Tennessee Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
Tennessee 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: 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. T.C.A. 66-35-102
The rules in Tennessee
| Rent control / increase limits | 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. Official T.C.A. is published only via LexisNexis; text verified on a public mirror of the code (FindLaw, current as of Jan. 2, 2024; older than 2025). Applies statewide. Separately, in URLTA counties the Act occupies the whole field of landlord-tenant regulation, and counties may not adopt conflicting or additional rules (66-28-102(e); 2021 Pub. Ch. 182). Source: T.C.A. 66-35-102 |
|---|---|
| Late fees | 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. Official T.C.A. is published only via LexisNexis; text verified on a public mirror of the code (FindLaw, current as of Jan. 2, 2024; older than 2025). URLTA counties only. T.C.A. ch. 66-7 (§§ 66-7-101 to 66-7-113) has no late-fee provision. |
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?
Tennessee vs. neighboring states
| State | Rent control / increase limits | Late fees |
|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 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) |
| Arkansas | Local rent control is preempted. Local governments may not enact, maintain, or enforce ordinances controlling rent, and since Act 459 of 2025, rental application fees or rental deposits, for private residential or commercial property. There is no statewide rent cap. Ark. Code Ann. §§ 14-16-601, 14-54-1409 (as amended by Act 459 of 2025) | No statutory cap — no Arkansas statute limits residential late fees or requires a grace period. The Landlord-Tenant Act defines 'rent' to include late charges and lets the parties set rental terms not otherwise prohibited by law, so the lease governs. Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-17-301(10), 18-17-401(a) |
| 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) |
| Kentucky | Preempted: only the General Assembly may enact rent control on private property; local governments may not. No statewide cap. KRS 65.875 | No statutory cap or grace period. KRS Chapter 383 (no late-fee provision) |
| Mississippi | No rent control. State law bars cities and towns (§ 21-17-5(2)(h)) and counties (§ 19-3-40(3)(g)) from regulating, directly or indirectly, the rent charged for private residential property in which they have no property interest, unless the Legislature gives prior approval. Miss. Code Ann. § 21-17-5(2)(h); § 19-3-40(3)(g) | No statutory cap or grace period. The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act does not regulate late fees. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-1 to 89-8-45 (no late-fee provision) |
| Missouri | Statewide preemption. Counties and cities, including charter governments, may not enact, maintain, or enforce ordinances regulating the rent charged for privately owned residential or commercial rental property. Exceptions: property the locality owns, voluntary agreements for subsidized properties, and CDBG-assisted properties. RSMo 441.043 | No statute — no cap or grace period; late fees are governed by the lease. RSMo Chs. 441, 534 and 535 (no section on late fees) |
| 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) |
| Virginia | No statewide rent control or rent-increase cap, and no Virginia statute authorizes local rent control. Va. Code Title 55.1, Ch. 12 (no cap); 2026 HB 278 / SB 355 | Only if provided in the written rental agreement; capped at the lesser of 10% of the periodic rent or 10% of the remaining balance due. Where there is no written lease, rent is late if not paid by the 5th of the month. Va. Code 55.1-1204(E), (C) |
City rules that may add to state law
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Compare rent increases & late fees in all 50 states and DC →
Tennessee Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws FAQ
Is there rent control or a limit on rent increases in 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)
Is there a limit on late fees in Tennessee?
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))
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.