following the notice. Louisiana lease terms cannot override SCRA — any clause attempting to charge early termination fees for SCRA-covered departures is unenforceable as a matter of federal law. Landlords near Barksdale should include a clear SCRA acknowledgment clause in every lease, should maintain a straightforward process for handling military early termination requests, and should understand that SCRA turnover is a normal and predictable feature of renting to military tenants — not a risk to be avoided but a cycle to be planned for.

The Casino Corridor and Gaming Employment

Bossier City’s Red River gaming corridor — which includes Margaritaville Resort Casino, Horseshoe Bossier City (operated by Caesars Entertainment), and other properties — is one of the most significant gaming employment clusters in Louisiana outside of the New Orleans area. Casino workers in dealer, floor, food and beverage, hotel, and support roles earn hourly wages supplemented by tips and overtime that varies with casino traffic, convention business, and seasonal patterns. The standard casino income verification approach applies: request three months of pay stubs and average them; for heavily tipped positions, add three to six months of bank statements to capture actual deposit totals. The Bossier City casino properties are established, large-scale operations with long track records — casino employment here is generally more stable than at smaller or newer operations.

Eviction Process in Bossier Parish

Bossier Parish has both Bossier City Court and the 26th Judicial District Court. File in Bossier City Court (620 Benton Road, Bossier City, phone (318) 741-8527) for properties within Bossier City limits — which covers the majority of the parish’s rental inventory. File in the 26th Judicial District Court (204 Burt Blvd., Benton, phone (318) 965-2336) for properties in Benton, Haughton, Plain Dealing, and unincorporated areas. Begin with a written 5-day notice to vacate for nonpayment or lease violation. After expiration, file a Rule to Show Cause. The court schedules a hearing, serves the rule at least 2 days before, and the judge rules. If the lessor prevails, the lessee has 24 hours to vacate before a writ of possession is enforced by the Bossier Parish Sheriff. Month-to-month leases require 10-day written notice to terminate. Security deposits are capped at 2 months’ rent and must be returned with itemized deductions within 30 days.

This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The SCRA is federal law; Louisiana Civil Code governs the lease relationship. Consult a licensed Louisiana attorney or contact Bossier City Court at (318) 741-8527 or the 26th Judicial District Court at (318) 965-2336 for guidance. Last updated: March 2026.