Most landlords charge late fees if a tenant doesn’t provide their rent payment in a timely fashion. Usually, late rent fees are designed to incentivize on-time payment while also compensating the landlord for any hardships they experience when a tenant doesn’t pay by the due date.
Depending on where you live, state laws may set limits on your maximum late fees. This provides tenants with a degree of protection, ensuring that landlords aren’t charging an unreasonable amount.
However, not all states have hard-and-fast numbers. Some may simply require that the landlord include the late rent fee amount in the lease. Other states have mandates stating that late rent fees have to be “reasonable,” though they don’t necessarily define what “reasonable” means.
If you’re curious about late rent fees in your state, including what the limits are, if any are in place, here’s what you need to know.
Late Rent Fees by State
Late fee limits and grace periods by state:
- Alabama—Maximum late fee: No laws regarding late fees; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Alaska—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be agreed upon, such as by being listed in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Arizona—Maximum late fee: Must be reasonable and in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Arkansas—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: 5 days
- California—Maximum late fee: Must be reasonable and in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Colorado—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Connecticut—Maximum late fee: Must be reasonable and in the lease; Grace period: 9 days
- Delaware—Maximum late fee: 5 % of the rent amount; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- District of Columbia—Maximum late fee: 5 % of the rent amount; Grace period: 5 days
- Florida—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Georgia—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Hawaii—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Idaho—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Illinois—Maximum late fee: No laws regarding late fees; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Indiana—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Iowa—Maximum late fee: $60 to $100, depending on the rent amount; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Kansas—Maximum late fee: No laws regarding late fees; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Kentucky—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Louisiana—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Maine—Maximum late fee: 4 % of the past due amount; Grace period: 15 days
- Maryland—Maximum late fee: 5 % of the amount owed; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Massachusetts—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: 30 days for late fees, though evictions can begin immediately
- Michigan—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Minnesota—Maximum late fee: 8 % of the rent amount; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Mississippi—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Missouri—Maximum late fee: No laws regarding late fees; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Montana—Maximum late fee: No laws regarding late fees; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Nebraska—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Nevada—Maximum late fee: 5 % of the rent amount; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- New Hampshire—Maximum late fee: No laws regarding late fees; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- New Jersey—Maximum late fee: No laws outlining late fee size; Grace period: 5 days (only for protected classes)
- New Mexico—Maximum late fee: 10 % of the rent amount; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- New York—Maximum late fee: $50 or 5 % of rent amount, whichever is less; Grace period: 5 days
- North Carolina—Maximum late fee: $15 or 5 % of the rent, whichever is greater; Grace period: 5 days
- North Dakota—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Ohio—Maximum late fee: Must be reasonable and in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Oklahoma—Maximum late fee: Must be reasonable and in the lease; Grace period: 5 days (14 days for public housing)
- Oregon—Maximum late fee: 5 % of the rent amount; Grace period: 4 days
- Pennsylvania—Maximum late fee: No laws regarding late fees; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Rhode Island—Maximum late fee: No laws outlining late fee size; Grace period: 15 days
- South Carolina—Maximum late fee: No laws regarding late fees; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- South Dakota—Maximum late fee: No laws regarding late fees; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Tennessee—Maximum late fee: 10 % of the past due amount; Grace period: 5 days
- Texas—Maximum late fee: 12 % of the rent amount; Grace period: 1 day
- Utah—Maximum late fee: No laws regarding late fees; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Vermont—Maximum late fee: No laws regarding late fees; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Virginia—Maximum late fee: 10 % of the amount due; Grace period: 5 days
- Washington—Maximum late fee: Must be reasonable and in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- West Virginia—Maximum late fee: Must be reasonable and in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Wisconsin—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
- Wyoming—Maximum late fee: No limit, but must be in the lease; Grace period: No state-mandated grace period
It’s important to note that, like all laws, regulations around late rent fees can change over time. As a result, it is wise to stay vigilant, regularly checking to see if there is an update that may impact you moving forward.