Jefferson Davis Parish is a southwest Louisiana Cajun Prairie parish of approximately 31,000 people anchored by Jennings — the parish seat with a population of about 9,800 — situated along I-10 between Lafayette to the east and Lake Charles to the west. The parish holds a distinctive place in Louisiana energy history as the site of the first oil well discovery in Louisiana, drilled in 1901 near Jennings, which launched the era of Louisiana petroleum production. Oil and gas remain central to the parish economy alongside rice farming — Jefferson Davis Parish is in the heart of Louisiana’s rice-producing region — and crawfish aquaculture, healthcare, and public sector employment. The I-10 corridor location gives Jennings reasonable access to both the Lafayette and Lake Charles metros, making it a viable bedroom community for workers in either direction.
The rental market in Jefferson Davis Parish is concentrated in Jennings, with smaller markets in Welsh, Lake Arthur, and Elton. The parish poverty rate of approximately 20% is slightly below the Louisiana statewide average. The tenant pool includes oil and gas workers, rice and crawfish agricultural workers, healthcare employees at Jennings American Legion Hospital, and public sector workers. 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 Jennings for any local code enforcement requirements within city limits.
Rent Control
None. Louisiana has no statewide rent control and Jefferson Davis 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 — 31st Judicial District
All Jefferson Davis Parish eviction proceedings are filed in the 31st Judicial District Court, Jefferson Davis Parish Courthouse, 300 State Street, Jennings, LA 70546. Phone: (337) 824-1160. 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.
Oil & Gas Employment
Jefferson Davis Parish sits in the historic Louisiana oil patch. Oilfield workers, pumpers, pipeline employees, and field service technicians are part of the local workforce. Permanent production and pipeline operations employees verify with W-2 pay stubs. Drilling and completions contractors have project-based income — verify current employment status and use prior-year tax returns alongside recent stubs to assess income across commodity cycles.
Rice & Crawfish Agriculture
Jefferson Davis Parish is in Louisiana’s rice-producing heartland, and crawfish aquaculture (often conducted in flooded rice fields) provides additional agricultural income. Both crops have seasonal income patterns. Request prior-year tax returns or 12-month bank statements for agricultural worker applicants.
I-10 Corridor: Lafayette & Lake Charles Access
Jennings sits on I-10 approximately 45 miles west of Lafayette and 45 miles east of Lake Charles. The I-10 corridor means residents can commute to either metro. Lafayette commuters access oil and gas, healthcare, and professional services; Lake Charles commuters access the LNG/petrochemical corridor and casino industry. Verify income from employers in either metro the same as any other.
Source of Income / HCV
No state or local source of income protections. Landlords are not required to accept Housing Choice Vouchers. Contact the Jefferson Davis Parish Housing Authority for current HCV 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.
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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: Jennings, Welsh, Lake Arthur, Elton, Iowa.
Jennings market: Oil patch permanent employees (W-2, stable) vs. drilling contractors (project-based, verify). Rice and crawfish workers need full-year income documentation. I-10 corridor gives dual access to Lafayette and Lake Charles metros — verify commuter income. Healthcare and school district employees are most stable local segment.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Jefferson Davis Parish Louisiana Landlord-Tenant Law: A Guide for Rental Property Owners in Jennings and the Louisiana Oil Patch
Jefferson Davis Parish occupies an I-10 corridor position in southwest Louisiana that puts it equidistant between Lafayette and Lake Charles, in the heart of both Louisiana’s historic oil patch and its dominant rice-producing agricultural region. Jennings, the parish seat, is a compact Cajun Prairie city of about 9,800 whose most historically notable distinction is being the site of the Jennings Oil Well — Louisiana’s first commercially productive oil discovery, drilled in 1901, which launched the era of Louisiana petroleum development. More than a century later, oil and gas remain embedded in the Jefferson Davis Parish economy alongside the rice and crawfish agriculture that shapes the landscape of southwest Louisiana’s flat coastal prairie. For landlords, the parish offers a mid-sized, modestly priced rental market with a tenant pool shaped primarily by oil and gas, agriculture, healthcare, and the I-10 commuter connection to two major regional employment centers.
Oil Patch Employment and Income Verification
Jefferson Davis Parish’s oil and gas workforce includes both permanent production and pipeline operations employees and project-based drilling and field service contractors. The permanent operations category — pumpers, production technicians, pipeline operators, and field supervisors working for established oil companies or midstream operators — has stable W-2 income that verifies cleanly with pay stubs and employer confirmation. The project-based category — roughnecks, tool pushers, and service company specialists who follow drilling and workover activity — has income that depends on active projects and commodity-driven drilling budgets. For the latter group, request prior-year tax returns alongside recent pay stubs and verify current active employment status directly with the employer. The I-10 location also means that some Jennings residents work in the LNG and petrochemical corridor in Calcasieu Parish (Lake Charles) to the west, or in the Lafayette oil services economy to the east; verify income from any employer regardless of which parish they work in.
Louisiana Law and the Eviction Process in Jefferson Davis Parish
All Jefferson Davis Parish evictions are filed in the 31st Judicial District Court, 300 State Street, Jennings, LA 70546, phone (337) 824-1160. 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 Jefferson Davis 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 31st Judicial District Court at (337) 824-1160 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.
