Indiana Landlord-Tenant Laws (2026)
Last reviewed: July 2026
Indiana sets no cap on security deposits and allows landlords 45 days to return them with an itemized list of deductions. Nonpayment evictions require a 10-day notice to pay or quit, and rent control is preempted statewide. Entry requires reasonable notice, but the statute does not set a fixed hour requirement.
General information, not legal advice. Verify with the current statute or a local attorney before acting.
Indiana landlord-tenant rules at a glance
| Security deposit limit | No statutory limit |
|---|---|
| Deposit return deadline | 45 days |
| Notice to enter | Reasonable notice required (no fixed hour rule in statute) |
| Rent control | Preempted/none |
| Eviction notice (nonpayment) | 10-day notice to pay or quit |
| Late fee rule | No statutory cap, must be reasonable and stated in the lease |
| Month-to-month termination | 30 days (one month) |
| Governing statute | Indiana Landlord-Tenant Law (Ind. Code Title 32, Art. 31) |
Security deposits in Indiana
The deposit rule in Indiana is: No statutory limit. After the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit within 45 days, typically with an itemized statement for any amounts withheld. Deductions are limited to unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and other charges the statute or lease allows — routine repainting and carpet aging from ordinary use generally cannot be charged to the tenant. Both parties should document the unit’s condition at move-in and move-out; disputes usually turn on that evidence.
Landlord entry and tenant privacy
Indiana’s entry rule is: Reasonable notice required (no fixed hour rule in statute). Entry is generally limited to legitimate purposes such as repairs, inspections, and showings, and emergencies allow immediate entry everywhere. Where the statute is silent or vague, courts fall back on the tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment, so landlords should give written notice and enter at reasonable hours regardless of the statutory minimum.
Rent increases and rent control
Rent control status in Indiana: Preempted/none. Even without rent control, a landlord cannot raise rent mid-lease unless the lease allows it, and periodic tenancies require proper advance notice of an increase — commonly the same notice period used to terminate (30 days (one month) in Indiana). Retaliatory increases after a tenant exercises a legal right are prohibited in most states.
Eviction process overview
For unpaid rent, Indiana requires: 10-day notice to pay or quit. If the tenant does not pay or leave, the landlord files an eviction case (the name varies: unlawful detainer, summary process, forcible entry and detainer), serves the tenant, and attends a hearing. Only a court judgment followed by a sheriff or constable can remove a tenant — lockouts and utility shutoffs are illegal in every state. Timelines vary from a few weeks to several months depending on court backlog and whether the tenant contests the case.
Late fees
Indiana’s late fee rule: No statutory cap, must be reasonable and stated in the lease. Even where no statutory cap exists, courts can strike down fees that operate as penalties rather than reasonable estimates of the landlord’s actual cost, and the fee must appear in the written lease to be enforceable.
Ending a lease or month-to-month tenancy
To end a month-to-month tenancy in Indiana, the required notice is: 30 days (one month). Fixed-term leases end on their own schedule unless renewed, though some states and cities require just cause or additional notice even at lease end. Notice should always be written, dated, and delivered by a method the statute recognizes.
Is Indiana landlord-friendly or tenant-friendly?
Indiana is generally considered landlord-friendly. Indiana has no deposit cap, a long 45-day return window, preempted rent control, and relatively few statutory tenant remedies, though its 10-day nonpayment notice is longer than in many landlord-friendly states.
Official source
The governing law is the Indiana Landlord-Tenant Law (Ind. Code Title 32, Art. 31). Read the current text at the state’s official legislative site: https://iga.in.gov/laws/2024/ic/titles/32.
Indiana landlord-tenant law FAQs
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Indiana?
- Security deposits in Indiana are governed by the Indiana Landlord-Tenant Law (Ind. Code Title 32, Art. 31). The deposit rule is: No statutory limit. After the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit (minus properly documented deductions) within 45 days. Landlords who miss the deadline or take undocumented deductions can owe the tenant damages, so both sides should document the unit's condition at move-in and move-out and keep an itemized statement of any charges. Deposit rules are amended fairly often, so verify the current statute before relying on a specific number.
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before evicting for unpaid rent in Indiana?
- For nonpayment of rent, Indiana requires: 10-day notice to pay or quit. That notice is only the first step, a landlord cannot legally remove a tenant without then filing an eviction case and winning a court judgment, and self-help evictions (changing locks, shutting off utilities) are prohibited. Local courts and city ordinances can add procedural steps, so check the Indiana Landlord-Tenant Law (Ind. Code Title 32, Art. 31) and local rules before starting an eviction.
- Can a landlord enter a rental property without permission in Indiana?
- Indiana's entry rule is: Reasonable notice required (no fixed hour rule in statute). Genuine emergencies (fire, flooding, gas leaks) are a standard exception in every state, and lease clauses can add detail but generally cannot strip a tenant's right to quiet enjoyment. For ending a month-to-month tenancy, Indiana requires 30 days (one month) of notice. When in doubt, put entry requests and termination notices in writing and confirm the current rule in the Indiana Landlord-Tenant Law (Ind. Code Title 32, Art. 31).
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Related Lofty resources
- Rental property calculator — model cash flow with Indiana vacancy and eviction-cost assumptions.
- Rental income investing guide — how landlord-tenant rules feed into returns.
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This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws change — verify with the current statute or a local attorney before acting. Rules reflect widely documented statutes as of July 2026; cities and counties in Indiana may add their own requirements.