This state-by-state directory outlines key rental fee and compliance rules that affect how property management companies handle payments, delinquency, and evictions. It covers nonsufficient funds (NSFs), nonpayment and eviction notice requirements, and limits on fees that may be charged beyond base rent.
Non-sufficient funds (NSF) occur when a bank account does not have enough money to cover a transaction. In multifamily housing, this typically happens when a resident’s rent check or ACH payment is returned due to insufficient funds. States differ in how NSF fees must be disclosed and what maximum fees a property may charge. The table below lists each state’s requirements for NSF fee disclosure and maximum allowable NSF fee.
State
NSF Fee Disclosure Requirements
Maximum Allowable NSF Fees
Lease disclosure recommended
$25 (checks < $50)
$30 (checks for $50 to $300)
$40 or 5%, whichever is higher (checks > $300)
Lease disclosure recommended
$20, plus interest at a yearly rate of 12% from the date of dishonor
To take advantage of enhanced civil remedies for dishonored checks, Iowa law requires that civil damages terms be clearly and conspicuously posted at the usual place of payment or disclosed in billing
$30 (only if explicitly and conspicuously disclosed)
Must be explicitly and conspicuously disclosed; additional damages require 15-day written demand.
$25 or 5% of the check
Lease disclosure recommended
Court costs + processing charges, including interest at a 12% yearly rate from date of dishonor
Lease disclosure recommended
$25 (or 1% of total check value, for checks over $2,500 value)
Lease disclosure recommended
$25 (if paid within 7 business days)
$35 (if paid after 7 business days but within 30 days)
$250 plus damages (after 30 days)
Allows an immediate service charge up to $30 only if a notice of the service charge is conspicuously displayed on the premises when the check is issued
$30
Lease disclosure recommended
$25, unless more is authorized by express written agreement
Lease disclosure recommended
No statute before 35 days past due; afterward, up to $500 plus costs
Any fee (late fee, NSF, admin, etc.) must be stated in the lease to be enforceable
$40 + interest up to 12% yearly rate
Lease disclosure recommended
“All reasonable costs and expenses in connection with the collection” (state default is $15)
Nonpayment and eviction rules vary by state and define the steps a property must follow when rent is late. These rules establish whether a grace period is required, how late fees are regulated, what written notice must be provided before eviction, and how long residents have to pay what is owed or move out. Understanding these timelines is essential for staying compliant and managing delinquency.
State
Required Grade Period
Maximum Late Fee Amount
Written Notice Required for Nonpayment Eviction
Time to Move Out/Correct Nonpayment Eviction
None specified
$20 or 20% of the monthly rent, whichever is greater. Chicago imposes its own limit of $10 for the first $500 and 5% thereafter.
Yes
5 days
None specified
$12 per day or $60 per month if rent is under $700; if over $700, $20 per day or $100 per month
Yes
3 days
None specified
8% of the overdue rent amount
Yes
14 days or 30 days for leases with a 20+ year term
Nevada
3 days
5% of the monthly rent
Yes
7 days
None specified
5% or $4 for week-to-week leases, whichever is greater, or 5% or $15 for monthly leases, whichever is greater
Yes
10 days
2 days
$12 of the monthly rent for properties with 4 or less units and 10% of the monthly rent for structures with 4 or more units
Yes
3 days
5 days
No more than 10% of the monthly rent or 10% of the unpaid balance, whichever is less
Yes
5 days
5 business days
$20 or 20% of the monthly rent, whichever is greater
Yes
5 days for month-to-month tenants and leases less than a year, 30 days for leases longer than a year
Maximum-fee regulations define what a property may charge beyond base rent and deposits. States differ in whether junk fees, convenience fees, and processing fees are allowed, whether they must be disclosed, and how much can be collected for a security deposit. These limits shape how properties structure resident charges and avoid noncompliant or unexpected fees.
State
Junk
Security Deposit
Application / screening: Landlord may charge an application screening fee only to cover actual screening costs, capped at $30 (inflation-adjusted); if a reusable tenant screening report is provided and accepted, no screening / application fee may be charged. Convenience / processing: No statewide rent-specific convenience-fee ban, but any such fee must be disclosed and comply with CA consumer-protection law.
Other non-rent fees: General CA rules require that non-optional fees be disclosed in the lease; landlord-tenant and UDAP law can be used against unreasonable or deceptive add-on fees.
Two months’ rent for unfurnished, three months’ for furnished
Application / screening: Landlord cannot charge a rental application fee unless the entire amount is used to cover defined screening costs (credit / background, etc.); must disclose anticipated expenses or itemize actual expenses, give a receipt, and refund unused portions. Convenience / processing: No explicit statewide ban on rent convenience fees yet, but CO consumer-protection law applies. (NCLC flags Colorado as a leader; new law also moves toward “total advertised price” and curbing add-on tenant fees with rent.)
Other non-rent fees: Colorado prohibits move-in and move-out fees; late fees are capped; all such fees must be disclosed in the rental agreement.
Not specified
Application / screening: Landlord may charge a tenant screening fee up to $50 (indexed for inflation).
Other non-rent fees: Recent law effectively limits upfront costs to security deposit, first month’s rent, and certain key / equipment charges; “special” junk fees outside those categories are heavily restricted.
Two months’ rent unless the tenant is over 62 years old, then one month’s rent
Application / screening: Landlord may charge an application screening fee only to cover the cost of obtaining information (credit, background) and must return any unused portion within 30 days. Convenience / processing: No specific statewide rent convenience-fee limit; fees must be disclosed and not unfair or deceptive.
Other non-rent fees: No specific caps, but non-rent charges are subject to general landlord-tenant and consumer-protection standards and must be disclosed.
One month’s rent
Application / screening: Any application / screening fee must be “reasonable” under statute (no numeric cap). Convenience / processing: No specific statewide limits; must be disclosed and reasonable.
Other non-rent fees: No specific statewide caps on admin / move-in / etc.; controlled by lease terms and general unfair-practices law.
Not specified
Application / screening: If a prospective tenant provides a qualifying reusable tenant screening report, the landlord may not charge a fee to access that report or an application / screening fee. Convenience / processing: No specific statewide rent convenience-fee ban; such fees must be disclosed and comply with Illinois consumer-protection standards.
Other non-rent fees: No specific statewide cap on amenity / admin fees; must be disclosed and not unconscionable or deceptive.
Not specified
Application / screening: Landlords cannot charge an “application fee” to submit or review a rental application. They may only require payment of the actual cost of one background / credit / other screening process in any 12-month period. Convenience / processing: No explicit ban on rent convenience fees, but any such charge must be disclosed and fair.
Other non-rent fees: No specific statewide caps beyond general law; junk-fee practices can still be challenged under Maine UDAP and landlord-tenant protections.
Two months’ rent
Application / screening: Landlord may not charge more than $25 in fees from a prospective tenant beyond the security deposit, and may keep only the portion actually spent on credit checks / other application expenses; unused amounts must be refunded. If a reusable screening report is provided and accepted, no application or access fee may be charged. Convenience / processing: No specific rent convenience-fee ban, but non-rent charges are constrained by state consumer-protection law.
Other non-rent fees: If total upfront fees (other than deposit) exceed $215, the excess must be refunded unless actually expended on application-related costs. Other recurring junk fees must be disclosed in the lease.
Two months’ rent
Application / screening: At or before the start of tenancy, landlords may not charge any application / screening or other fees beyond what the statute lists. Brokers can charge separate broker fees, but that’s outside the landlord-fee bucket. Convenience / processing: No express “convenience fee” statute, but any such charge from the landlord would likely conflict with the rule limiting allowable upfront amounts.
Other non-rent fees: Landlords may charge only: first month’s rent, last month’s rent, security deposit, and key / lock costs at move-in.
Other mandatory landlord junk fees are effectively prohibited.
One month’s rent
Application / screening: Detailed rules on disclosures and refunds; landlord must return the screening fee in several circumstances (e.g., if they don’t actually run a check, or if a prior applicant takes the unit). Excess beyond screening costs must be refunded. Convenience / processing: No explicit statewide rent convenience-fee ban, but Minnesota now requires all non-optional fees to be disclosed and rolled into a “Total Monthly Payment” figure in advertising and the lease, which constrains hidden junk add-ons.
Other non-rent fees: Late fees capped at 8% of overdue rent and must be in a written agreement; other recurring fees must be clearly disclosed as part of that “Total Monthly Payment” structure.
Not specified
Application / screening: No special statewide cap beyond general reasonableness; local ordinances may limit.
Convenience / processing: No explicit rent convenience-fee prohibition at the state level; fees must be disclosed and fair.
Other non-rent fees: Late fees capped at 5% of the periodic rent, can’t be charged until rent is at least 3 days late and can’t compound; landlords cannot charge tenants repair / maintenance fees for work the landlord is legally responsible for.
Three months’ rent
Application / screening: From 2025, landlords must disclose in writing any application or renewal fees and the need for credit / background checks before collecting them, and refund undocumented excess; but there is no numeric statewide cap. Convenience / processing: No explicit statewide ban on rent convenience fees; general consumer-protection and disclosure rules apply.
Other non-rent fees: Non-rent fees must be disclosed; unfair / deceptive charges can be challenged under NH consumer law.
One month’s rent
Application / screening: Landlords may not demand any payment or fee for processing an application other than background / credit checks. Application / screening fee must be the lesser of actual cost or $20, and landlord must give applicant a copy of the report and invoice. Fee must be waived if the applicant provides a recent report (≤30 days). Convenience / processing: No statewide ban on convenience fees, but NY law is hostile to non-transparent rent add-ons; such fees must be disclosed and consistent with rent-regulation/UDAP regimes.
Other non-rent fees: Late fees are capped at $50 or 5% of monthly rent, whichever is less, and cannot be charged until rent is at least five days late. Other junk fees can be attacked under consumer and rent-regulation law.
One month’s rent
No statutory cap
Two months’ rent for leases of one year or more; one and a half months’ rent for leases less than one year
Application / screening: Landlords may not charge a rental application fee at all. If the tenant does not supply a required official state background / credit report, landlord may charge only the actual cost of obtaining that report. Convenience / processing: New law (effective Jan 1, 2025) prohibits landlords from charging a “convenience fee” for using a particular rent payment method (e.g., card, specific app, check); they must offer a payment method that does not carry such a fee.
Other non-rent fees: The same 2025 law requires all fees (utilities, renter’s insurance, etc.) to be disclosed in writing as part of the rental agreement or separate disclosure and in the same section as rent; changes in fees require at least 30–40 days’ written notice depending on context. Undisclosed or improperly disclosed fees must be refunded.
One month’s rent
Application / screening: Before taking an application fee, landlord must give a written disclosure of criteria and screening process and comply with state rules about how fees are used; screening-fee abuses can trigger refunds. Convenience / processing: No explicit statewide ban, but Utah is specifically cited by NCLC as a state that caps late fees and requires strong disclosure of non-rent charges.
Other non-rent fees: Before taking any fee, landlord must provide a good-faith written estimate of total rent plus all fixed and use-based non-rent costs; late fees are capped by statute and must be disclosed.
Not specified
Application / screening: Landlords and their agents may not charge application fees for residential rental agreements. Convenience / processing: No specific statewide rent convenience-fee ban; any charge must be disclosed and reasonable.
Other non-rent fees: No separate statewide caps on add-on amenity / admin fees, but Vermont UDAP and landlord-tenant law can be used against abusive junk-fee structures.
Not specified
Application / screening: Application fee capped at $50, or $32 for HUD-regulated units, plus actual out-of-pocket screening costs. Convenience / processing: The legislature passed HB 1519 in 2024, which would prohibit charging transaction / processing fees for electronic fund transfers, including rent and deposits, but the bill’s effectiveness hinges on reenactment / implementation details; as of late 2025, official guidance is mixed (some sources report immediate effect; others say EFT-fee bans are not yet operative).
Other non-rent fees: Other junk fees must be disclosed and comply with the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act and the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.
Two months’ rent
Application / screening: Application / screening fees must reflect actual screening costs and are subject to disclosure and refund rules; if the landlord uses a reusable comprehensive tenant screening report they’ve agreed to accept, they cannot charge the prospective tenant a fee to access it. Convenience / processing: No single statewide “convenience fee” ban, but WA tenant-rights materials emphasize that undisclosed landlord fees are generally unenforceable; any payment-method surcharge needs clear lease disclosure and a fee-free option to avoid UDAP risk.
Other non-rent fees: WA requires all fees to be disclosed in the lease, and many local jurisdictions (esp. Seattle) layer on additional limits around pet fees, move-in charges, and other junk fees.
Not specified
The information provided on this page is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. It summarizes rental payment, fee, and eviction-related regulations based on publicly available sources and may not reflect the most current legal developments or the specific circumstances of your property.
This content does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and Domuso. Domuso makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the information for any particular situation.Laws and regulations vary by jurisdiction and may change over time. You are solely responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and should consult a qualified legal professional for guidance specific to your property or location. Domuso disclaims any liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided on this page.