10 of the 10 rules below carry a statute citation that was read at the official source (most recently October 2026), with the controlling text quoted. The rest are conservative reference values from Aptoria's compliance data and are labeled unverified.
Security deposit size: No statewide cap on the security deposit amount. § 66-28-301 requires deposits to be held in a dedicated account and gives the tenant inspection and itemization rights, but sets no maximum. (URLTA counties only, § 66-28-102(a).) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301(a), confirmed 2026-10). Returning the deposit: Within 30 days after the lease terminates and the tenant vacates, return the deposit or provide an itemized list of deductions (with documentation). The deposit must be held in a separate account; failing the account or itemization requirements forfeits the right to retain any portion. (Tenn. Code § 66-28-301, confirmed 2026-07).
How Tennessee treats the landlord's core obligations
Late fees: Five-day grace period beginning the day rent is due (the due date counts as day one) before any late fee may be charged; if day five falls on a Sunday or legal holiday, the fee may not be charged if rent is paid the next business day. Any charge or fee for late payment, however described, may not exceed 10% of the rent past due. (URLTA counties only.) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-201(d), confirmed 2026-10). Application fees: No statewide cap, refund rule or disclosure requirement for rental application fees. URLTA leaves fee terms to the rental agreement ('terms and conditions not prohibited by this chapter or other rule of law'). (URLTA counties only.) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-201(a) (no application-fee provision in Title 66, ch. 28), confirmed 2026-10).
Nonpayment notice: 14 days after receipt of written notice to cure a breach remediable by payment (nonpayment of rent) or the rental agreement terminates on a date not less than 14 days after receipt. If the lease contains a notice waiver in 12-point bold or larger, the landlord may proceed on default without the 14-day notice, but the waiver cannot shorten the § 66-28-201 five-day grace period. (URLTA counties only; non-URLTA counties follow general detainer law, not verified here.) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505(a)(2)-(3), (b), confirmed 2026-10). Rent increases: No Tennessee statute sets a rent-increase notice period or any rent cap (§ 66-35-102 preempts local rent control). Rent is payable 'at the time and place agreed upon by the parties' (§ 66-28-201(c)); a month-to-month rent change is therefore implemented through the 30-day written notice that governs termination of a month-to-month tenancy (§ 66-28-512(b)). (URLTA counties only.) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-512(b); § 66-28-201(c) (no dedicated rent-increase statute), confirmed 2026-10). Ending a month-to-month tenancy: 30 days' written notice before the periodic rental date specified in the notice (either party); week-to-week: 10 days' written notice. (URLTA counties only.) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-512(a)-(b), confirmed 2026-10). Entry: No general advance-notice requirement: the tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent to entry for inspection, repairs, services or showings, and the landlord may enter without consent in an emergency. The only fixed period is 24 hours' notice for showing the unit to prospective tenants within the final 30 days of the tenancy, and only if the rental agreement reserves that right. (URLTA counties only.) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-403, confirmed 2026-10).
Tennessee has no statewide rent regulation on file, so any cap on increases would come from a local ordinance. Source-of-income protection is not on file statewide, although cities and counties can add it. Card surcharges on rent: allowed within card-network limits. Managing property for others for compensation generally requires a state license: State real estate broker license required for property management for others — confirm with state commission.
Security deposits
What Tennessee allows a landlord to collect up front, how it must be held, and the deadline and paperwork for returning it.
Security deposit limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide cap on the security deposit amount. § 66-28-301 requires deposits to be held in a dedicated account and gives the tenant inspection and itemization rights, but sets no maximum. (URLTA counties only, § 66-28-102(a).)
“All landlords of residential property requiring security deposits prior to occupancy are required to deposit all tenants' security deposits in an account used only for that purpose, in any bank or other lending institution subject to regulation by the state or any agency of the United States government.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Supersedes the wave-1 Justia draft; identical controlling text confirmed on the official Lexis TCA viewer (search-result excerpt; full-document view CAPTCHA-gated).
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The maximum a landlord may collect up front as security against unpaid rent or damage, usually expressed as a multiple of one month's rent. Separate pet, key or cleaning deposits often count toward the same limit.
Deposit return deadline
Source-confirmed 2026-07
Within 30 days after the lease terminates and the tenant vacates, return the deposit or provide an itemized list of deductions (with documentation). The deposit must be held in a separate account; failing the account or itemization requirements forfeits the right to retain any portion.
TN URLTA applies to counties over a population threshold; the tenant must be allowed to inspect, and the deposit must be in a separate account. Prefer the official TCA text for a public citation.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days after move-out”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The window after the tenant vacates in which the landlord must refund the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions. Missing the deadline is the most common way a landlord forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit.
Separate pet deposit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
URLTA is silent on pet deposits: § 66-28-301 neither authorizes nor prohibits a separate pet deposit or pet fee and sets no maximum on any deposit, so there is no combined cap. Any pet deposit collected as a 'security deposit' must be held in the dedicated deposit account and is subject to the inspection/itemization rules of § 66-28-301. (URLTA counties only.)
“All landlords of residential property requiring security deposits prior to occupancy are required to deposit all tenants' security deposits in an account used only for that purpose, in any bank or other lending institution subject to regulation by the state or any agency of the United States government.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Text read from the official Lexis TCA viewer's search-result excerpt for § 66-28-301 (full-document view is CAPTCHA-gated; not bypassed). Full-code searches 'landlord AND "security deposit" AND (pet OR pets)' and 'landlord AND tenant AND deposit AND pet' returned no landlord-tenant section, confirming the Code has no pet-deposit provision.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Permitted”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a refundable pet deposit can be collected on top of the security deposit. Even where it is permitted, the combined amount usually has to stay inside the overall deposit limit.
In practice
• Hold the deposit the way the statute requires (separate or escrow account where applicable) and record the account in the file.
• Document move-in condition with a dated, photographed inventory the tenant can sign; it is the only evidence that supports a later deduction.
• Send the itemized statement and any refund by a trackable method, and keep the receipts or estimates behind every deduction.
Rent, late fees and application fees
The fees a Tennessee lease can charge, the statutory ceilings that override the lease, and whether rent increases are regulated statewide.
Late fees
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Five-day grace period beginning the day rent is due (the due date counts as day one) before any late fee may be charged; if day five falls on a Sunday or legal holiday, the fee may not be charged if rent is paid the next business day. Any charge or fee for late payment, however described, may not exceed 10% of the rent past due. (URLTA counties only.)
“(d) There shall be a five-day grace period beginning the day the rent was due to the day a fee for the late payment of rent may be charged. The date the rent was due shall be included in the calculation of the five-day grace period.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Cap sentence confirmed on the same official page: 'charged by the landlord for the late payment of rent, shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the amount of rent past due.' Sunday/holiday sentence: 'If the last day of the five-day grace period occurs on a Sunday or legal holiday, as defined in § 15-1-101, the landlord ...' (excerpt truncated by the viewer). Supersedes wave-1 Justia draft.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Capped at 10% of monthly rent; 5 days grace”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Any statutory ceiling on the fee for late rent and any mandatory grace period before it can be charged. Where there is no statutory cap, courts still strike fees they find punitive rather than a reasonable estimate of the landlord's cost.
Application fee limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide cap, refund rule or disclosure requirement for rental application fees. URLTA leaves fee terms to the rental agreement ('terms and conditions not prohibited by this chapter or other rule of law'). (URLTA counties only.)
“(a) The landlord and tenant may include in a rental agreement, terms and conditions not prohibited by this chapter or other rule of law including rent, term of the agreement, and other provisions governing the rights and obligations of parties.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Absence verified by a full-code search on the official viewer for "application fee" AND (landlord OR tenant OR rental): only § 13-24-407 (wireless-facility permits) and § 57-4-102 (liquor licenses) matched; no Title 66 section. Supersedes wave-1 draft.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
A cap on what an applicant can be charged to apply, sometimes limited to the actual cost of screening and sometimes prohibited outright. Fee receipts and refund rules usually travel with the cap.
Statewide rent regulation
Source-confirmed 2026-10
(b) Statewide preemption: a local governmental unit may not enact, maintain or enforce any ordinance or resolution controlling the amount of rent charged for private residential or commercial property; § 66-35-102(b) also bars mandatory inclusionary/below-market rent requirements. No statewide rent cap or rent-increase limit exists.
“(a) A local governmental unit shall not enact, maintain or enforce an ordinance or resolution that would have the effect of controlling the amount of rent charged for leasing private residential or commercial property.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Section last amended 2024, ch. 1051, § 3 per the viewer's history line. Chapter 35 of Title 66 is titled 'Rent Control'. Read from the official Lexis TCA search-result excerpt (full-document view CAPTCHA-gated).
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide rent regulation (check local ordinances)”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a statewide law caps annual rent increases or whether rent control exists for covered units. Local ordinances can add limits even where the state has none.
In practice
• State the late fee, the grace period and the application fee in the lease in dollars or a clear percentage; a fee that is not in the lease is rarely enforceable.
• Never charge above the statutory cap even when the lease says more; the excess is unenforceable and can expose the landlord to penalties.
• Keep fee calculations in the ledger so a tenant, a court or an auditor can reproduce them from the rent roll.
Notices, rent increases and termination
How much written notice Tennessee requires before a rent increase, before ending a month-to-month tenancy, and before filing for nonpayment.
Rent-increase notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No Tennessee statute sets a rent-increase notice period or any rent cap (§ 66-35-102 preempts local rent control). Rent is payable 'at the time and place agreed upon by the parties' (§ 66-28-201(c)); a month-to-month rent change is therefore implemented through the 30-day written notice that governs termination of a month-to-month tenancy (§ 66-28-512(b)). (URLTA counties only.)
“(b) The landlord or the tenant may terminate a month-to-month tenancy by a written notice given to the other at least thirty (30) days prior to the periodic rental date specified in the notice.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Absence verified by a full-code search on the official viewer for landlord AND ("rent increase" OR "increase in rent" OR "increasing rent") AND notice: zero documents. § 66-28-201(c) text confirmed: 'Rent shall be payable without demand at the time and place agreed upon by the parties.' 30 days is an inference from the termination rule, not a statutory rent-increase rule.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The written notice a landlord must give before a rent increase takes effect on a periodic (month-to-month) tenancy. Fixed-term leases generally cannot be changed mid-term.
Month-to-month termination notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
30 days' written notice before the periodic rental date specified in the notice (either party); week-to-week: 10 days' written notice. (URLTA counties only.)
“(b) The landlord or the tenant may terminate a month-to-month tenancy by a written notice given to the other at least thirty (30) days prior to the periodic rental date specified in the notice.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Week-to-week rule confirmed on the same official page: '(a) The landlord or the tenant may terminate a week-to-week tenancy by a written notice given to the other at least ten (10) days prior to the termination date specified in the notice.' Supersedes wave-1 Justia draft.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a landlord must give to end a periodic tenancy without cause. Some jurisdictions require longer notice for long-term tenants or require a stated cause.
Pay-or-quit notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
14 days after receipt of written notice to cure a breach remediable by payment (nonpayment of rent) or the rental agreement terminates on a date not less than 14 days after receipt. If the lease contains a notice waiver in 12-point bold or larger, the landlord may proceed on default without the 14-day notice, but the waiver cannot shorten the § 66-28-201 five-day grace period. (URLTA counties only; non-URLTA counties follow general detainer law, not verified here.)
“may inform the tenant that if the breach is not remedied within fourteen (14) days after receipt of such notice, the rental agreement shall terminate”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Also confirmed on the official page: 'the rental agreement shall terminate upon a date not less than fourteen (14) days after receipt of the notice' and 'this subsection (b) shall not reduce the tenant's grace period as provided in § 66-28-201. The tenant's waiver pursuant to this subsection (b) shall be set out in twelve (12) point bold font or larger in the rental agreement.' Supersedes wave-1 Justia draft.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “14 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a tenant must receive for nonpayment before the landlord can file for possession, and the time the tenant has to pay in full and cure. This is the step most often done wrong in an eviction.
In practice
• Serve notices in the form and by the method the statute names, and keep proof of service with the dated notice.
• Count notice periods the way the statute counts them (calendar days, business days, or "before the next rent due date") and build in a margin.
• Treat a notice to a possibly rent-regulated or subsidized unit as a legal check, because longer periods and extra content requirements usually apply.
Landlord entry
When a Tennessee landlord may enter an occupied unit and how much notice the tenant must receive.
Non-emergency entry notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No general advance-notice requirement: the tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent to entry for inspection, repairs, services or showings, and the landlord may enter without consent in an emergency. The only fixed period is 24 hours' notice for showing the unit to prospective tenants within the final 30 days of the tenancy, and only if the rental agreement reserves that right. (URLTA counties only.)
“(a) The tenant shall not unreasonably withhold consent to the landlord to enter onto the premises, including entering into the dwelling unit, in order to inspect the premises, make necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations, or improvements, supply necessary or agreed services, or exhibit the premises to prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, workers or contractors.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
24-hour clause confirmed on the same official page: '... the rental agreement and notice is given to the tenant at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to entry.' Supersedes wave-1 Justia draft.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “24 hours”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The advance notice required before a landlord enters an occupied unit for repairs, inspections or showings. Emergencies are the usual exception.
In practice
• Give written notice with the date, a reasonable time window and the purpose, and log the entry afterwards.
• Emergencies are the only common exception; document what made the entry urgent.
• A pattern of unannounced entries is a common basis for tenant complaints and counterclaims.
Payments, fair housing and licensing
Operational rules that sit outside the landlord-tenant act but decide how rent can be collected, who can be screened out, and who may manage for others.
Card surcharges on rent
Allowed within card-network limits
Returned-payment (NSF) fee
No statewide statutory cap on file
Source-of-income protection
No statewide protection on file
Local ordinances can extend protection beyond the statewide rule.
Property-management licensing
License generally required to manage for others
State real estate broker license required for property management for others — confirm with state commission.
Compliance posture values are reference data compiled from public statutes and are not source-confirmed line by line. Confirm with the state agency before relying on them.
Tennessee next to its neighbors
Own units on both sides of a state line? These are the reference values for every bordering jurisdiction. Open a state to see which values carry a citation.
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard); 5 days grace
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)
Capped at 5% of monthly rent or $15; 5 days grace
Capped at 10% of monthly rent; 5 days grace
Rent-increase notice
30 days
30 days
30 days
60 days
30 days
30 days
30 days
30 days
30 days
Non-emergency entry notice
24 hours
48 hours
Reasonable notice
Reasonable notice
48 hours
Reasonable notice
Reasonable notice
Reasonable notice
24 hours
Pay-or-quit notice
14 days
7 days
10 days
No statewide minimum
7 days
3 days
No statewide minimum
10 days
5 days
Source-of-income protection
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
Protected statewide
Card surcharges on rent
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Lease disclosures on file
Federal and state disclosures Aptoria's lease workflow surfaces for Tennessee. This is a working checklist from public sources, not a complete legal inventory for a specific property.
• Lead-based paint hazards (pre-1978 housing) — EPA Pamphlet "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home"
• URLTA summary (counties >75k)
Official sources
Primary sources a Tennessee landlord should bookmark. Each link was fetched and read during the October 2026 review; the binding text is always the current official version.
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Tennessee?
No statewide cap on the security deposit amount. § 66-28-301 requires deposits to be held in a dedicated account and gives the tenant inspection and itemization rights, but sets no maximum. (URLTA counties only, § 66-28-102(a).) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301(a), confirmed 2026-10).
How long does a Tennessee landlord have to return the security deposit?
Within 30 days after the lease terminates and the tenant vacates, return the deposit or provide an itemized list of deductions (with documentation). The deposit must be held in a separate account; failing the account or itemization requirements forfeits the right to retain any portion. (Tenn. Code § 66-28-301, confirmed 2026-07).
What is the maximum late fee in Tennessee?
Five-day grace period beginning the day rent is due (the due date counts as day one) before any late fee may be charged; if day five falls on a Sunday or legal holiday, the fee may not be charged if rent is paid the next business day. Any charge or fee for late payment, however described, may not exceed 10% of the rent past due. (URLTA counties only.) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-201(d), confirmed 2026-10).
How many days does a Tennessee pay-or-quit notice give the tenant?
14 days after receipt of written notice to cure a breach remediable by payment (nonpayment of rent) or the rental agreement terminates on a date not less than 14 days after receipt. If the lease contains a notice waiver in 12-point bold or larger, the landlord may proceed on default without the 14-day notice, but the waiver cannot shorten the § 66-28-201 five-day grace period. (URLTA counties only; non-URLTA counties follow general detainer law, not verified here.) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505(a)(2)-(3), (b), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice must a Tennessee landlord give before entering?
No general advance-notice requirement: the tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent to entry for inspection, repairs, services or showings, and the landlord may enter without consent in an emergency. The only fixed period is 24 hours' notice for showing the unit to prospective tenants within the final 30 days of the tenancy, and only if the rental agreement reserves that right. (URLTA counties only.) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-403, confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to raise rent in Tennessee?
No Tennessee statute sets a rent-increase notice period or any rent cap (§ 66-35-102 preempts local rent control). Rent is payable 'at the time and place agreed upon by the parties' (§ 66-28-201(c)); a month-to-month rent change is therefore implemented through the 30-day written notice that governs termination of a month-to-month tenancy (§ 66-28-512(b)). (URLTA counties only.) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-512(b); § 66-28-201(c) (no dedicated rent-increase statute), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to end a month-to-month tenancy in Tennessee?
30 days' written notice before the periodic rental date specified in the notice (either party); week-to-week: 10 days' written notice. (URLTA counties only.) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-512(a)-(b), confirmed 2026-10).
Does Tennessee have statewide rent control?
No statewide rent regulation is on file for Tennessee. Local ordinances can still limit increases, so check the city or county where the unit sits before setting a renewal rent.
Is source of income a protected class in Tennessee?
No statewide source-of-income protection is on file for Tennessee, but cities and counties can adopt it. Check local law before refusing a voucher or benefit income, and apply any screening criteria consistently.
Can a Tennessee landlord add a surcharge for paying rent by card?
Allowed within card-network limits. Where a surcharge is allowed, it must still follow card-network rules and be disclosed before payment.
How this page was verified
Every rule is shown in one of two states. “Source-confirmed” means an editor opened the official statute page named next to the rule on the date shown, read the controlling text, and recorded the excerpt you see; the excerpt is quoted verbatim so you can check it. “Reference value” means Aptoria's compliance engine applies a conservative number for this rule, but nobody has yet tied it to a specific statute section on this page, so it must be checked before you rely on it.
This page meets Aptoria's evidence floor for publication (10 source-confirmed rules and 3 fetched official sources). Statutes change; local ordinances can be stricter; the facts of a tenancy change the result.