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Prenuptial Agreement Laws in Louisiana

Louisiana treats prenups as matrimonial agreements under its Civil Code, which requires an authentic act or a private act duly acknowledged by the spouses and sets no waiting period or lawyer requirement.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Louisiana at a glance

Uniform act
No uniform act: La. Civ. Code arts. 2328 to 2333
Louisiana treats prenups as matrimonial agreements under its Civil Code.
Waiting or review period
No statutory waiting period
Article 2329 sets no waiting period. Changing the regime during marriage generally needs a joint petition and court approval.
Independent counsel required
No
Article 2331 sets the form (authentic act or acknowledged private act) and does not require separate lawyers.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Louisiana

Has Louisiana adopted the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act or a similar uniform law?

Uniform act in Louisiana: No uniform act: La. Civ. Code arts. 2328 to 2333. Louisiana treats prenups as matrimonial agreements under its Civil Code.

Is there a waiting or review period before signing a prenup in Louisiana?

Waiting or review period in Louisiana: No statutory waiting period. Article 2329 sets no waiting period. Changing the regime during marriage generally needs a joint petition and court approval.

Does Louisiana law require each party to have an independent lawyer for a prenuptial agreement?

No. Independent counsel required in Louisiana: no. Article 2331 sets the form (authentic act or acknowledged private act) and does not require separate lawyers.

Where do the Louisiana prenuptial agreement laws come from?

The rules above come from La. Civ. Code art. 2329 and La. Civ. Code art. 2331. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

During the first year after moving into and acquiring a domicile in Louisiana, spouses may enter into a matrimonial agreement without court approval.

What this means in practice

Sign well before the wedding. Courts may look closely at an agreement presented shortly before the ceremony, and some states set a minimum time between receiving the final draft and signing it. Leaving time to read, ask questions and negotiate helps show the agreement was entered voluntarily.

Exchange full financial information in writing. A schedule of each party's assets, debts and income attached to the agreement creates a record of what was disclosed. Where a party gives up the right to more information, that waiver should usually be in writing and signed as well.

Consider separate lawyers for each party. Even where independent counsel is not strictly required, having each person advised by their own attorney can make the agreement harder to challenge later. Terms about child support or custody are generally not binding, and spousal support waivers can face extra scrutiny, so a local attorney can confirm what is allowed.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.