Pointe Coupee Parish is a small, rural central Louisiana parish of approximately 21,500 people anchored by New Roads — the parish seat with a population of about 4,300 — situated on the west bank of the Mississippi River north of Baton Rouge. The parish shares the 18th Judicial District Court with Iberville and West Baton Rouge parishes, with Pointe Coupee matters filed at the New Roads courthouse. The parish name means “cut point” in French, referring to the oxbow lake called False River that was formed when the Mississippi River cut through a large meander bend sometime in the 18th century — the resulting crescent-shaped lake is the parish’s most distinctive geographic feature and a popular recreation destination. Pointe Coupee Parish’s economy rests on sugarcane agriculture, petrochemical industry employment (from facilities in neighboring Iberville and West Baton Rouge parishes), public sector employment, and a growing Baton Rouge exurban commuter base.
The rental market in Pointe Coupee Parish is concentrated in New Roads and the communities along False River, with limited inventory elsewhere. The parish poverty rate of approximately 20% is near the Louisiana average. False River’s recreational character draws some seasonal and second-home activity, but the primary rental market is conventional workforce housing. 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 City of New Roads for any local code enforcement requirements. Unincorporated rural properties are not subject to municipal codes.
Rent Control
None. Louisiana has no statewide rent control and Pointe Coupee 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 — 18th Judicial District (Pointe Coupee Division)
All Pointe Coupee Parish eviction proceedings are filed in the 18th Judicial District Court — Pointe Coupee Parish Division, Pointe Coupee Parish Courthouse, 160 E. Main Street, New Roads, LA 70760. Phone: (225) 638-5533. Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Note: The 18th JDC serves Pointe Coupee, Iberville, and West Baton Rouge parishes; Pointe Coupee matters are filed at the New Roads courthouse. Justice of the Peace courts may have jurisdiction for leases not exceeding $1,000/month in unincorporated areas.
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.
Petrochemical Corridor & Turnaround Workers
Pointe Coupee Parish residents have access to the River Road petrochemical corridor in neighboring Iberville and West Baton Rouge parishes. Direct plant employees (Dow, ExxonMobil, and other River Road facilities) have stable W-2 income — verify with pay stubs. Turnaround and project contractors have variable project-based income — request prior-year tax returns alongside recent stubs and verify that the applicant has permanent local ties rather than following the turnaround work.
Sugarcane Agriculture
Sugarcane farming in the Mississippi River bottomlands is the primary agricultural industry. Harvest (grinding) season runs October–December with peak income; off-season earnings are substantially lower. Request prior-year tax returns or 12-month bank statements for agricultural worker applicants.
Baton Rouge Commuter Access
New Roads is approximately 30 miles northwest of Baton Rouge via LA-1 and LA-10. Some Pointe Coupee Parish residents commute to Baton Rouge for state government, healthcare, and professional services employment. Verify income from Baton Rouge employers the same as any other.
False River Recreation & Second Homes
False River draws recreational boating, fishing, and weekend tourism. Some lakefront properties function as second homes or vacation rentals rather than primary residences. For vacation rental (STR) operations, verify applicable parish and state regulations. Standard residential lease law applies to primary residences regardless of proximity to False River.
Flood Risk
Pointe Coupee Parish’s position along the Mississippi River and False River creates meaningful flood risk, particularly in the 2016 flooding event that affected the broader Baton Rouge region. Verify FEMA flood zone status for each property. Include flood zone disclosure, renter’s insurance requirements, and evacuation compliance provisions in all leases. Carry separate flood insurance on the structure.
Source of Income / HCV
No state or local source of income protections. Landlords are not required to accept Housing Choice Vouchers. Contact the relevant housing authority for current Pointe Coupee Parish payment standards.
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.
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.
🔍 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.
Ready to File?
Generate Louisiana-Compliant Legal Documents
AI-generated, state-specific eviction notices, pay-or-quit letters, lease termination documents, and more — pre-filled with your tenant's information and built to Louisiana requirements.
Select your state, eviction reason, and the date you plan to serve notice. We'll calculate your earliest filing date and key milestones.
⚠️ 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: New Roads, Maringouin, Ventress, Innis, Livonia.
New Roads / False River market: Petrochemical corridor workers (direct plant employees: W-2 stable; turnaround contractors: prior-year tax returns). Sugarcane workers: full-year documentation. Baton Rouge commuters via LA-1. False River recreation — distinguish residential from vacation rental properties. 18th JDC shared with Iberville and WBR; file at New Roads courthouse.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Pointe Coupee Parish Louisiana Landlord-Tenant Law: A Guide for Rental Property Owners in New Roads, False River, and the River Road Corridor
Pointe Coupee Parish is one of Louisiana’s more picturesque small parishes — a river bend community anchored by the graceful crescent of False River, an oxbow lake formed when the Mississippi River cut through a meander and left behind a body of water that has been the center of Pointe Coupee Parish life ever since. New Roads, the parish seat, sits on the bank of False River and has the character of a prosperous small Louisiana river town, with antebellum architecture, deep Catholic Creole roots, and a community identity shaped by sugar, the river, and more recently by the petrochemical industry that lines the River Road just to the south in Iberville and West Baton Rouge parishes. For landlords, Pointe Coupee Parish offers a small, quiet market shaped primarily by petrochemical corridor employment, sugarcane agriculture, Baton Rouge commuting, and the recreational character of False River that gives the parish a distinct quality of life appeal for households seeking a rural river-country alternative to suburban Baton Rouge.
The Petrochemical Corridor and Turnaround Worker Screening
The Dow Chemical complex in Plaquemine and the broader River Road petrochemical corridor in neighboring Iberville Parish is easily commutable from Pointe Coupee Parish, and a meaningful share of the parish’s workforce is employed in chemical manufacturing, industrial maintenance, and related industries just across the parish line. Direct plant employees of Dow, ExxonMobil, Westlake Chemical, and similar River Road operators have stable W-2 income and represent a reliable tenant profile. Turnaround contractors — the skilled tradespeople brought in for periodic scheduled maintenance shutdowns at industrial facilities — earn extraordinary short-term wages during active turnarounds but have project-based income that follows the turnaround calendar rather than a regular employment schedule. For contractor applicants, the screening questions that matter are whether the applicant has permanent ties to the Pointe Coupee or greater Baton Rouge area rather than following work to different plants, and what the prior-year tax return shows about annual income history. A local resident who works turnarounds seasonally and has stable community roots is a different risk profile from a transient tradesperson following the circuit.
Louisiana Law and the Eviction Process in Pointe Coupee Parish
All Pointe Coupee Parish evictions are filed in the 18th Judicial District Court, Pointe Coupee Division, 160 E. Main Street, New Roads, LA 70760, phone (225) 638-5533. The 18th JDC serves Pointe Coupee, Iberville, and West Baton Rouge parishes; Pointe Coupee matters are filed at the New Roads courthouse. 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 Pointe Coupee 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.
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 18th Judicial District Court at (225) 638-5533 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.
