Tennessee Landlord-Tenant Laws (2026)
Last reviewed: July 2026
Tennessee's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, including the 14-day nonpayment notice and 10% late-fee cap, applies only in counties above a population threshold, covering Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. Smaller counties fall back on general statutes and lease terms. There is no deposit cap or rent control statewide.
General information, not legal advice. Verify with the current statute or a local attorney before acting.
Tennessee landlord-tenant rules at a glance
| Security deposit limit | No statutory limit |
|---|---|
| Deposit return deadline | 30 days (in counties covered by the URLTA) |
| Notice to enter | Reasonable notice; 24 hours for showings in the final 30 days of a lease (URLTA counties) |
| Rent control | Preempted/none |
| Eviction notice (nonpayment) | 14-day notice to pay or quit (URLTA counties; rules differ in smaller counties) |
| Late fee rule | Capped at 10% of the overdue amount, after a 5-day grace period (URLTA counties) |
| Month-to-month termination | 30 days |
| Governing statute | Tennessee Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (T.C.A. Title 66, Ch. 28) |
Security deposits in Tennessee
The deposit rule in Tennessee is: No statutory limit. After the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit within 30 days (in counties covered by the URLTA), 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
Tennessee’s entry rule is: Reasonable notice; 24 hours for showings in the final 30 days of a lease (URLTA counties). 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 Tennessee: 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 in Tennessee). Retaliatory increases after a tenant exercises a legal right are prohibited in most states.
Eviction process overview
For unpaid rent, Tennessee requires: 14-day notice to pay or quit (URLTA counties; rules differ in smaller counties). 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
Tennessee’s late fee rule: Capped at 10% of the overdue amount, after a 5-day grace period (URLTA counties). 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 Tennessee, the required notice is: 30 days. 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 Tennessee landlord-friendly or tenant-friendly?
Tennessee is generally considered landlord-friendly. Tennessee has no deposit cap or rent control, and its uniform tenant protections only apply in larger counties, leaving much of the state governed by lease terms.
Official source
The governing law is the Tennessee Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (T.C.A. Title 66, Ch. 28). Read the current text at the state’s official legislative site: https://www.tn.gov/tsc/statutes.html.
Tennessee landlord-tenant law FAQs
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Tennessee?
- Security deposits in Tennessee are governed by the Tennessee Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (T.C.A. Title 66, Ch. 28). The deposit rule is: No statutory limit. After the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit (minus properly documented deductions) within 30 days (in counties covered by the URLTA). 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 Tennessee?
- For nonpayment of rent, Tennessee requires: 14-day notice to pay or quit (URLTA counties; rules differ in smaller counties). 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 Tennessee Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (T.C.A. Title 66, Ch. 28) and local rules before starting an eviction.
- Can a landlord enter a rental property without permission in Tennessee?
- Tennessee's entry rule is: Reasonable notice; 24 hours for showings in the final 30 days of a lease (URLTA counties). 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, Tennessee requires 30 days of notice. When in doubt, put entry requests and termination notices in writing and confirm the current rule in the Tennessee Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (T.C.A. Title 66, Ch. 28).
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Related Lofty resources
- Rental property calculator — model cash flow with Tennessee vacancy and eviction-cost assumptions.
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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 Tennessee may add their own requirements.