Landlord laws
Rhode Island landlord-tenant law
Rhode Island Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18, plus § 34-37-4 (official text, webserver.rilegislature.gov)
Last verified Oct 2026
General information only. Not legal advice. RentToolkit is not a law firm. Laws and local ordinances change, so check the statute and consult a licensed attorney in your state before acting.
| Topic | Rule (plain English) | Statute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security deposit cap | A deposit may not exceed 1 month's rent. For a furnished unit with furniture worth $5,000 or more, you may also take a separate furniture deposit of up to 1 month's rent. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(a), (e) | Verified |
| Deposit return deadline | Within 20 days after the latest of the tenancy ending, the tenant moving out, or the tenant giving a forwarding address, deliver the balance with a written itemized notice of deductions. Deductions are limited to unpaid rent, reasonable cleaning and trash removal, and physical damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Failing to comply lets the tenant recover the amount due plus twice the amount wrongfully withheld and attorney's fees. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(b)–(c) | Verified |
| Deposit holding and interest | Not specified in state statute. No statute requires paying interest or using a separate account. We checked every section of R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18. | R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18 | Not in statute |
| Late fee cap and grace period | Not specified in state statute. Rhode Island statutes set no residential late-fee cap and require no grace period. We checked every section of ch. 34-18. Any fees beyond rent must be disclosed next to the rent in the lease (34-18-15). Note: Late-fee limits, if any, come from the lease and contract case law, not statute. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15(a)(1) | Not in statute |
| Landlord entry notice | Except in an emergency or when impracticable, give at least 2 days' notice of your intent to enter and enter only at reasonable times. You may enter without consent in an emergency, or during a tenant absence of more than 7 days if reasonably needed to protect the property. The tenant may not unreasonably refuse entry for inspection, repairs, services or showings. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-26 | Verified |
| Rent increase notice | Give written notice of a rent increase at least 60 days before it takes effect. Month-to-month tenants over 62 must get at least 120 days' notice. Independent living, assisted living and congregate care facilities are excluded. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-16.1 | Verified |
| Rent control status | Not specified in state statute. No statewide rent control, and no state statute bans local rent limits. We checked every section of ch. 34-18. Note: Whether a municipality may adopt rent limits depends on law outside this chapter. | R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18 | Not in statute |
| Eviction notice: nonpayment | Once rent is 15 days overdue, mail a written demand notice in substantially the statutory form, stating the overdue amount and that the agreement ends unless it's paid within 5 days of mailing. You may file no earlier than the 6th day after mailing. The tenant may cure by paying in full before you file. If the tenant hasn't had such a notice in the past 6 months, they may also cure at the hearing by paying the arrears and court costs. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35 | Verified |
| Eviction notice: lease violation | For a material lease violation, or a health-and-safety violation of the tenant's duties, mail a written demand notice in substantially the statutory form. It must state the breach, what's needed to fix it, and that the agreement ends on a date at least 21 days after mailing unless the breach is fixed within 20 days. Fixing it in time keeps the tenancy, except for certain violations of 34-18-24. A repeat within 6 months allows termination on 20 days' notice with no chance to cure. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-36 | Verified |
| Required disclosures | At or before move-in, disclose in writing the name, address and phone number of the property manager and of the owner or agent for notices (34-18-20). Disclose all fees beyond rent beside the rent in the lease, which utilities you pay, and any renters-insurance requirement (34-18-15). Tell the tenant if your mortgage is 120 days delinquent (34-18-20(d)). Register every rental with the Department of Health, with a lead certificate of conformance for pre-1978 units (34-18-58). For pre-1978 housing, also give the federal lead-paint disclosure (40 CFR 745.113). | R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-15, 34-18-20, 34-18-58; 40 CFR 745.113 | Verified |
| Fair housing beyond federal law | Rhode Island adds sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, lawful source of income, veteran or servicemember status, country of ancestral origin, and age. You also may not ask whether someone is a domestic-abuse victim or has sought a protective order. Its other classes match federal law. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4(a) | Verified |
Last verified Oct 2026 · Sources are official state legislature sites. Federal rules also apply.
Tools for Rhode Island landlords
Late fee calculator
Model grace periods and fees.
Open →Prorated rent calculator
Mid-month move-ins.
Open →Rent increase calculator
New rent and annual impact.
Open →General information only. Not legal advice. RentToolkit is not a law firm. Laws and local ordinances change, so check the statute and consult a licensed attorney in your state before acting.