East Carroll Parish is one of Louisiana’s smallest, most rural, and most economically distressed parishes — a northeast Louisiana Delta parish of approximately 6,800 people anchored by Lake Providence, the parish seat with a population of about 3,800. The parish sits in the far northeast corner of Louisiana along the Mississippi River, bordered by Arkansas to the north and Mississippi to the east across the river, and its landscape is the quintessential Mississippi Delta: flat alluvial bottomland stretching to the horizon, broken by oxbow lakes, drainage ditches, and the occasional tree line. Lake Providence itself — a crescent-shaped oxbow lake formed by an ancient bend of the Mississippi River — gives the parish seat its name and its most distinctive geographic feature. Cotton, soybeans, and corn farming on some of the most fertile agricultural land in the world have shaped the parish economy for two centuries.
East Carroll Parish has one of the highest poverty rates in Louisiana — approximately 37% — and is one of the poorest parishes in the United States by most economic measures. The rental market is extremely small, concentrated almost entirely in Lake Providence, with very low rents and a tenant pool drawn primarily from agricultural employment, public sector jobs, and government transfer income. The 6th Judicial District Court in Lake Providence handles all parish eviction proceedings. Louisiana Civil Code governs all leases with no local rent control or just-cause eviction requirements.
No parish-level rental license required. Louisiana has no statewide landlord licensing statute. Verify with the Town of Lake Providence for any local code enforcement requirements within town limits. Unincorporated rural properties are not subject to municipal codes.
Rent Control
None. Louisiana has no statewide rent control and East Carroll Parish has no local rent control ordinance. Lessors may raise rent freely at lease renewal with proper notice.
Security Deposit
Capped at 2 months’ rent (R.S. 9:3251). Must be returned with itemized deductions within 30 days of lease termination or surrender, whichever is later (R.S. 9:3252). Permissible deductions: unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, unpaid utilities owed by lessee.
Eviction Court — 6th Judicial District
All East Carroll Parish eviction proceedings are filed in the 6th Judicial District Court, East Carroll Parish Courthouse, 400 First Street, Lake Providence, LA 71254. Phone: (318) 559-2399. Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Justice of the Peace courts may have jurisdiction for leases not exceeding $1,000/month in unincorporated areas (CCP Art. 4843).
Notice to Vacate
Written 5-day notice to vacate required before filing for eviction (CCP Art. 4701–4703). Serve personally, by domiciliary service, or by door-posting plus first class mail. Retain all service documentation.
Month-to-Month Termination
10-day written notice required to terminate a month-to-month lease (CC Art. 2687, 2728). Notice must be given at least 10 days before the end of the monthly rental period.
Tacit Reconduction
Accepting rent after a fixed-term lease expires automatically creates a new month-to-month tenancy (CC Art. 2686). Give written notice before lease expiration if renewal is not intended.
No Statutory Cure Period
Louisiana provides no statutory cure period for lease violations. After the 5-day notice expires, the lessor may file a Rule to Show Cause immediately.
Delta Agriculture & Seasonal Income
Cotton, soybean, and corn farming on the Mississippi River bottomland is the dominant private sector industry. Agricultural worker income is highly seasonal — peak earnings during planting and harvest, substantially reduced income in off-season months. Request prior-year tax returns or 12-month bank statements rather than in-season pay stubs to assess annual income reliably.
Very High Poverty Context
East Carroll Parish’s ~37% poverty rate is among the highest in Louisiana and the United States. A very significant share of rental applicants rely on SSI, SSDI, Social Security, Housing Choice Vouchers, or other government transfer income as their primary or sole income source. For fixed-income applicants, prioritize rental history and income stability (permanence and reliability of the income source) alongside the income level. Apply all criteria consistently per Fair Housing requirements.
Source of Income / HCV
No state or local source of income protections. Landlords are not required to accept Housing Choice Vouchers. Given the parish’s very high poverty rate, HCV participation is significant in the Lake Providence rental market. Contact the East Carroll Parish Housing Authority or relevant authority for current HCV payment standards.
Lessor’s Privilege
Louisiana law gives lessors a legal privilege (lien) on the lessee’s movable property on the leased premises to secure up to two years of unpaid rent (CC Art. 2752). This is a unique Louisiana remedy. Consult a Louisiana attorney before attempting to exercise this right.
Self-Help Eviction
Prohibited. Lessors may not take possession by any means other than lawful judicial process (CCP Art. 4736). Lockouts, utility shutoffs, or removal of tenant belongings without a court order expose the lessor to liability for damages and attorney fees.
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 Hearing2-7 days
Days to Writ1-3 days
Total Estimated Timeline14-30 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.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Justice of the Peace Court / City Court / District Court. Pay the filing fee (~$50-150).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
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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⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Underground Landlord
🏘️ Communities & Screening Tips
Key communities: Lake Providence, Transylvania, Kilbourne.
Lake Providence market: One of Louisiana’s smallest and highest-poverty rental markets (~37%). Agricultural workers need full-year income documentation. A large share of applicants rely on fixed government income — prioritize rental history and income stability. HCV participation is significant here. School district employees are the most stable local segment.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
East Carroll Parish Louisiana Landlord-Tenant Law: A Guide for Rental Property Owners in Lake Providence and the Louisiana Delta
East Carroll Parish sits in the far northeast corner of Louisiana where the state meets Arkansas to the north and Mississippi across the river to the east — a classic Mississippi Delta parish of flat bottomland, oxbow lakes, and cotton fields that has been shaped by the river and its agriculture for as long as anyone has kept records. Lake Providence, the parish seat, wraps around the crescent-shaped oxbow lake that gives it its name, a body of water that was once part of the main channel of the Mississippi River before the river shifted course and left it behind as a quiet backwater. The parish is one of the poorest in the United States — a ~37% poverty rate that reflects generations of limited economic diversification in a region whose wealth has always been concentrated in land ownership rather than broadly distributed through wages. For landlords, East Carroll Parish is one of Louisiana’s most challenging operating environments: very small inventory, very low rents, very high poverty, and a tenant pool that requires a thoughtful, Fair Housing-compliant approach to screening that goes beyond standard income-multiple thresholds.
Screening in a High-Poverty Delta Market
The standard 3x monthly rent income threshold that works well in most rental markets can be mechanically difficult to apply in East Carroll Parish, where a significant share of applicants receive SSI, SSDI, Social Security retirement, Housing Choice Vouchers, or other government transfer income as their primary income source. These income sources are not W-2 employment — they are permanent, predictable, and often more stable than private sector employment in a parish with ~37% poverty and limited job diversity. A Social Security recipient whose monthly benefit is $900 applying for a $450/month rental is technically meeting a 2x income threshold rather than the standard 3x, but their income is as reliable as it gets — indexed to inflation, impossible to lose through layoff, and disbursed like clockwork on a federal payment schedule.
In high-poverty markets, the most predictive screening criteria shift from income multiple toward rental history and income stability. An applicant with three years of on-time rent payment history at a comparable rent level and a permanent government income source is a more reliable prospective tenant than an applicant with higher income from seasonal agricultural employment and no rental history. Apply all screening criteria consistently across all applicants per Fair Housing requirements — the standard must be the same for every applicant regardless of income source.
Louisiana Law and the Eviction Process in East Carroll Parish
All East Carroll Parish evictions are filed in the 6th Judicial District Court, 400 First Street, Lake Providence, LA 71254, phone (318) 559-2399. Begin with a written 5-day notice to vacate for nonpayment or lease violation, served per CCP Art. 4704. 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 the East Carroll Parish Sheriff enforces a writ of possession. 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. Louisiana’s tacit reconduction doctrine means accepting rent after a fixed-term lease expires automatically creates a new month-to-month tenancy.
This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Louisiana landlord-tenant law is governed by the Civil Code and differs significantly from other states. Consult a licensed Louisiana attorney or contact the 6th Judicial District Court at (318) 559-2399 for guidance. Last updated: March 2026.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Louisiana landlord-tenant law is governed by the Civil Code and differs significantly from other states. Consult a licensed Louisiana attorney for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.
