Winston County Landlord-Tenant Law

Mississippi landlord guide — county ordinances, courthouse info & local rules

Winston County Rental Market Overview

Winston County sits in the north-central Mississippi interior, a mid-sized rural county of approximately 17,800 people anchored by Louisville — the county seat and its largest city, with a population of about 6,600. Louisville serves as the commercial and governmental hub for Winston County and draws on a trade area that extends into neighboring Noxubee, Neshoba, and Attala counties. The county’s economy blends manufacturing, timber, agriculture, and public sector employment, and Louisville functions as a modest regional center — larger and more economically active than the county seats of many surrounding counties, with a hospital (Winston Medical Center), a full range of retail services, and a light industrial base that includes poultry processing and general manufacturing.

The rental market in Winston County is concentrated primarily in Louisville, with limited rental inventory elsewhere in the county. Winston County does not have a County Court; all eviction proceedings are filed in Justice Court in Louisville. The county’s poverty rate of approximately 24% is above the national average but in the mid-range for Mississippi, reflecting Louisville’s role as a regional employment center relative to more isolated rural counties. The tenant pool blends manufacturing workers, healthcare and hospital employees, public sector workers, and a segment relying on government transfer income.

Winston County Ordinances & Local Rules

Last verified: March 2026 · Source: Winston County, MS

Mississippi State Law Framework

⚡ Quick Overview

3

Days Notice (Nonpayment)

14

Days Notice (Violation)

14-28

Avg Total Days

$75

Filing Fee (Approx)

💰 Nonpayment of Rent

Notice Type 3-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate

Notice Period 3 days

Tenant Can Cure? Yes

Days to Hearing 3-7 days

Days to Writ 3-5 days

Total Estimated Timeline 14-28 days

Total Estimated Cost $75-$200

⚠️ Watch Out

Mississippi has two parallel eviction frameworks: Chapter 7 (§89-7-27, general/non-residential) and Chapter 8 (§89-8-13, Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). For RESIDENTIAL tenants, §89-8-13(5) provides the 3-day notice for nonpayment. Tenant can stop the eviction by paying all unpaid rent and costs by the court-ordered move-out date. After judgment, court orders tenant to vacate within 7 days (§89-8-39(1)). Tenant has 72 hours after writ execution to remove personal property (§89-7-31). Filing fees typically $75-$100 depending on county. Notice can be delivered via email/text if tenant agreed in writing to receive notices that way.

📜 Eviction Laws Main 📊 Compare This State

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📝 Mississippi 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 Court / County Court. Pay the filing fee (~$75).
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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi attorney or local legal aid organization.

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🔍 Reduce Your Risk Before Signing a Lease: Mississippi landlords who screen tenants carefully before signing a lease significantly reduce their risk of ending up in eviction court. Understanding tenant screening in Mississippi — 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 Mississippi's eviction process, proper tenant screening can help you identify red flags early and avoid problem tenancies altogether.

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Winston County Mississippi Landlord-Tenant Law: A Complete Guide for Rental Property Owners in Louisville and North-Central Mississippi

Winston County and its county seat of Louisville occupy a position in the north-central Mississippi interior that makes Louisville something of a regional hub for a part of the state that otherwise lacks significant urban centers. Surrounded by Noxubee County to the east, Neshoba County to the south, Attala County to the west, and Choctaw County to the north, Louisville serves as the main commercial city for a wide rural trade area. With a population of around 6,600, Louisville has a hospital, a full retail district, manufacturing employers, and a school district that functions as one of the county’s anchor employers — the attributes of a genuinely functional small Mississippi city rather than a declining county seat town. For landlords, Winston County offers a mid-tier Mississippi rental market with a diverse enough tenant pool to support stable occupancy across a range of price points.

The Louisville Economy: Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Public Sector

Louisville’s economy is more diversified than many comparable Mississippi small cities. Manufacturing and poultry processing provide significant hourly employment — Churchill Foods and other area employers have operated in the Louisville area for years, providing a year-round wage employment base that is more stable than seasonal agricultural work. These hourly workers are verifiable through pay stubs and employer confirmation; request three months of stubs to account for overtime variation rather than relying on a single pay period. Length of employment at the specific facility is a useful stability signal for poultry and manufacturing applicants, given that entry-level turnover in these industries can be elevated.

Winston Medical Center is Louisville’s healthcare anchor — a community hospital providing inpatient, outpatient, and emergency services to Winston County and surrounding communities. Hospital employment across nursing, technical, and administrative functions generates a tenant segment with predictable monthly income and professional employment stability. Healthcare workers at Winston Medical Center represent one of the most reliable tenant profiles in the Louisville market, comparable in stability to school district and county government employees. Standard income and rental history verification applies; these applicants will typically clear any reasonable income threshold without difficulty.

The public sector — Winston County School District, county government, Louisville municipal services, and related agencies — provides the most institutionally stable local employment. School district employees across all roles have reliable monthly paychecks from an employer that is not subject to market cycles, and they tend toward longer, more settled tenancies in communities where they have professional roots. For landlords renting in the $525–$775 range that characterizes most of Louisville’s rental market, a verified school district or healthcare worker is among the strongest applicants you will encounter.

Mississippi Law and the Eviction Process in Winston County

Winston County has no local landlord-tenant ordinances, no rent control, and no just-cause eviction requirement. All landlord-tenant relationships are governed by Mississippi state law: the Mississippi Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-1 through 89-8-29) and the unlawful entry and detainer statutes (§§ 89-7-1 through 89-7-59). Landlords must maintain habitable conditions — structurally sound, weathertight, functioning plumbing, heating, and electrical systems. Security deposits are not capped and must be returned with itemized written accounting within 45 days of lease termination, delivery of possession, and written tenant demand, with a $200 penalty plus actual damages for wrongful retention under § 89-8-21.

Winston County has no County Court. All evictions are filed at Winston County Justice Court, 115 S. Court Avenue, Louisville, MS 39339, phone (662) 773-3631. Begin with the appropriate written notice: a 3-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate for nonpayment under § 89-7-27, or a 14-Day Notice to Cure or Vacate for lease violations under § 89-8-13. Serve by certified mail with return receipt or personal service with a witness. After the notice period, file a sworn Complaint for Unlawful Entry and Detainer. The Winston County Sheriff serves the summons, a hearing is set within one to two weeks, and the judge rules. A Writ of Possession is enforced by the Sheriff if the tenant does not vacate voluntarily. Uncontested evictions in Winston County typically resolve within two to eight weeks of filing.

This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Landlord-tenant law is subject to change and may vary based on individual circumstances. Consult a licensed Mississippi attorney or contact Winston County Justice Court at (662) 773-3631 for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.