Connecticut Rental Fee Rules
Connecticut rules on rental fees for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: Rental application fees are banned. A landlord may not charge a prospective tenant any fee to process, review, or accept a rental application. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4d
The rules in Connecticut
| Application / screening fees | Rental application fees are banned. A landlord may not charge a prospective tenant any fee to process, review, or accept a rental application. Before or at the start of the tenancy, the only allowed charges are a security deposit, first month's rent, a deposit for a key or special equipment, and a tenant screening report fee. The screening fee may not exceed $50, plus an annual consumer price index adjustment set by the Commissioner of Housing. A landlord who charges it must give the applicant a copy of the screening report (or information on how to get it from the provider) and a copy of the screening company's receipt or invoice. Enacted by P.A. 23-207, § 6. The $50 cap applies on and after October 1, 2023. Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4d |
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| Other rental fees | Move-in and move-out fees are banned (§ 47a-4d(b)). Advertised rent must include every fee the tenant is required to pay on a periodic basis, prorated, even fees charged by default that the tenant could opt out of. Excluded from that rule: actual-cost payment processing fees (if a fee-free payment option is offered), pet fees or deposits, submetered or variable direct-paid utilities, damage charges, and separate service fees such as lockouts or key replacement. Starting April 1, 2026, every written lease must have as its first page a completed copy of the Department of Housing's standardized rental terms summary form. Tenant payments must be applied to rent first, then to other fees. The penalty for violating § 47a-7d is one month's rent payable to the tenant, plus possible attorney's fees. Landlords may not require electronic funds transfer as the only way to pay rent or a deposit (§ 47a-4c). On request, the landlord must give an occupant a copy of the ledger showing charges, payments, and balance (§ 47a-3a(d)). Late fees are capped separately (§ 47a-15a(b)). § 47a-7d was added by P.A. 25-44, § 9, and § 47a-3a(d) by P.A. 25-146 (effective July 1, 2025). § 47a-4c (lease executed on or after Oct. 1, 2013) was verified at https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_830.htm. Also, since January 1, 2026, using revenue-management (algorithmic rent-setting) software is an unfair trade practice (§ 47a-4f, Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 25-1). The § 47a-7d supplement text shows no separate effective date for the advertising rule. |
Related questions
- How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee?
- What rental fees are illegal (junk fees)?
Connecticut vs. neighboring states
| State | Application / screening fees | Other rental fees |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | Rental application fees are banned. A landlord may not charge a prospective tenant any fee to process, review, or accept a rental application. Before or at the start of the tenancy, the only allowed charges are a security deposit, first month's rent, a deposit for a key or special equipment, and a tenant screening report fee. The screening fee may not exceed $50, plus an annual consumer price index adjustment set by the Commissioner of Housing. A landlord who charges it must give the applicant a copy of the screening report (or information on how to get it from the provider) and a copy of the screening company's receipt or invoice. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4d | Move-in and move-out fees are banned (§ 47a-4d(b)). Advertised rent must include every fee the tenant is required to pay on a periodic basis, prorated, even fees charged by default that the tenant could opt out of. Excluded from that rule: actual-cost payment processing fees (if a fee-free payment option is offered), pet fees or deposits, submetered or variable direct-paid utilities, damage charges, and separate service fees such as lockouts or key replacement. Starting April 1, 2026, every written lease must have as its first page a completed copy of the Department of Housing's standardized rental terms summary form. Tenant payments must be applied to rent first, then to other fees. The penalty for violating § 47a-7d is one month's rent payable to the tenant, plus possible attorney's fees. Landlords may not require electronic funds transfer as the only way to pay rent or a deposit (§ 47a-4c). On request, the landlord must give an occupant a copy of the ledger showing charges, payments, and balance (§ 47a-3a(d)). Late fees are capped separately (§ 47a-15a(b)). Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-4d(b), 47a-7d, 47a-4c, 47a-3a(d) |
| Massachusetts | Banned in effect. Before or at the start of a tenancy, a landlord or the landlord's agent may not require any payment except: first month's rent, last month's rent, a security deposit of no more than one month's rent, and the cost of buying and installing a lock and key. Application and screening fees are not on the list. G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(b) (as amended by St. 2025, c. 9, §§ 54-55, eff. Aug. 1, 2025) | Payments at move-in are limited to the four items in § 15B(1)(b). Since Aug. 1, 2025, that limit also covers payments to the landlord's agent, which ends renter-paid broker fees when the broker works for the landlord. After the tenancy starts, the landlord may not demand advance rent beyond the current month or a larger deposit. No late fee or interest may be charged until rent is 30 days overdue. Regulations may allow an optional 'fee in lieu of security deposit', capped at one month's rent in total. G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(b)-(d) |
| New York | Application fees are banned. Apart from fees required by statute or regulation, a landlord may not charge any fee to process, review, or accept an application, or any other payment before or at the start of the tenancy, except a background/credit check fee. That fee is capped at the lesser of the actual cost or $20. It must be waived if the applicant provides a background or credit check from the past 30 days. The landlord may collect it only after giving the applicant a copy of the check and the receipt or invoice. Lease waivers are void. N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(1), (3) | No payment, fee, or charge may be demanded before or at the start of the tenancy other than the security deposit (max one month's rent under GOL § 7-108) and the capped background/credit check fee. Late fees: only after rent is 5 days late, capped at the lesser of $50 or 5% of monthly rent. Bounced-check fees: only if the lease provides for them, capped at the greater of the landlord's actual costs or the GOL § 5-328(3) amount. Lease waivers are void. N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(1)(a), (2), (2-a), (3) |
| Rhode Island | Banned since January 1, 2024: landlords, brokers and property managers may not require any rental application fee. They may require an official state criminal background check (BCI/AG/police) or a credit check, but if the applicant supplies one issued within the past 90 days no fee may be charged; otherwise the fee may not exceed the actual cost, and the applicant charged must receive a copy of the report. Landlords may obtain their own reports at their own expense. R.I. Gen. Laws 34-18-59 | Since January 1, 2025: (1) landlords may not charge a convenience fee on rent payments unless they also accept a form of rent payment that carries no convenience fee; (2) all fees beyond rent must be disclosed in the lease in the same section as the rent, with a statement that additional fees may apply (or, with no written lease, in a written list), and fee changes need 30 days' written notice; the lease must also disclose which utilities are included and any renter's insurance requirement. A tenant may recover any fees paid that were not disclosed as required. R.I. Gen. Laws 34-18-61; 34-18-15(a)(1)-(5) |
City rules that may add to state law
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Connecticut Rental Fee Rules FAQ
Is there a limit on rental application fees in Connecticut?
Rental application fees are banned. A landlord may not charge a prospective tenant any fee to process, review, or accept a rental application. Before or at the start of the tenancy, the only allowed charges are a security deposit, first month's rent, a deposit for a key or special equipment, and a tenant screening report fee. The screening fee may not exceed $50, plus an annual consumer price index adjustment set by the Commissioner of Housing. A landlord who charges it must give the applicant a copy of the screening report (or information on how to get it from the provider) and a copy of the screening company's receipt or invoice. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4d)
What rental fees are banned or limited in Connecticut?
Move-in and move-out fees are banned (§ 47a-4d(b)). Advertised rent must include every fee the tenant is required to pay on a periodic basis, prorated, even fees charged by default that the tenant could opt out of. Excluded from that rule: actual-cost payment processing fees (if a fee-free payment option is offered), pet fees or deposits, submetered or variable direct-paid utilities, damage charges, and separate service fees such as lockouts or key replacement. Starting April 1, 2026, every written lease must have as its first page a completed copy of the Department of Housing's standardized rental terms summary form. Tenant payments must be applied to rent first, then to other fees. The penalty for violating § 47a-7d is one month's rent payable to the tenant, plus possible attorney's fees. Landlords may not require electronic funds transfer as the only way to pay rent or a deposit (§ 47a-4c). On request, the landlord must give an occupant a copy of the ledger showing charges, payments, and balance (§ 47a-3a(d)). Late fees are capped separately (§ 47a-15a(b)). (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-4d(b), 47a-7d, 47a-4c, 47a-3a(d))
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.