What rental fees are illegal (junk fees)?
Short answer: Some states ban or limit extra rental fees, such as fees to pay rent online, undisclosed mandatory fees or move-in fees, and require fees to be included in the advertised rent.
The rule in every state
Each answer below links to the statute or official page it comes from (45 of 51 jurisdictions verified).
| State | Other rental fees |
|---|---|
| Alabama | No general rental junk-fee statute. A lease may not require the tenant to pay the landlord's attorney fees or costs of collection, confess judgment, or waive deposit rules; a landlord who knowingly tries to enforce such a clause owes actual damages plus up to one month's rent and attorney fees. Security beyond one month's rent is allowed only for pets, changes to the premises, or increased liability risk. Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-163, 35-9A-201(a) |
| Alaska | No statewide junk-fee or fee-disclosure law was found. 'Nonrefundable' cleaning fees and automatic deposit forfeitures are treated as unlawful deposits. The Act does not address late or NSF fees. Such a fee is enforceable only if agreed in advance, and should be a small flat amount that approximates the landlord's actual costs. A tenant who is current on rent cannot be evicted for unpaid late fees. A lease may not require the tenant to pay the landlord's attorney fees. Mobile home parks may not charge fees to sell or transfer a home, or to move a home into or out of the park. AS 34.03.070; AS 34.03.120(c); AS 34.03.040; mobile home rules per handbook |
| Arizona | No general junk-fee or total-cost-of-rent statute. Specific limits: (1) the purpose of every nonrefundable fee must be stated in writing, and fees not designated nonrefundable are refundable (§ 33-1321(B)); (2) a landlord who bills utilities separately through submetering or ratio utility billing may recover only the provider's charges plus an administrative fee for actual administrative costs, with no other charges, and the lease must disclose the separately billed utilities and the fee amount (§ 33-1314.01(B)); (3) late fees must be 'reasonable' and set out in a written rental agreement to be required for reinstatement (§ 33-1368(B)); (4) a lease may not require the tenant to pay the landlord's attorney fees, except under a prevailing-party clause (§ 33-1315(A)(2)). A.R.S. §§ 33-1321(B), 33-1314.01, 33-1368(B), 33-1315(A) |
| Arkansas | No statute limits other rental fees (move-in, convenience, or online-payment fees) or requires total-cost-of-rent disclosure. The Landlord-Tenant Act lets the parties include any lease terms not prohibited by law, so the lease governs. Ark. Code § 18-17-401(a) (Act 1004 of 2007) |
| California | Any fee charged at the start of a tenancy to cover the cost of processing a new tenant counts as 'security'. It therefore falls under the deposit cap and refund rules, and no part of it may be labeled nonrefundable. Application screening fees are regulated separately. A landlord must accept at least one form of rent payment that is neither cash nor electronic funds transfer, and may not charge a fee for paying rent or deposit by check. Since January 1, 2025 (SB 611), a landlord may not charge a fee for serving, posting, or delivering a termination notice. If a tenant opts into positive rent reporting to credit bureaus, the landlord may charge no more than the lesser of its actual cost or $10 per month, and nothing if it has no cost. Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1950.5(b), (n); 1947.3(a)-(b); 1946(b); 1946.1(i); 1954.07(g) |
| Colorado | Since January 1, 2026, rent advertisements and offers must show the total price, meaning all mandatory fees, as one number that is more prominent than any other price information. Landlords may not misrepresent fees and must disclose the nature, refundability, and recipient of any optional charges. The cost of separately billed utilities need not be included. Landlords may not charge tenants for: utilities above what the provider bills for the unit; fees that rise more than 2% during a lease of one year or less (except utilities); property taxes; payment processing, unless a free payment method is reasonably available; late fees on anything other than rent; anything needed to meet the landlord's own duties, including habitability; anything not actually provided; or common-area maintenance. Leases may not pass through a markup on third-party services greater than 2% of the bill or $10 a month (not both). A violation is a deceptive trade practice. If a written demand goes unpaid for 14 days, the tenant can recover actual damages plus 18% annual interest. C.R.S. § 6-1-737 (added by HB 25-1090); § 38-12-801(3)(a)(VI) |
| 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) |
| Delaware | A landlord may not charge any nonrefundable fee as a condition of occupancy, except optional fees for actual services (e.g., pool or tennis court fee). Late charges are capped at 5% of monthly rent and cannot be imposed until rent is more than 5 days late; if the landlord has no in-county office for payment, the due date is extended 3 days. Cash rent payments require a receipt within 15 days. 25 Del. C. §§ 5311, 5501(d)-(e) |
| District of Columbia | A housing provider may not charge fees before move-in, during the tenancy, or after move-out for services it must provide to keep the unit habitable and code-compliant, including fees for utilities, trash, locks, or administrative fees for third-party billing. From Jan. 1, 2027, utility charges for common areas or vacant units may not be billed separately (only through rent; RUBS allocation still allowed). Late fees: max 5% of rent, only if disclosed in the written lease and rent is more than 5 days late; charged once per late payment, no interest, and never grounds for eviction. D.C. Code §§ 42-3505.10(b)(3), (b-2); 42-3505.11; 42-3505.31 |
| Florida | No general statutory cap on late fees or other rental fees. Specific rules: an optional fee in lieu of a security deposit requires written disclosures (including that the tenant may choose a deposit instead at any time); liquidated damages for failing to give end-of-lease notice require a landlord notice that lists all fees, penalties and charges. Local fee regulation is preempted. Fla. Stat. §§ 83.425, 83.491, 83.575(2) |
| Georgia | Not verified yet |
| Hawaii | At the start of a tenancy the landlord may collect only the first month's rent and the security deposit (plus a pet deposit where allowed); no other move-in money. Late charges may not exceed 8% of the rent due. HRS §§ 521-44(b), 521-21(f) |
| Idaho | Any fee charged to a residential tenant, including late fees, must be reasonable. The owner may not charge any fee, fine, assessment, interest or other cost above the amount in the rental agreement, or one not in the agreement, unless the agreement is oral or the owner gives 30 days' written notice of the change. Applies to rental agreements entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2023; does not limit rent. Local governments may not regulate rent, fees or deposits. Idaho Code §§ 55-305, 55-306 |
| Illinois | For leases entered on or after Jan. 1, 2027: all non-optional fees (one-time or recurring) must appear on the first page of the lease or the tenant does not owe them; listings must disclose non-optional fees, and listings/leases must say whether utilities are included. Banned: lease renewal/modification fees; fees for an eviction notice or for filing before an eviction order (court costs still recoverable); after-hours maintenance fees; fees for contacting the owner/manager or a maintenance hotline; maintenance travel fees; routine maintenance fees; pest fees where the tenant did not contribute; and move-in/move-out walk-through fees. Renaming a fee does not avoid the law; tenants may sue for injunctive and monetary relief plus attorney's fees. Already in effect: a landlord using a payment portal that charges a transaction fee must allow a fee-free way to pay rent (leases after 1-1-25), and a landlord may not require rent to be paid by electronic funds transfer (leases after 1-1-24). 765 ILCS 705/35 (P.A. 104-479, eff. 1-1-27); 765 ILCS 705/3.5 (P.A. 103-809); 765 ILCS 705/4 (P.A. 103-132) |
| Indiana | No statute — no state limit or disclosure rule for other rental fees (convenience, move-in, etc.) was found in IC 32-31, and local units are preempted from regulating 'any fees charged by a landlord'. IC 32-31-1-20(c)(7); IC 32-31 (checked) |
| Iowa | No general junk-fee or fee-disclosure statute. The only statutory fee limit found is the late-fee cap (rent up to $700/month: $12/day, $60/month max; rent over $700: $20/day, $100/month max). Landlords may not charge fees or penalties for a tenant's summoning police or emergency assistance. Iowa Code §562A.9(4); §562A.27B(1) |
| Kansas | No statute — no general limit or disclosure rule for other rental fees was found in the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. K.S.A. 58-2540 et seq. (section list checked) |
| Kentucky | No statute — no general limit or disclosure rule for other rental fees was found in KRS Chapter 383. A lease may not authorize penalties or termination because a tenant called police or sought emergency help (punitive damages up to 2 months' rent). KRS Chapter 383 (checked); KRS 383.302 |
| Louisiana | Not verified yet |
| Maine | Move-in cap: at the start of a tenancy the landlord, agent or broker may not require more than (1) the first full month's rent, (2) a security deposit within the § 6032 limit, and (3) any properly disclosed mandatory recurring fee. Before signing, the landlord must give a signed, plain-language written disclosure of total rent, mandatory recurring fees, optional recurring fees, utility costs and any other cost the tenant will pay. This is not required if the tenant pays no recurring fees. Optional recurring fees (for non-essential services or features) are allowed only with prior written notice that the tenant may opt in and stop paying at any time without penalty; a landlord may not deny or end a tenancy because the tenant opts out. Notice rules for raising rent or a mandatory recurring fee are in § 6015. 14 M.R.S. §§ 6000(1-A), 6022-A, 6030-I, 6030-J (PL 2023, c. 594) |
| Maryland | Move-in cap: a lease may not require more than the security deposit plus the first month's rent to start the lease and move in. Late fees are capped at 5% of the unpaid rent (weekly leases: $3 a week, $12 a month). A lease may not make the tenant pay the District Court filing surcharge assessed against the landlord, except as § 7-301(c)(5)(ii) of the Courts Article allows. The landlord may charge no more than $5 for the 6-day eviction notice. The lease must include the Maryland Tenants' Bill of Rights. Md. Code, Real Prop. §§ 8-208(c)(4), 8-208(d)(3), (11), (13); 8-407(b)(3) |
| Massachusetts | 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) |
| Michigan | Not verified yet |
| Minnesota | All non-optional fees must be disclosed in the lease. Rent plus all non-optional fees must be shown as the 'Total Monthly Payment' on the first page of the lease. Advertisements must include non-optional fees in the advertised total and say whether utilities are included. Penalty: treble damages plus attorney fees. Starting Aug. 1, 2026: a landlord that uses a digital payment platform must offer a free alternative when the platform is down, may not take adverse action such as eviction or late fees when both methods fail, and a violation is an affirmative defense to a nonpayment eviction. Final submetered or apportioned utility bills may not include extra fees beyond the authorized administrative and late charges. Minn. Stat. § 504B.120; § 504B.118 (as amended by 2026 Minn. Laws c. 81, § 2); § 504B.216, subd. 7a and § 216B.023, subd. 3a (2026 c. 81) |
| Mississippi | Not verified yet |
| Missouri | No statute. No Missouri statute limits move-in, convenience, or online-payment fees or requires all-in rent disclosure. In a rent-and-possession case, other lease charges may be joined to the claim but are not treated as rent and cannot by themselves support an order for possession. RSMo Ch. 441, 535 (no fee section); RSMo 535.020 |
| Montana | No general statute on move-in, convenience or online-payment fees or all-in rent disclosure. Related rules: a cleaning or damage fee of any name is presumed to be a refundable security deposit, and a landlord may not require a tenant to provide an email address as a condition of the lease. Mont. Code Ann. §§ 70-25-101(4), 70-24-202(4) |
| Nebraska | No statute limits move-in, convenience or online-payment fees or requires all-in rent disclosure. A domestic-violence survivor released from a lease under § 76-1431.01 may not be charged a fee solely because of the termination. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 76-1401 to 76-1449; 76-1431.01(4)(b) |
| Nevada | Yes (2025). Every place a landlord lists rent, and every reference in a written lease, must state rent as a single figure that includes all mandatory fees; the landlord may not charge more than that figure. The only exception is a separately disclosed, pass-through monthly fee for individually provided electric, gas or water service where the utility cannot contract with the tenant directly (or master-metered water), flagged by an asterisk with a statement on the same page. Leases must list required fees and their purposes. Landlords must offer at least one free way to pay rent that does not require bank-account information, and any online-portal fee may not exceed what the portal operator charges and must be separately identified in the lease. Landlords may not charge tenants for repairs that are the landlord's duty (including home-warranty deductibles or copays) unless the tenant caused the damage. NRS 118A.200(3), (6)-(9); NRS 118A.303; NRS 118A.290(4)-(5) |
| New Hampshire | Limited. A landlord may not require rent or other lease payments to be made only by electronic funds transfer (including automatic recurring transfers); at least one non-electronic payment method must be allowed. Application-fee disclosure and refund rules also apply. No general statute caps move-in or convenience fees or requires all-in rent disclosure. RSA 540-A:3, VIII, X |
| New Jersey | Limited. A landlord may not require rent or other lease payments to be made by electronic funds transfer, including automatic recurring transfers. If a lease lets the landlord recover attorney's fees or expenses (including as 'additional rent'), the law reads in a matching right for a tenant who wins to recover theirs, and the lease must state this in bold type. Application fees are capped (see application_fees). No statute found that caps move-in or convenience fees or requires all-in rent disclosure. N.J.S.A. 46:8-49.1; 2A:18-61.66, 2A:18-61.67 |
| New Mexico | Every published rental listing must disclose in plain language all costs of the rental agreement: the base rent plus an itemized, readily identifiable description of every fee or charge that will be assessed during the residency. An owner is not liable for a third-party website's failure to show the costs the owner provided. Lease fees may be raised only with written notice at least 60 days before the periodic rental date or before the end of a fixed term (one rental period for residencies shorter than a month). Under the Unfair Practices Act, it is an unfair or deceptive trade practice to charge an applicant any fee other than a screening fee or deposit, or one not published in the listing, or to charge fees not included in the rental agreement. Late fees are capped at 5% of rent per rental period in default. Laws 2025, ch. 122 (SB 267), §§ 2, 5, 6, 9 |
| New York | 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) |
| North Carolina | Fees tied to late payment and eviction are tightly limited. Late fee: only once rent is 5+ days late, max the greater of $15 or 5% of monthly rent (weekly: $4 or 5%), once per late payment. Only one administrative eviction fee may be charged per case, and only under a written lease: complaint-filing fee (greater of $15 or 5% of rent, only if the tenant cures and the case is dismissed), court-appearance fee (10% of rent), or second-trial fee (12% of rent). Any other administrative eviction fee is void. Recoverable out-of-pocket costs are limited to court filing fees, service costs, and attorney fees (capped at 15% in most cases). Renter's insurance: the tenant cannot be required to use a designated carrier. Force-placed coverage: actual cost plus at most $50 per year, only if the tenant fails to show proof within 3 business days. For subsidized rent, fees are figured on the tenant's share only. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-46 |
| North Dakota | A landlord may not charge a fee to accept cash, a check, or a money order for rent or any other payment due under the lease. No broader statute limits other fees or requires fee disclosure. N.D.C.C. § 47-16-20.1 |
| Ohio | No statute. Chapter 5321 sets no limits on move-in, convenience, or other rental fees and no fee-disclosure rule. Lease clauses requiring the tenant to pay the landlord's attorney fees are unenforceable (§ 5321.13), and unconscionable terms may be refused enforcement (§ 5321.14). Ohio Rev. Code §§ 5321.13, 5321.14 |
| Oklahoma | No statute. Title 41 has no limits on move-in, convenience, or other rental fees and no fee-disclosure rule. 41 O.S. §§ 101-136 (no fee section) |
| Oregon | Landlord may not charge a move-in fee for anticipated landlord expenses and may not charge any fee except those listed in ORS 90.302, each of which must be described in the written rental agreement: late fee (ORS 90.260), dishonored check fee, smoke/CO alarm tampering (up to $250), pet-agreement violation, early abandonment of a fixed term (max 1.5x monthly rent; not for DV or military releases), and capped fees for repeated written-rule violations after a written warning ($50, then $50 + 5% of rent; $250 for smoking/unauthorized pet). Liquidated damages are barred. Since June 5, 2026, processing fees for card, tenant-portal or other electronic payments may be passed through only if the payment processor allows it, the landlord lets the tenant pay by check or another non-electronic method, and records of the fees are given to the tenant on written request. A landlord may not require electronic payment, and may not charge a late fee or terminate for nonpayment if it refused a payment offered by check or another commercially reasonable method. ORS 90.302; 2026 Or. Laws c.23 (SB 1523) §§ 3, 5 |
| Pennsylvania | No statewide statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees in the Landlord and Tenant Act. 68 P.S. 250.101 et seq. |
| Rhode Island | 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) |
| South Carolina | No statute specifically limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees; general unconscionability doctrine (27-40-230) and prohibited lease provisions (27-40-330) apply. S.C. Code 27-40-230; 27-40-330 |
| South Dakota | No statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees in SDCL ch. 43-32. SDCL Chapter 43-32 |
| Tennessee | No general statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees. The only statutory fee limit is on late fees in URLTA counties: none until after a 5-day grace period, and no more than 10% of the past-due rent. T.C.A. 66-28-201(d) |
| Texas | No general statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees or requiring total-cost-of-rent disclosure. Specific rules: late fees (limited by Sec. 92.019; tenant may request a written statement of late fees owed, Sec. 92.0191) and fees in lieu of a security deposit (Sec. 92.111). Tex. Prop. Code ch. 92 (Sec. 92.019, 92.0191, 92.111) |
| Utah | Not verified yet |
| Vermont | Not verified yet |
| Virginia | Fee disclosure: beginning on the first page of the written lease, the landlord must itemize all charges that make up the security deposit, the rent due per payment period, and any one-time charges due before the start date or included in the first payment, under the statutory statement that no additional security deposits or rent may be charged unless listed or added by later addendum. Va. Code § 55.1-1204.1 |
| Washington | Nonrefundable fees must be in a written rental agreement that clearly says they are nonrefundable; otherwise they are treated as a refundable deposit (or refunded entirely if there is no written agreement), and they may not be called a deposit. On written request, tenants may pay deposits, nonrefundable fees and last month's rent in installments (3 monthly installments for terms of 3+ months, otherwise 2) without extra fees or interest, unless deposits and fees total 25% or less of the first month's rent and last month's rent is not required up front; refusal carries a penalty of one month's rent plus attorney's fees. No late fee may be charged for rent paid within 5 days of the due date. RCW 59.18.285; RCW 59.18.610; RCW 59.18.170(2) |
| West Virginia | No general junk-fee statute. Pet fees and application fees are excluded from the security deposit only if expressly agreed in writing to be nonrefundable. Deposits may cover late charges only if specified in the rental agreement and reasonable. W. Va. Code § 37-6A-1(14); § 37-6A-2(b)(1) |
| Wisconsin | No general junk-fee or total-cost-of-rent law. Limits: late rent fees only if specifically provided in the rental agreement, prepaid rent must be applied first, and no fee for not paying a late fee; lease clauses requiring the tenant to pay the landlord's attorney fees are prohibited (except court-awarded); utility charges not included in rent (and the allocation method if not separately metered) must be disclosed before signing or taking a deposit; credit-check fees capped at $25. Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.09(8); ATCP 134.08(4); ATCP 134.04(3); Wis. Stat. 704.085 |
| Wyoming | No general junk-fee statute. The only fee-related rule: the rental agreement must state whether any part of a deposit is nonrefundable, and the renter must get written notice of that when the deposit is taken. Wyo. Stat. 1-21-1207 |
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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.