Storage lien laws · State guide
Louisiana storage lien laws
Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 9, Part XIII — Self-Service Storage Facility Act (R.S. 9:4756–9:4760) →Verified 2026-06-11
Louisiana's Self-Service Storage Facility Act (R.S. 9:4756–9:4760) gives a facility owner a "privilege" — the civil-law equivalent of a lien — on all movable property stored at the facility from the day it arrives. The privilege is superior to most other claims but yields to a vendor's privilege and any chattel mortgage or UCC security interest perfected before the property came to the facility. When a lessee defaults, the statute requires written notice with at least a 10-day cure period, then newspaper or online advertising, followed by a public sale no earlier than 10 days after the advertisement runs. For motor vehicles, watercraft, and trailers that remain unpaid for 60 days, the owner may instead have the property towed by a licensed tower under the Louisiana Towing and Storage Act (R.S. 32:1711 et seq.) rather than running a lien sale. Louisiana sets a statutory safe-harbor cap on late fees: the greater of $20 or 20 percent of monthly rent per period is deemed reasonable.
At a glance
LA · verified 2026-06-11- Statute
- Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 9, Part XIII — Self-Service Storage Facility Act (R.S. 9:4756–9:4760)
- Notice delivery
- Personal delivery to the lessee — R.S. 9:4759(A) · Verified mail (any method providing proof of delivery) to the lessee's last known address — R.S. 9:4759(A) · Electronic mail to a primary and secondary email address of the lessee, if listed in the rental agreement — R.S. 9:4759(A), as amended by Acts 2021, No. 111 · Text message to the lessee's wireless telecommunications device number, if listed in the rental agreement — R.S. 9:4759(A), as amended by Acts 2021, No. 111
- Sale method
- A public sale to the highest bidder, held at the self-service storage facility, at the nearest suitable place to where the property is stored (as stated in the notice), or on a publicly accessible website that conducts personal property auctions (online auction). If no bidder appears, the owner may purchase the property for a price at least sufficient to cover all charges due, or may donate the property to charity (R.S. 9:4759(A)).
- Late fees
- The statute provides a safe-harbor rule: a late fee of twenty dollars or twenty percent of the monthly rent per period, whichever is greater, is deemed reasonable and does not constitute a penalty. A late fee may be imposed for each period that the lessee fails to pay rent when due, provided the amount and conditions are stated in the rental agreement or a written addendum. Any reasonable expense incurred in rent collection or lien enforcement may be charged to the lessee in addition to late fees. There is no cap higher than the safe harbor — fees above those amounts may still be enforceable as reasonable but are not automatically protected.
- Vehicles & boats
- The Self-Service Storage Facility Act does not include its own DMV title-transfer or certificate-of-title mechanism. For Path 1 (lien sale), the purchaser at the public auction must use the sale documentation to apply for title transfer through the relevant Louisiana title authority. For Path 2 (towing), the licensed tower handles title disposition under the Louisiana Towing and Storage Act, R.S. 32:1711 et seq. Storage operators have no independent title-transfer authority under R.S. 9:4756–4760.
The lien clock
Each station below is a statutory checkpoint. Miss one and the sale can be challenged — this is the timeline LotWarden tracks automatically.
- 01
Day 0 — the day the lessee's property is brought to the facility
Privilege attaches on arrival
The statute grants the owner a privilege on all movable property stored at the facility the moment that property arrives (R.S. 9:4758). The privilege covers unpaid rent, reasonable preservation charges, and all reasonable enforcement expenses including lock removal, property description, notice, and advertising costs. No court filing or separate act is required to create the privilege.
R.S. 9:4758
- 02
The day rent becomes past due under the rental agreement
Default — lessee fails to pay rent
On default the owner may remove any lock on the storage space, enter and inventory the contents, and place the owner's own lock on the space. The owner may deny the lessee access to the stored property if the rental agreement permits. These steps are preconditions to issuing the enforcement notice, not a separate enforcement action.
R.S. 9:4759(A)
- 03
After default — no minimum waiting period before sending notice is stated
Deliver enforcement notice to lessee
The owner delivers a written notice containing: a copy (or oral summary) of the rental agreement; an itemized claim showing the amount due and its due date; a description of the stored property; denial-of-access information if access is being cut; a demand for payment within at least 10 days; and a statement that the property will be advertised for sale if unpaid. Deliver in person, by verified mail, by email, or by text message — email and text are only permitted if the lessee listed those addresses or numbers in the rental agreement.
R.S. 9:4759(A), as amended by Acts 2021, No. 111
- 04
Days 1–10 (minimum) after notice is mailed or delivered
10-day minimum cure period
The notice must demand payment within a period not less than 10 days from the date of mailing or delivery, whichever is earlier. The lessee may redeem the property at any point before the sale by paying the full amount necessary to satisfy the privilege, including all reasonable expenses incurred under this part. No advertisement may run — and no sale may be held — before this cure period expires.
R.S. 9:4759(A)
- 05
At least 10 days after the notice was mailed or delivered (whichever is earlier), if the lessee has not paid
Publish advertisement of sale
The owner must publish an advertisement of the sale or other disposition on at least one occasion in a newspaper of general circulation in the parish where the facility is located, or on a publicly accessible website that conducts personal property auctions. The advertisement must appear no sooner than 10 days after notice was mailed or delivered.
R.S. 9:4759(A)
- 06
At least 10 days after the advertisement runs
Wait 10 days after advertisement before sale
The sale or other disposition of the movable property shall not take place sooner than 10 days following the publication of the advertisement. The lessee retains the right to redeem the property up to the moment of sale by paying the full claim plus expenses.
R.S. 9:4759(A)
- 07
After the 10-day post-advertisement waiting period
Conduct the public sale
The owner sells the movable property to the highest bidder at a sale held at the facility, at the nearest suitable nearby location stated in the notice, or on a publicly accessible auction website. If there are no bidders, the owner may purchase the property at a price at least sufficient to cover the claim for rent due and all other charges, or may donate the property to charity.
R.S. 9:4759(A)
- 08
Immediately after the sale
Apply proceeds; hold surplus for lessee
The owner satisfies the privilege from the sale proceeds. Any balance remaining after the privilege and all reasonable sale expenses are covered must be held as a credit in the lessee's name. The lessee may claim that balance within two years of the sale date, without interest. If unclaimed after two years, the surplus becomes the property of the owner with no further recourse by the lessee.
R.S. 9:4759(A)
Notice requirements
Permitted delivery
- Personal delivery to the lessee — R.S. 9:4759(A)
- Verified mail (any method providing proof of delivery) to the lessee's last known address — R.S. 9:4759(A)
- Electronic mail to a primary and secondary email address of the lessee, if listed in the rental agreement — R.S. 9:4759(A), as amended by Acts 2021, No. 111
- Text message to the lessee's wireless telecommunications device number, if listed in the rental agreement — R.S. 9:4759(A), as amended by Acts 2021, No. 111
The notice must include
- A copy of any written rental agreement between the owner and the defaulting lessee, or — if the rental agreement is verbal — a summary of its terms and conditions — R.S. 9:4759(A)
- An itemized statement of the owner's claim, showing the sum due at the time of the notice and the date when it became due — R.S. 9:4759(A)
- A brief and general description of the movable property on which the privilege is claimed, sufficient to permit identification; locked containers may be described without describing their contents — R.S. 9:4759(A)
- Notification that the lessee has been or will be denied access to the stored property (if the rental agreement permits denial of access), with the owner's or designated agent's name, street address, and telephone number — R.S. 9:4759(A)
- A demand for payment within a specified time not less than 10 days after the date of mailing or delivery — R.S. 9:4759(A)
- A statement that the stored property is subject to the owner's privilege and that, unless the claim is paid within the time stated, the property will be advertised for sale or other disposition at a specified time and place — R.S. 9:4759(A)
R.S. 9:4759(A), as amended by Acts 2021, No. 111, eff. Jan. 1, 2022
The part most guides skip
Vehicles, boats & RVs
Louisiana provides two separate paths for motor vehicles, watercraft, and trailers stored at a self-service storage facility. PATH 1 — Standard privilege sale (R.S. 9:4759(A)): The owner follows the same notice-and-sale process as for other stored property. Send the required written notice, wait the 10-day cure period, advertise once in a newspaper or on an auction website, wait 10 more days, then hold a public auction. PATH 2 — Towing alternative (R.S. 9:4759(A), Acts 2021, No. 111): If a motor vehicle, watercraft, or trailer has rent and other charges that remain unpaid for sixty days, the owner may — instead of running a lien sale — have the property towed by a tower licensed under the Louisiana Towing and Storage Act (R.S. 32:1711 et seq.). Once the tower takes possession, the storage owner is no longer liable for the vehicle, watercraft, or trailer or for any damages to it. The Louisiana Towing and Storage Act then governs all further notice, storage, and disposition by the tower. The Self-Service Storage Facility Act does not specify whether exercising the towing alternative extinguishes or preserves the privilege for unpaid charges; operators should confirm with counsel before relying on the towing path as a full substitute for the lien sale.
Titled property path
The Self-Service Storage Facility Act does not include its own DMV title-transfer or certificate-of-title mechanism. For Path 1 (lien sale), the purchaser at the public auction must use the sale documentation to apply for title transfer through the relevant Louisiana title authority. For Path 2 (towing), the licensed tower handles title disposition under the Louisiana Towing and Storage Act, R.S. 32:1711 et seq. Storage operators have no independent title-transfer authority under R.S. 9:4756–4760.
R.S. 9:4759(A); Acts 2021, No. 111, eff. Jan. 1, 2022; R.S. 32:1711 et seq. (Louisiana Towing and Storage Act — governs tower's obligations once possession transfers)
Sale rules
- Method
- A public sale to the highest bidder, held at the self-service storage facility, at the nearest suitable place to where the property is stored (as stated in the notice), or on a publicly accessible website that conducts personal property auctions (online auction). If no bidder appears, the owner may purchase the property for a price at least sufficient to cover all charges due, or may donate the property to charity (R.S. 9:4759(A)).
- Advertising
- The sale notice must be published on at least one occasion in a newspaper of general circulation in the parish where the facility is located, or on a publicly accessible personal property auction website. The advertisement may not run earlier than 10 days after the enforcement notice was mailed or delivered. The sale may not be held earlier than 10 days after the advertisement runs (R.S. 9:4759(A)).
- Proceeds & surplus
- Sale proceeds are applied to the privilege (unpaid rent and reasonable charges) and reasonable sale expenses. Any surplus is held as a credit in the lessee's name. The lessee has two years from the sale date to claim the surplus without interest. If unclaimed at the two-year mark, the surplus becomes the owner's property with no further recourse by the lessee (R.S. 9:4759(A)).
R.S. 9:4759(A)
Late fees
The statute provides a safe-harbor rule: a late fee of twenty dollars or twenty percent of the monthly rent per period, whichever is greater, is deemed reasonable and does not constitute a penalty. A late fee may be imposed for each period that the lessee fails to pay rent when due, provided the amount and conditions are stated in the rental agreement or a written addendum. Any reasonable expense incurred in rent collection or lien enforcement may be charged to the lessee in addition to late fees. There is no cap higher than the safe harbor — fees above those amounts may still be enforceable as reasonable but are not automatically protected.
R.S. 9:4759(A)
Operator questions
My tenant stores an RV in an outdoor lot and hasn't paid in 45 days. Can I tow it now?
Not yet. The statute's towing alternative for motor vehicles, watercraft, and trailers requires that rent and other charges remain unpaid for 60 days before you can have the property towed (R.S. 9:4759(A), as amended by Acts 2021, No. 111). Before 60 days you can still send the enforcement notice and run the full lien-sale process — but you cannot use the tow-away shortcut until day 60. Once you reach 60 days of non-payment, you may hire a licensed tower under R.S. 32:1711 et seq. and hand off the property.
What exactly does "verified mail" mean? Can I use regular certified mail?
The statute uses the term "verified mail," which means any mail delivery method that provides proof of delivery — USPS Certified Mail with return receipt requested is the standard choice and satisfies this requirement. You do not have to use certified mail specifically, but you do need a delivery method that gives you proof the notice was received. Starting with the 2022 amendments, you may also deliver notice by email or text message if the lessee listed those addresses or numbers in the rental agreement — but these digital methods supplement, they do not replace, the verified mail option (R.S. 9:4759(A)).
Can I sell a defaulted unit at an online auction instead of a physical sale?
Yes. The statute expressly permits holding the sale "on a publicly accessible website that conducts personal property auctions" (R.S. 9:4759(A)). The advertisement before the sale may also be posted on that same auction website rather than in a newspaper. All other timing rules still apply: the ad must run no earlier than 10 days after the notice was delivered, and the sale cannot happen until at least 10 days after the ad runs.
The statute says my privilege is inferior to a "previously perfected security interest." Does that mean a bank lien on a tenant's boat beats my privilege?
Yes, if the bank's security interest was perfected before the boat arrived at your facility. Under R.S. 9:4758, your privilege is superior to most other claims, but it is explicitly subordinate to a vendor's privilege, a previously recorded chattel mortgage, and a security interest perfected under Chapter 9 of the Louisiana Commercial Laws (R.S. 10:9-101 et seq.) before the property came to your facility. A bank with a recorded boat lien that pre-dates the property's arrival at your facility has priority over your privilege on the sale proceeds.
Nobody showed up to bid at my auction. Can I just keep the unit's contents?
Not without paying yourself. If there are no bidders, the statute gives you two options: purchase the property yourself at a price at least sufficient to satisfy your full claim for rent due and all other charges, or donate the property to charity (R.S. 9:4759(A)). You cannot simply appropriate the contents — you must either pay fair value to satisfy your own claim or donate. Keep a written record of whichever option you choose.
How much can I charge as a late fee without risking a legal challenge?
The statute establishes a safe harbor: a late fee of twenty dollars or twenty percent of the monthly rent — whichever is greater — is deemed reasonable per period and does not constitute a penalty (R.S. 9:4759(A)). Fees at or below that threshold are automatically protected. Fees above the safe harbor may still be enforceable if they are reasonable under the circumstances, but they are not automatically shielded. Whatever amount you charge must be stated in the rental agreement or a written addendum.
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