Georgia Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
Georgia rules on rent increases & late fees for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: Local rent control is preempted. No county or city may enact, maintain, or enforce any ordinance or resolution regulating the rent charged for privately owned single-family or multi-unit residential rental property. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-19
The rules in Georgia
| Rent control / increase limits | Local rent control is preempted. No county or city may enact, maintain, or enforce any ordinance or resolution regulating the rent charged for privately owned single-family or multi-unit residential rental property. Exceptions: property the local government (or its authority) owns, and voluntary agreements with private persons that regulate rent. No statewide rent cap. Official O.C.G.A. is published only via LexisNexis; text verified on a public mirror (code year 2024, current as of March 28, 2024 — older than 2025). Still in force: bills to repeal § 44-7-19 (HB 299, 2025; SB 106, withdrawn and recommitted 1/13/2026) and to cap rent increases (HB 707, HB 710, HB 1031) did not pass (legis.ga.gov, checked 2026-10-22). Handbook: rent may rise during a lease only if the lease allows; tenancy-at-will increases need 60 days' notice. Source: O.C.G.A. § 44-7-19 |
|---|---|
| Late fees | No statutory cap or grace period identified. Georgia statutes treat late fees as charges a landlord may collect: they may be demanded in the 3-business-day pay-or-vacate notice and deducted from the security deposit. No cap appears in the enrolled HB 404 text or the § 44-7-34 mirror text, and the DCA Handbook (rev. 8-29-24) lists 'late charges' only as a permitted deposit deduction (p. 15). Any limits would come from the lease and contract law. § 44-7-34 deduction list verified on a public mirror (code year 2024). The Legislative Counsel's summaries of general statutes enacted in 2025 and 2026 show no new late-fee law. |
Free calculators
- Late Fee Checker — Check a late fee against your state's cap and grace period.
- Rent Increase Calculator — In states with a statewide rent cap, see the most your rent can go up this year.
Related questions
- Can a landlord raise the rent in the middle of a lease?
- How much can a landlord charge for a late fee?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent?
- Can a landlord evict you for no reason?
Georgia vs. neighboring states
| State | Rent control / increase limits | Late fees |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | Local rent control is preempted. No county or city may enact, maintain, or enforce any ordinance or resolution regulating the rent charged for privately owned single-family or multi-unit residential rental property. Exceptions: property the local government (or its authority) owns, and voluntary agreements with private persons that regulate rent. No statewide rent cap. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-19 | No statutory cap or grace period identified. Georgia statutes treat late fees as charges a landlord may collect: they may be demanded in the 3-business-day pay-or-vacate notice and deducted from the security deposit. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(c) (as amended by HB 404, 2024); O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34(a) |
| Alabama | Local rent control is preempted statewide. No county, city, or other local government may enact, maintain, or enforce a measure controlling the rent charged for leasing private property. There is no statewide rent cap. Ala. Code § 11-80-8.1 | No statutory cap. The statute mentions late fees only as an item that can be listed in a nonpayment notice. Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b) |
| Florida | Local rent control is prohibited. Counties and municipalities may not adopt or maintain any measure that would control rents; residential tenancy regulation is preempted to the state. Fla. Stat. §§ 125.0103(2), 83.425 | No statutory cap or grace period for residential late fees. Fla. Stat. Ch. 83 Part II |
| North Carolina | Statewide preemption: counties and cities may not regulate the amount of rent for privately owned residential or commercial rental property. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14.1 | May be charged only if rent is 5 or more calendar days late. Monthly rent: max of $15 or 5% of monthly rent, whichever is greater. Weekly rent: max of $4 or 5% of weekly rent, whichever is greater. Only one late fee per late payment. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-46(a)-(b) |
| South Carolina | No statewide rent cap. Counties and municipalities are prohibited from enacting, maintaining or enforcing rent control on privately owned residential property. S.C. Code § 27-39-60 | No statutory cap or grace period. None in Title 27, Ch. 40 |
| Tennessee | Prohibited statewide: local governments may not enact, maintain or enforce any ordinance or resolution that would control the rent charged for private residential or commercial property. Local mandatory below-market (inclusionary) housing requirements are also barred, but voluntary incentive programs are allowed. T.C.A. 66-35-102 | URLTA counties: no late fee may be charged until after a 5-day grace period, counting the due date as day 1. If the last day falls on a Sunday or legal holiday, no fee may be charged if rent is paid the next business day. Late fees may not exceed 10% of the past-due rent. Non-URLTA counties: no statute caps late fees or sets a grace period; the lease governs. T.C.A. 66-28-201(d); ch. 66-7 (checked) |
City rules that may add to state law
More Georgia rental law
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- Breaking a Lease in Georgia
- Squatters' Rights in Georgia
- Georgia Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- Georgia Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- Georgia Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
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- Georgia Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All Georgia landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in Georgia
Compare rent increases & late fees in all 50 states and DC →
Georgia Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws FAQ
Is there rent control or a limit on rent increases in Georgia?
Local rent control is preempted. No county or city may enact, maintain, or enforce any ordinance or resolution regulating the rent charged for privately owned single-family or multi-unit residential rental property. Exceptions: property the local government (or its authority) owns, and voluntary agreements with private persons that regulate rent. No statewide rent cap. (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-19)
Is there a limit on late fees in Georgia?
No statutory cap or grace period identified. Georgia statutes treat late fees as charges a landlord may collect: they may be demanded in the 3-business-day pay-or-vacate notice and deducted from the security deposit. (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(c) (as amended by HB 404, 2024); O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34(a))
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.