Lake Charles, LA Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 6-267
- Housing code adopted
- 2009 ICC IPMC, in full
- Last re-adopted
- Ord. No. 16487, 1-2-13
- Default penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine / 6 months (§ 1-8)
- Filed copies
- 3 copies at clerk of council
Summary
Lake Charles enforces rental and residential habitability under Code of Ordinances § 6-267, which adopts the 2009 edition of the ICC International Property Maintenance Code as the city's Housing Code, in full, as Article V of Chapter 6. Every dwelling and rental unit in the city must meet the maintenance, sanitation, and occupancy standards written into that adopted code.
There is hereby adopted by the City of Lake Charles, that certain Housing Code known as the ICC International Property Maintenance Code being particularly the 2009 edition, save and except such portions as are hereinafter deleted, modified or amended, of which not less than three copies have been and now are filed in the office of the clerk of council, and the same is adopted and incorporated as fully as if set out at length herein.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
Section 6-267 does not restate the housing standards themselves; instead it adopts the ICC International Property Maintenance Code, 2009 edition, by reference, and orders that not less than three copies be filed permanently in the office of the clerk of council so the public can inspect the operative text. The ordinance history behind that section runs from the original 1972 adoption (Ord. No. 4519) through repeated re-adoptions in 1987, 1993, 1997, and 1999, with the current 2009-edition version fixed by Ord. No. 16487 on January 2, 2013.
Every other section originally reserved for Article V, §§ 6-268 through 6-327, is marked 'Reserved' in the code, meaning the city has not carved out local amendments to the IPMC's habitability requirements for dwellings; landlords are held to the national code's provisions on structural integrity, weatherproofing, sanitation, heating, light, ventilation, and extermination as written. 00, imprisonment of up to six months, or both, with each day a violation continues charged as a separate offense. S. 1.
Violations & Fines
A property found out of compliance with the adopted Housing Code is prosecuted under the Code's general penalty, § 1-8: a fine of not more than $1,000.00, imprisonment of not more than six months, or both, and each day the violation continues is a separate offense. Anyone who aids or abets a violation is likewise guilty of a misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What housing code applies to rentals in Lake Charles?
Did Lake Charles write its own habitability standards?
What happens if a landlord ignores a housing code violation?
Where is the actual text of the adopted code kept?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake Charles
Compare Lake Charles to another location·View the Louisiana rental property rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.