Louisiana foreclosure laws: how the process works and how long it takes
In Louisiana, foreclosure goes through the courts. Foreclosure here runs through a court order (executory process), and the sale date depends on the court and the sheriff, not a fixed legal period.
Louisiana at a glance
- Does a Louisiana foreclosure go through a court?
- Yes. Every foreclosure is a court case.
- How long does it take?
- 3,491 days on average for foreclosures that finished in the second quarter of 2026, according to ATTOM.
- How far behind can you get before it starts?
- Usually more than four months of missed payments.
- Can you catch up to stop it?
- State law doesn't give you that right; it depends on your mortgage. Deadlines by kind of foreclosure
- Can you get the house back after the sale?
- No. There's no right to buy it back after the sale.
- Can the lender come after you for what the sale doesn't cover?
- In some cases. State law limits it.
- Is there mediation?
- No statewide program identified in our records.
- How many Louisiana homeowners are 90+ days behind?
- The share of borrowers with a mortgage who were 90+ days behind was 2.5% in the first quarter of 2025, higher than the U.S. (1.2%). How Louisiana compares
What "through a court" means for you in Louisiana
Louisiana
Through a court
The lender files a lawsuit, and a judge has to approve the sale. You can answer in court, and no law sets how fast a case goes.
Not Louisiana
Without a court
The lender or a trustee sends the notices the law requires and sells the home at a public sale. There's no lawsuit unless you file one, so the dates in each notice matter most.
How foreclosure works in Louisiana, step by step
The 8 steps of a foreclosure in Louisiana, and the time the law gives each
Each step in order, with the time the law gives it. 6 of the 8 have a time set in law; "No set time" means the court sets the pace.
- 120+ days behind You fall behind on payments
- 120+ days behind The lender files the case in court
- No set time The court orders the sheriff to seize and sell the home
- At least 7 days before the sale The home is appraised
- At least 30 days before the sale The sale is advertised
- At least 30 days before the sale The home is sold at auction
- No set time The buyer gets the deed
- After the sale You may be asked to leave
Each step in detail, with the law behind it
-
Step 1
You fall behind on payments
Federal rules give you time to apply for help before anything is filed. Source 12 CFR 1024.41
-
Step 2
The lender files the case in court
Ordinary delinquency-based case: the first notice or filing is generally permitted only after the loan is more than 120 days delinquent; due-on-sale and superior- or subordinate-lienholder joinder exceptions apply
The lender files a petition for executory process and must submit with it authentic evidence of the note and of the act of mortgage importing a confession of judgment. Source La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2631–2640
-
Step 3
The court orders the sheriff to seize and sell the home
Depends on the court; once the writ issues, the sheriff seizes the property immediately and serves a notice of seizure
The court orders a writ commanding the sheriff to seize and sell the property. Source Louisiana law
-
Step 4
The home is appraised
Notice to name appraisers at least 7 days before the sale; appraisals delivered at least 2 days before the sale (holidays not counted)
At least 7 days before the sale (not counting holidays), the sheriff serves written notice on the borrower and the lender directing each to name an appraiser to value the property. Source La. R.S. 13:4363
-
Step 5
The sale is advertised
First newspaper notice at least 30 days before the sale; second no earlier than 7 days before and no later than the day before the sale
After the seizure, the sheriff advertises the sale. Source La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 2331, 2722
-
Step 6
The home is sold at auction
After the required advertisements; the first must appear at least 30 days before the sale
The sheriff sells the property at a public auction, which the law also allows to be held online. Source La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 2336, 2721
-
Step 7
The buyer gets the deed
Immediate upon sale completion — no redemption period
When the sheriff's sale is complete, the adjudication transfers to the buyer all of the former owner's rights and claims in the property, as completely as if the owner had sold it. Source La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 2371, 2376
-
Step 8
You may be asked to leave
After the sale; an occupant who is not a tenant must first get a written notice to vacate allowing 5 days, and bona fide tenants get 90 days' notice under federal law
After the sheriff's sale and transfer of title, if the former owner or tenants have not vacated, the new owner may initiate eviction proceedings. Source Louisiana law
Louisiana gives no right to buy the home back after the sale, so the sale date is the last deadline.
Deadlines for stopping a foreclosure in Louisiana
Louisiana law gives no right to catch up. Your mortgage decides whether you can, and what it costs.
| Kind of foreclosure | Deadline | What starts the clock |
|---|---|---|
| Any foreclosure | Your loan papers decide | We found no catch-up deadline in state law, so your loan papers decide. Check your mortgage. Source La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2751 |
| After the sale | ||
| Any foreclosure | No buying back | There's no general right to buy the home back after the sheriff's sale. The sale passes your rights to the buyer. Source La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2371 |
| Other deadlines and rules | ||
| Through a courtOrdinary foreclosure | Within 21 days after you are served | File your written answer to the foreclosure lawsuit by then. The clock starts when you are served with the citation. Source CCP 1001 |
| Through a courtDiscovery request served with the petition | Within 30 days after you are served the citation and discovery request | File your written answer to the petition by then. Source CCP 1001 |
| Through a courtSeizure through executory process | Within 15 days after the notice of seizure is served | File a suspensive appeal by then. That kind of appeal pauses the seizure and sale. Source CCP 2642 |
| Through a courtAny home | At least 60 days after the court signs the order for the writ | The sheriff can't schedule the first sale sooner than that after the court signs the order commanding the writ. Source RS 13:3852 |
| Through a courtOnline auction details not in the seizure notice | At least 3 days before the sale | The sheriff has to serve you the online auction details by then if they were not in the notice of seizure. Source CCP 2721 |
| Through a courtIf appraisal is required | At least 4 days, not counting holidays, before the sale | Name your appraiser and tell the sheriff whom you chose by then. The time in your notice may be earlier. Source RS 13:4363 |
| Through a courtIf appraisal is required | At least 2 days, not counting holidays, before the sale | Your appraiser has to deliver the appraisal to the sheriff by then. Source RS 13:4363 |
| Through a courtAny home | At least 30 days before the sale | The first newspaper advertisement of the sale has to be published by then. Source RS 43:203 |
| Through a courtRescheduled sale, one notice required | At least 10 days before the rescheduled sale | When the law requires only one newspaper notice, it has to be published by then. This covers a rescheduled sale under a writ of fieri facias. Source RS 43:203 |
| Through a courtIf you occupy the home and your right to stay ended | Within 5 days after the notice to vacate is delivered | Leave the property by then. An ordinary eviction case can't begin before that. Source CCP 4702 |
| Through a courtLessees | At least 5 days after the notice to vacate is delivered | Once a lessee's right to stay has ended, the notice has to give the lessee at least that long to leave the leased premises. Source CCP 4701 |
| Through a courtAny home | Not before the 3rd day after the eviction rule is served | The court can't hold your eviction hearing sooner than that after the rule to show cause is served on you. Source CCP 4732 |
Not sure which kind yours is? A court summons or lawsuit means a court foreclosure. A notice of default or notice of sale with no lawsuit means one without a court.
Asking for help: For covered loans and servicers, receiving a complete application more than 37 days before a scheduled sale can require the mortgage company to wait while it evaluates it. Prior applications and other exceptions matter. Ask the company to confirm receipt and what is still missing; preparing a package here does not pause a sale.
How far behind can you get before a Louisiana foreclosure starts?
More than 120 days, about four months of missed payments, for most loans on the home you live in. The federal rule has exceptions, such as a reverse mortgage, or a sale or transfer of the home without the lender's OK.
Your mortgage company generally has to try to reach you by day 36 and send a letter about help options by day 45.
A Louisiana foreclosure usually can't start until you're more than 120 days behind
Days behind on your mortgage, against the federal waiting period before filing a foreclosure case or starting a nonjudicial foreclosure
Days behind on payments
What you can do at each step of a Louisiana foreclosure
What tends to go wrong for people at each point, and the step that answers it.
| When | What goes wrong | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| You've missed a payment | You're told to wait, or passed from person to person, while the clock runs. | Ask your mortgage company (the servicer, the company on your statement) what help it offers, in writing, and keep a copy of everything you send and get. A complete application sent well before any sale date has to be reviewed before the sale can go ahead Source 12 CFR §1024.41. How a loan modification works. |
| Court papers arrive | Foreclosure keeps moving while your application is still being reviewed. | The case moves on unless you respond to the court. A legal aid office can help you answer for free if you qualify. |
| A sale date is set | The sale is days or weeks away. | A HUD-approved housing counselor or legal aid can help right away. Both are free. Paying what you're behind can stop the sale only where Louisiana's catch-up rule allows it. Filing for bankruptcy usually pauses a sale while the automatic stay lasts, though the stay has exceptions and can be short for someone with a recent dismissed case Source 11 U.S.C. §362. |
| After the sale | Money left over sits unclaimed, or you're told to leave at once. | Louisiana gives no right to buy the home back. If the sale brought in more than was owed, you may be able to claim what is left after costs and other liens. A former owner can generally be removed only through the process state law sets. |
Can your HOA or condo association foreclose in Louisiana?
If you fall behind on association dues, the association can put a lien on your home. If it forecloses for unpaid dues, these rules apply, not the mortgage deadlines.
Where a row says “Not found in the law,” the sections we read don't address that point. It doesn't mean the answer is no.
Can it foreclose, and how?
Yes. With its board's approval, an association may bring a court case to enforce its recorded privilege (its claim against your home for unpaid assessments or fines). Condos also have a separate privilege rule.
Read the law's words
“With approval from the board of directors, an association may commence an action to enforce a privilege in accordance with this Part.…” legis.la.gov
Is there a minimum debt or a waiting period?
Under Part III, the association has to give you 30 days after a written demand to pay before it files its privilege. A condo association may demand a full year of common-element dues at once (accelerate) after you miss 3 or more months within any 8 months.
Read the law's words
“The owner shall have thirty days after the written demand to deliver payment for the amount owed to the association.…” legis.la.gov
What notices come first?
Under that part, the association has to send a written demand. It has to wait 30 days. It has to give you a copy when it records its privilege. The condo act requires a sworn statement at least 7 days before the privilege is filed.
Read the law's words
“…the association shall make written demand for past due charges, expenses, or dues owed by any of the following methods…” legis.la.gov
Do you have a right to a payment plan?
Not found in the law
Can the HOA's claim go ahead of the mortgage?
There is no fixed months-of-dues priority. A privilege under that part generally ranks ahead of later mortgages. A condo privilege generally stays behind mortgages recorded before it.
Read the law's words
“…is preferred in rank to all mortgages, privileges, and other rights in the lot or unit that become effective against third persons after that time.…” legis.la.gov
What protects you?
The homestead law protects up to $35,000 in value of a home you live in from seizure, unless you waived it in writing. It doesn't cover debts "for taxes or assessments," and the law doesn't say whether association dues count. After a written demand, your payments go to unpaid assessments first, before late charges, collection costs and fines. If a condo association files a lien for money you don't owe and you sue to release it, the association pays your costs, including attorney fees.
Read the law's words
“The homestead is exempt from seizure and sale under any writ, mandate, or process whatsoever, except as provided by Subsections C and D of this Section. This exemption extends to thirty-five thousand dollars in value of the homestead…” legis.la.gov
Can you buy the home back after the sale?
Not found in the law
Who these rules cover: Lot-owner and condo associations under La. R.S. 9:1145–1148; condos also have rules under the Louisiana Condominium Act, La. R.S. 9:1123.115.
Protections in Louisiana law
Open one to read the rule in the law's own words.
Catching up after the loan is called due (reinstatement) State law
Your mortgage papers decide whether you can reinstate by paying missed payments and costs, and the last day to do so. Louisiana law does not set a general reinstatement deadline. Source La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2751
The legal details
The Louisiana laws behind this page
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2631 et seq.: Primary statutory authority for foreclosure via executory process: requirements for confession of judgment, petition, writ of seizure and sale, notice to debtor, appraisal, sheriff's sale procedures
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2634: Petition filed by creditor; court reviews ex parte and issues order if mortgage contains authentic act and confession of judgment; no advance notice to borrower required before order
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2638: After issuance of writ of seizure, debtor is served with notice of the seizure and a copy of the petition and order; debtor has limited time to seek injunction to halt process
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2721–2753: Publication requirements for sheriff's sale, appraisal requirements, bidding procedures, transfer of title by sheriff's deed; no right of redemption after sale
- La. R.S. 13:4106: If the creditor takes advantage of the debtor's waiver of appraisal and the judicial sale does not bring enough to pay the debt, the debt is treated as fully satisfied as the debtor's personal obligation, and the creditor cannot pursue the debtor for the deficiency, except as otherwise provided by law.
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2771: Unless otherwise provided by law, the creditor can obtain a deficiency judgment against the debtor only if the property was sold under executory process after appraisal.
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 736 et seq.: Alternative full judicial foreclosure process available when executory process is not permitted (e.g., no authentic act, no confession of judgment, or executory process successfully enjoined); substantially slower than executory process
- La. R.S. 20:1: Exempts a residence occupied by the owner from seizure and sale up to $35,000 in value; the exemption does not apply to listed debts, including money advanced on the security of a mortgage on the home, and the owner can waive it in writing
Moving out after the sale
After foreclosure sale, the purchaser may need to obtain a court order for eviction. The federal Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act provides 90-day notice to bona fide tenants.
Money left over after the sale
Surplus proceeds from the foreclosure sale (above the debt and costs) belong to the former owner or junior lienholders.
Who gets paid first
Generally first in time, first in right. Louisiana recording statutes govern lien priority. Property tax liens have priority over all other liens including first mortgages.
How long the lender has to act
La. C.C. art. 3498 sets five years for actions on promissory notes, starting when payment is due; it does not by its terms set a deadline for enforcing a mortgage. The general period for personal actions is ten years unless other legislation provides otherwise (La. C.C. art. 3499). Deficiency judgment timing varies. Consult a local attorney.
Other kinds of foreclosure
- Unpaid property taxes: Since January 1, 2026, a tax lien certificate holder enforces the lien through a court action, and the judgment is carried out through a sheriff's judicial sale (writ of fieri facias). From the sale proceeds, the sheriff pays the plaintiff certificate holder and other tax lien certificate holders before holders of recorded mortgages, liens, and privileges; any remainder goes to the owners. Redemptions of tax sales held before January 1, 2026 follow the law in effect on December 31, 2025.
Your home's value and other creditors
$35,000 in value of a home the owner occupies (La. R.S. 20:1), or the full value for debts arising directly from a catastrophic or terminal illness or injury. The exemption does not apply to money advanced on the security of a mortgage on the home, so it does not stop a mortgage foreclosure; if the owner was married when granting the mortgage, the spouse must have consented. Other listed debts, such as the purchase price and taxes, are also excluded. Louisiana's homestead exemption is $35,000. It covers a residence occupied by the owner and the land it sits on. The owner can waive it, in whole or in part, by signing a written waiver that is recorded in the parish mortgage records; a married owner generally needs the spouse's signature too.
Servicemembers
Louisiana law adopts the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and applies its benefits, protections, and rights to people called to service in the uniformed services as defined in state law. State district courts hear SCRA cases, courts give scheduling preference to a servicemember who asks, and the attorney general can sue to enforce these rights (La. R.S. 29:422). Under the SCRA, if you took out your mortgage before active duty, you generally can't be foreclosed on without a valid court order while on active duty and for 12 months after it ends, and you can ask for a 6% interest-rate cap during active duty and for one year after.
Taxes on forgiven debt
The federal exclusion for canceled debt on a main home (qualified principal residence indebtedness) covers only debt discharged before January 1, 2026, or discharged under a written arrangement entered into before that date. Other exclusions, such as insolvency, may still apply.
How Louisiana compares
Louisiana is the only one of the four that requires a court. Mississippi, Texas and Arkansas sell most foreclosed homes without one.
Louisiana's share of borrowers with a mortgage who are 90+ days behind is below its 2010 peak
Share of Louisiana borrowers with a mortgage who have one 90+ days past due, quarterly, Q1 2005 to Q1 2025
Louisiana has the 1st-highest share of mortgages 90+ days behind of the 50 states and D.C.
Share of borrowers with a mortgage who have one 90+ days past due, by state, Q1 2025. Dashed line: the U.S.
| State | 90+ days behind, Q1 2025 | Distress rank (score) |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 2.5% | 2nd (98) |
| Mississippi | 2.1% | 6th (90) |
| Texas | 1.6% | 4th (94) |
| Arkansas | 1.3% | 24th (54) |
The share counts people with a mortgage on their credit report, not loans or dollars. Ranks are of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.); 1st is the most distressed. Louisiana's full distress profile and county scores.
Questions about foreclosure in Louisiana
How long does foreclosure take in Louisiana?
In Louisiana, foreclosures that finished in the second quarter of 2026 took an average of 3,491 days from the start of the foreclosure process to completion, according to ATTOM. Foreclosure here runs through a court order (executory process), and the sale date depends on the court and the sheriff, not a fixed legal period. Before any of it starts, your mortgage company usually has to wait until you're more than four months behind. Each step and its deadline.
How many months behind before foreclosure starts in Louisiana?
Usually more than four months of missed payments. A federal rule keeps your mortgage company from filing before then on most loans on the home you live in, with a few exceptions, such as a sale of the home without the lender's OK. Some state notices that are only mailed to you can come during that wait.
Is Louisiana a judicial foreclosure state?
Yes. Louisiana uses executory process as the primary method -- technically judicial, but it is a summary ex parte procedure where the court issues a writ of seizure and sale without a full hearing. Ordinary process (full judicial) is available when executory process is not permitted. There are no deeds of trust in Louisiana; the state uses mortgages with confession of judgment clauses.
Can I stop foreclosure once it starts in Louisiana?
Often there are still ways to try, though none is guaranteed. You can catch up on what you owe, where your mortgage allows it. You can apply for a loan modification or a pause on payments; send the complete application more than 37 days before any sale date, so the sale has to wait for an answer. You can file for bankruptcy, or sell, including a short sale if your lender approves.
What is the redemption period for a foreclosure in Louisiana?
Louisiana's rule: you cannot buy the home back under a general mortgage-foreclosure redemption right after the sheriff sells it.
Can bankruptcy stop a foreclosure in Louisiana?
It usually pauses one. Filing creates an automatic stay that stops most collection, a foreclosure sale included, while it lasts. The stay has exceptions, and for someone who had a case dismissed in the past year it can last only 30 days or not start at all. A Chapter 13 plan can let you catch up on missed payments over three to five years.
Can the lender come after me for the leftover balance in Louisiana?
In some cases. Louisiana limits deficiency judgments. The time limit depends on the underlying obligation. Actions on promissory notes have a five-year prescription that starts when payment is due (La. Civ. Code art. 3498); the general period for personal actions is ten years unless other legislation provides otherwise (La. Civ. Code art. 3499). Louisiana ties deficiency rights to the appraisal. Unless another law provides otherwise, the lender can get a deficiency judgment only if the home was sold under executory process after an appraisal (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2771), and it must convert the case to an ordinary proceeding or file a separate suit in which the borrower is cited (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2772). If the lender takes advantage of the borrower's waiver of appraisal and the sale does not cover the debt, the law generally treats the debt as fully satisfied as the borrower's personal obligation, and the lender cannot pursue the borrower for the rest (La. R.S. 13:4106). With an appraisal, the home cannot be sold at the first offering for less than two-thirds of its appraised value, with limited exceptions; at a re-advertised second offering it sells for whatever it will bring, and the debt is reduced by the greater of half the appraised value or the amount bid, each less any superior liens (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2336). Louisiana ties deficiency rights to the appraisal. Unless another law provides otherwise, the lender can get a deficiency judgment only if the home was sold under executory process after an appraisal (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2771), and it must convert the case to an ordinary proceeding or file a separate suit in which the borrower is cited (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2772). If the lender takes advantage of the borrower's waiver of appraisal and the sale does not cover the debt, the law generally treats the debt as fully satisfied as the borrower's personal obligation, and the lender cannot pursue the borrower for the rest (La. R.S. 13:4106). With an appraisal, the home cannot be sold at the first offering for less than two-thirds of its appraised value, with limited exceptions; at a re-advertised second offering it sells for whatever it will bring, and the debt is reduced by the greater of half the appraised value or the amount bid, each less any superior liens (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2336).
What is the homestead exemption in Louisiana?
As Louisiana law sets it: $35,000 in value of a home the owner occupies (La. R.S. 20:1), or the full value for debts arising directly from a catastrophic or terminal illness or injury. The exemption does not apply to money advanced on the security of a mortgage on the home, so it does not stop a mortgage foreclosure; if the owner was married when granting the mortgage, the spouse must have consented. Other listed debts, such as the purchase price and taxes, are also excluded. Louisiana's homestead exemption is $35,000. It covers a residence occupied by the owner and the land it sits on. The owner can waive it, in whole or in part, by signing a written waiver that is recorded in the parish mortgage records; a married owner generally needs the spouse's signature too.
What if I have an FHA, VA, or USDA loan in Louisiana?
Government-backed loans have their own rules on top of Louisiana law. FHA requires a meeting or reasonable efforts to arrange one in covered defaults. Current rules allow approved remote methods; exceptions and timing requirements apply. VA and USDA set their own help options; the forbearance guide and loan modification guide explain each program's options.
How long do I have to move out after a foreclosure sale in Louisiana?
After foreclosure sale, the purchaser may need to obtain a court order for eviction. The federal Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act provides 90-day notice to bona fide tenants.
What happens to tenants if my Louisiana home is foreclosed?
The federal Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act provides 90-day notice to bona fide tenants after foreclosure sale. Louisiana eviction law (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701 et seq.) governs post-sale eviction proceedings. New owner after foreclosure must comply with the federal Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act for bona fide tenants with qualifying leases.
Can I claim surplus funds after a foreclosure sale in Louisiana?
Possibly. If a foreclosure sale brings in more than is owed, the extra is called surplus. The costs of the sale, the debt being foreclosed and other liens on the home, such as a second mortgage, are generally paid first. In Louisiana: Surplus proceeds from the foreclosure sale (above the debt and costs) belong to the former owner or junior lienholders. The court, county clerk or trustee who handled the sale can tell you whether any surplus is being held.
Is the Homeowner Assistance Fund still available in Louisiana?
Generally, no. HAF programs, including the Louisiana Homeowner Assistance Fund (LA HAF), couldn't commit new money after September 30, 2026 (Treasury). If the program approved you before then, ask it about payments still being processed.
Can I do a short sale to avoid foreclosure in Louisiana?
Possibly, with your lender's approval. In Louisiana, a deficiency waiver (a release of the remaining balance) can be negotiated as part of a short sale approval. Short sales require servicer approval. Get any release of the leftover balance in writing.
Other Louisiana laws that can affect homeowners
State laws can change. Each entry links to the cited source and shows when that source was fetched.
State foreclosure-rescue and mortgage-help laws
Broader mortgage-originator and debt-adjusting law may apply to compensated application-taking, offering or negotiating terms, or debt adjustment.
“for compensation or gain or with the expectation of compensation or gain”
Foreclosure laws in another state
The process and the deadlines change at every state line.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Protect yourself from scams
The FTC and CFPB describe these warning signs and the rules behind them:
- Upfront fees for promised relief are a warning sign. Under FTC mortgage-assistance rules, most companies that sell mortgage help cannot charge until a homeowner accepts a written offer from the mortgage company or lender. A separate FTC rule covers debt-relief companies that sell by phone and ties fees to a completed debt arrangement. It bars a fee until at least one debt has been settled or changed, the customer agrees to the arrangement, and the customer has made a payment under it. The FTC describes a narrow exception for lawyers who give help as part of the practice of law and are licensed in the state where the client or dwelling is. The lawyer follows that state's rules for attorneys, and advance fees are placed in a client trust account before services begin under state trust-account rules.
- HUD-approved foreclosure-prevention counseling is free. HUD’s national counselor line is 800-569-4287. The CFPB counselor finder lists agencies and their services. If an organization charges for help described as free HUD counseling, the CFPB finder can verify the agency and its listed services before any payment.
- A request to sign over a deed is a warning sign. The CFPB identifies title-transfer schemes among foreclosure-relief scams. Signing over title can mean losing ownership of the home; a lawyer can explain what a proposed document would do.
- Foreclosure protections depend on timing and the loan. Regulation X generally bars the first foreclosure notice or filing on a principal-residence loan until the borrower is more than 120 days behind, subject to exceptions. A complete assistance application can delay some foreclosure steps, but that depends on when it arrives; it does not necessarily stop every step. The CFPB warns about promises to “save” a home.
Free help in Louisiana
Louisiana has 14 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies
The 14 whose HUD listing includes foreclosure or mortgage delinquency counseling, one dot per office, as of Nov 4, 2026. The listing below names them all.
- A HUD-approved housing counselor works at a nonprofit agency the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved. Foreclosure counseling from one is free, and a counselor can help you talk to your mortgage company. HUD lists 14 approved agencies in Louisiana. HUD's line is 800-569-4287.
- Legal aid offices give free legal help to people with low incomes, including answering a foreclosure case. Each office serves set counties; find yours:
- Southeast Louisiana Legal Services Corporation, 504-529-1000: 22 counties: Ascension Parish, Assumption Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish, East Feliciana Parish, Iberville Parish, Jefferson Parish, Lafourche Parish, Livingston Parish, Orleans Parish, Plaquemines Parish, Pointe Coupee Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Charles Parish, St. Helena Parish, St. James Parish, St. John the Baptist Parish, St. Tammany Parish, Tangipahoa Parish, Terrebonne Parish, Washington Parish, West Baton Rouge Parish, West Feliciana Parish.
- Acadiana Legal Service Corporation, 866-275-2572: 42 counties: Acadia Parish, Allen Parish, Avoyelles Parish, Beauregard Parish, Bienville Parish, Bossier Parish, Caddo Parish, Calcasieu Parish, Caldwell Parish, Cameron Parish, Catahoula Parish, Claiborne Parish, Concordia Parish, De Soto Parish, East Carroll Parish, Evangeline Parish, Franklin Parish, Grant Parish, Iberia Parish, Jackson Parish, Jefferson Davis Parish, LaSalle Parish, Lafayette Parish, Lincoln Parish, Madison Parish, Morehouse Parish, Natchitoches Parish, Ouachita Parish, Rapides Parish, Red River Parish, Richland Parish, Sabine Parish, St. Landry Parish, St. Martin Parish, St. Mary Parish, Tensas Parish, Union Parish, Vermilion Parish, Vernon Parish, Webster Parish, West Carroll Parish, Winn Parish.
- A lawyer referral: the Louisiana State Bar Association — Find an Attorney can point you to a foreclosure lawyer.
- A complaint about your mortgage company can go to the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
HUD-approved housing counselors in Louisiana, by city (14)
- Cenla Community Action Committee, Incorporated, Alexandria · 318-314-3480 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Rapides Station Community Ministries, Alexandria · 318-487-9254 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Mid City Redevelopment Alliance, Baton Rouge · 225-346-1000 HUD-approved housing counselor
All 14 agencies
- Assist Agency, Crowley · 337-788-7551 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Saint Mary Community Action Agency, Inc., Franklin · 337-828-5703 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Lafayette Consolidated Government Neighborhood Counseling Services, Lafayette · 337-291-5450 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Step Up Acadiana, Lafayette · 337-484-1501 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Saint Martin, Iberia, Lafayette Community Action Agency, Lafayette · 337-234-3272, ext. 203 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor · Languages: English, French, Spanish
- Mount Pleasant Community Development Corp. Inc, Monroe · 318-323-3632 HUD-approved housing counselor
- Desire Community Housing Corporation, New Orleans · 504-905-1425 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Family Resources of New Orleans, New Orleans · 504-822-8519 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Jefferson Community Action Programs, New Orleans · 504-736-6900 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center, Inc., New Orleans · 504-596-2100 · Website HUD-approved housing counselor
- Catholic Charities of North Louisiana, Shreveport · 318-865-0200 HUD-approved housing counselor
Legal aid offices in Louisiana (2)
- Acadiana Legal Service Corporation · 866-275-2572 · Website Legal aid
- Southeast Louisiana Legal Services Corporation · 504-529-1000 · Website Legal aid
Listings come from the HUD Housing Counselor API and the Legal Services Corporation grantee list, as of Nov 4, 2026. American Default Research does not endorse or rank any provider. Credit counselors and other kinds of free help are in our help directory.
Sources and method
A summary of foreclosure law and practice in Louisiana, read from its laws and the federal servicing rules and checked Mar 10, 2026. It isn't legal advice: your mortgage sets specific terms, and courts and counties vary. For your situation, talk to a HUD-approved counselor, legal aid or a lawyer.
What this page relies on (22 sources)
- 12 CFR 1024.41; La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2634: You fall behind on payments, at consumerfinance.gov
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2631–2640 · The lender files the case in court, at legis.la.gov
- La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 2638, 2642, 2721, 2751: The court orders the sheriff to seize and sell the home, at legis.la.gov
- La. R.S. 13:4363; La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2771; La. R.S. 13:4106: The home is appraised, at legis.la.gov
- La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 2331, 2722; La. R.S. 43:203: The sale is advertised, at legis.la.gov
- La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 2336, 2721; La. R.S. 43:203: The home is sold at auction, at legis.la.gov
- La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 2371, 2376; La. R.S. 13:4112: The buyer gets the deed, at legis.la.gov
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 4701 et seq. (eviction); 12 U.S.C. 5220 (PTFA): You may be asked to leave, at federalreserve.gov
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2751; art. 3721, at legis.la.gov
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2751; art. 3721, at legis.la.gov
- ATTOM foreclosure activity report, at attomdata.com
- Regulation X, 12 C.F.R. § 1024.39, at consumerfinance.gov
- 11 U.S.C. § 362, the automatic stay, at law.cornell.edu
- Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Consumer Credit Explorer; data sourced from NY Fed Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax. at philadelphiafed.org
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · find a housing counselor, at hud.gov
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2631 et seq. at legis.la.gov
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2634, at legis.la.gov
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2638, at legis.la.gov
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2721–2753, at legis.la.gov
- La. R.S. 13:4106, at legis.la.gov
- La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2771, at legis.la.gov
- La. R.S. 20:1, at legis.la.gov
We write with assistance from AI tools. Figures come from the data and sources named on this page.