Rent Late Fee Laws by State — 50-State Comparison Table
Every state’s late-fee cap, grace period, and governing statute in one sortable table. Click a state for its calculator and full guide.
Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by the ValidNotice editorial team · Informational only — not legal advice
The definitive 50-state late fee table
Late-fee law is a patchwork: about half of US jurisdictions set no statewide cap, while the rest limit fees as a percentage of rent or a flat dollar amount — and a handful add a grace period before any fee may be charged. This table puts every jurisdiction side by side from our October 2026 verified dataset. Click any column header to sort; click a state name for its dedicated calculator, plain-language guide, and sources.
| State | Grace period | Maximum late fee | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; Alabama Code (no fee statute) |
| Alaska | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; Alaska Statutes (no fee statute) |
| Arizona | None | No statewide cap | Ariz. Rev. Stat. §33-1414 (scope); PayRent 2026 survey |
| Arkansas | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; Arkansas Code (no fee statute) |
| California | None | No statewide cap | Cal. Civ. Code §1671 |
| Colorado | 7 days | 5% of rent | Colo. Rev. Stat. §38-12-105 |
| Connecticut | 9 days | 5% of rent | Conn. Gen. Stat. §47a-4 (existing law per 2026 CT bill analysis) |
| Delaware | 5 days | 5% of rent | 25 Del. Code §5501 |
| District of Columbia | 5 days | 5% of rent | D.C. Rental Housing Late Fee Fairness Amendment Act of 2016 |
| Florida | None | No statewide cap | Fla. Stat. §83.808(3) (scope analysis) |
| Georgia | None | No statewide cap | O.C.G.A. §10-4-217 (scope analysis); HUD survey |
| Hawaii | None | 8% of rent | Haw. Rev. Stat. §521-21(f) |
| Idaho | None | No statewide cap | Idaho Code §55-314 (SB 1043/2025, eff. 7/1/2025) |
| Illinois | None | No statewide cap | Illinois case law; HUD state late-fee survey |
| Indiana | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; Indiana Code (no fee statute) |
| Iowa | None | $100 | Iowa Code §562A.9 |
| Kansas | None | No statewide cap | K.S.A. §58-816a (scope analysis) |
| Kentucky | None | No statewide cap | 2026 surveys; KRS §359.215 (storage act — scope analysis) |
| Louisiana | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey |
| Maine | 15 days | 4% of rent | Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, §6028 |
| Maryland | None | 5% of rent | Md. Real Prop. §8-208(d)(3) (HB 273/2025) |
| Massachusetts | 30 days | No statewide cap | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, §15B |
| Michigan | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; Michigan Compiled Laws (no fee statute) |
| Minnesota | None | 8% of rent | Minn. Stat. §504B.177 |
| Mississippi | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; Miss. Code (no fee statute) |
| Missouri | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey |
| Montana | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; Mont. Code (no fee statute) |
| Nebraska | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey |
| Nevada | 3 days | 5% of rent | NRS §118A.210 |
| New Hampshire | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; N.H. Rev. Stat. (no fee statute) |
| New Jersey | None | No statewide cap | N.J.S.A. 2A:42-6.1–6.3 |
| New Mexico | None | 5% of rent | N.M. Stat. §47-8-15(D) (SB 267/2025) |
| New York | 5 days | 5% of rent | N.Y. Real Property Law §238-a(2) |
| North Carolina | 5 days | 5% of rent | N.C. Gen. Stat. §42-46 |
| North Dakota | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; N.D. Cent. Code (no fee statute) |
| Ohio | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; Ohio Rev. Code (no fee statute) |
| Oklahoma | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; Okla. Stat. (no fee statute) |
| Oregon | 4 days | 5% of rent | ORS §90.260 |
| Pennsylvania | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; Pa. Stat. (no fee statute) |
| Rhode Island | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; R.I. Gen. Laws (no fee statute) |
| South Carolina | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; S.C. Code (no fee statute) |
| South Dakota | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; S.D. Codified Laws (no fee statute) |
| Tennessee | 5 days | 10% of rent | Tenn. Code §66-28-201(d) |
| Texas | 2 days | No statewide cap | Tex. Prop. Code §92.019 |
| Utah | None | $75 | Utah Code §57-22-4 (Fit Premises Act); HUD state survey |
| Vermont | None | No statewide cap | Vermont case law; HUD state late-fee survey |
| Virginia | None | 10% of rent | Va. Code §55.1-1200 |
| Washington | 5 days | No statewide cap | RCW 59.18.170 (SB 5197/2023) |
| West Virginia | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; W. Va. Code (no fee statute) |
| Wisconsin | None | No statewide cap | Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.09(8) |
| Wyoming | None | No statewide cap | HUD state late-fee survey; Wyo. Stat. (no fee statute) |
Hybrid and tiered caps (for example, Colorado’s “greater of $50 or 5%,” Iowa’s rent-tiered per-day limits, and Oregon’s three statutory structures) are summarized here as a single figure — the state’s dedicated page explains the exact rule.
Frequently asked questions
Which states have no late-fee cap?
Roughly half of US jurisdictions set no statewide maximum — in those states the lease clause controls, subject to a general reasonableness requirement. Sort the table by “Maximum late fee” to group them.
What is the most common late-fee cap?
Among states that cap fees, 5% of monthly rent is the most common percentage cap, and several states add a 5-day grace period before any fee may be charged.
Is this legal advice?
No. This table summarizes our researched late-fee dataset, verified October 2026. Laws change and local ordinances can add rules — verify against current law or consult a local attorney.