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Rhode Island landlord-tenant law

Checked against the Rhode Island statutes on September 24, 2026 Statutes current through: Codified sections through the 2025 session; 2026 public laws amending chapter 34-18 read separately (P.L. 2026, chs. 147, 148, 165, 166) General information, not legal advice

Create a Rhode Island lease What the Rhode Island lease includes
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Key numbers Application and screening feesFair housingRequired disclosuresFlood disclosureOwner and manager disclosureSecurity deposit limitReturning the depositDeposit account and interestMove-in conditionRent and late feesReturned payment feeRent increase noticeLandlord entryRepairs and habitabilityTenant repair remediesLocks and security devicesSmoke and carbon monoxide alarmsRetaliationLockouts and utility shutoffsEnding a month-to-month tenancyEnding a lease earlyNotice for unpaid rentNotice for lease violationsEviction processAbandonment and belongings left behindSmall claimsUnauthorized occupancy and adverse possessionRent control and local rules Questions Statutes read

Rhode Island in brief

Rhode Island caps the security deposit at one month's rent and requires the balance, with an itemized list of deductions, within 20 days after the latest of the end of the tenancy, the return of possession or the tenant's forwarding address. You may not charge a rental application fee, must give 60 days' written notice of a rent increase (120 for a month-to-month tenant over 62) and two days' notice before entering. Once rent is 15 days late, a mailed demand gives the tenant five days to pay before an eviction can be filed, and no nonpayment case can be filed unless you are registered in the state rental registry. List every fee in the rent section of the lease, and carry at least $100,000 of liability insurance and give the tenant the declaration page.

Key numbers

Security deposit limit
1 month's rent
a separate furniture deposit is allowed only for furniture worth $5,000 or more
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(a), (e)
Deposit refund deadline
20 days
after the tenancy ends, possession is returned or a forwarding address is given, whichever is last
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(b)
Demand for unpaid rent
5 days
from mailing, once rent is 15 days in arrears
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35
Time to fix a lease violation
20 days
from mailing; the lease ends no sooner than 21 days after mailing
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-36
Ending a month-to-month tenancy
30 days
written notice before the date named
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-37(b)
Entry notice
2 days
except in an emergency or where impracticable
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-26(c)
Rent increase notice
60 days
120 days for a month-to-month tenant over 62
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-16.1
Rental application fee
Not allowed
a background or credit check may be charged at actual cost only if the applicant has none from the last 90 days
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-59
Late fee limit
None set
chapter 34-18 sets no amount or grace period; list the fee with the rent
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15(a)(1)R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18
Dishonored check collection fee
$25
recoverable with triple damages if unpaid 30 days after a notice of dishonor
R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-42-3(b)

Before you sign

Application and screening fees

A landlord, broker, property manager or anyone acting for them may not require a prospective tenant to pay a rental application fee. You may require an official state criminal background check or a credit check, but if the applicant provides one issued within the last 90 days you may not charge for it. If the applicant does not, you may charge no more than the actual cost of obtaining it, and you must give the applicant a copy.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-59 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-62 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4

More detail (5)
  • You may always run your own background check or credit report at your own expense. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-59(b)(3)
  • The official state criminal background check can come from the Bureau of Criminal Identification, the Attorney General, the state police or the local police where the applicant lives. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-59(b)
  • Since July 2, 2025, a landlord may not ask about, or require any statement about, the immigration or citizenship status of a tenant, applicant or occupant. You may still ask for what you need to verify an applicant's identity or finances, or to meet a federal legal duty. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-62
  • You may ask whether an applicant is 18 or older and confirm the source, amount and expected duration of a lawful source of income, but not ask about any protected characteristic. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4(a)
  • A minimum income requirement must be measured only against the part of the rent the tenant will pay, counting any rental assistance or housing subsidy. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4(c)

Fair housing

Rhode Island bars housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, lawful source of income, status as a servicemember or as a veteran with an honorable or general discharge, country of ancestral origin, disability, age, familial status, or being a victim of domestic abuse or having sought a protective order. That covers refusing to rent, different terms or services, discriminatory ads, and misrepresenting availability.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-2 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4

More detail (5)
  • Lawful source of income includes child support, alimony, Social Security, public assistance and rental assistance such as Section 8 vouchers. An owner-occupied building of three units or fewer is exempt from the source of income rule. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-3(18) R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4.6
  • Allow reasonable modifications at the tenant's expense and make reasonable accommodations in rules and services for a person with a disability. A trained assistance animal may not be charged extra, though the tenant is liable for damage it causes. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4(d), (e)
  • The familial status rule does not apply to a two-unit owner-occupied building, some owner-occupied buildings of four units or fewer, and qualifying housing for older persons. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4.1
  • A person renting out part of a home they will share may choose a housemate of a particular gender. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4(k)
  • Retaliating against anyone who opposes discrimination or takes part in a complaint is prohibited. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4(m)

Required disclosures

In the lease, list every fee beyond the rent in the rent section, say which utilities the rent covers and which the tenant pays, and state any renters insurance requirement. Before signing, tell the tenant about any outstanding minimum housing code violations on the building. Carry at least $100,000 of general liability insurance and give the tenant the policy's declaration page with the written lease and a new copy at each renewal.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22.1 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-58

More detail (6)
  • If you are cited for a housing code violation during the tenancy, deliver a copy of the notice to every tenant of the affected building within 30 days of receiving it, unless you correct every violation within that time. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22.1(a)
  • Every landlord must register with the Department of Health's statewide rental registry, re-register by October 1 each year, and register a newly acquired or newly rented property within 30 days. For a pre-1978 home that is not exempt, file a lead certificate of conformance or proof of exemption. Fines start at $50 a month, or $125 for the lead filing. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-58
  • For a pre-1978 rental that is not lead safe, give the tenant basic information on lead hazard control, a copy of the independent clearance inspection, and instructions for reporting deteriorating conditions. R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-128.1-8(a)(4)
  • If you fall 120 days behind on the mortgage on the property, tell the tenant it may be subject to foreclosure. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-20(d)
  • Give the names, addresses and phone numbers of the manager and of the owner or owner's agent for notices. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-20(a) See Owner and manager disclosure
  • Starting January 1, 2027, for a unit that is shoreline property, give the tenant before the tenancy starts a written shoreline access disclosure covering the public's shore rights, any public rights of way you know of, and whom to contact about them. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-20(e) (P.L. 2026, ch. 165)
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease carries the fee, utility and insurance disclosure, the housing code violation notice, the rental registry notice, the liability insurance duty, an owner and agent addendum, and a state lead addendum for pre-1978 homes. The insurance declaration page and the lead clearance documents are not in the package; you supply them.

Flood disclosure

Partly read

Chapter 34-18 requires no flood disclosure to a tenant. Other parts of Rhode Island law were not searched for one for this page.

R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18

Owner and manager disclosure

At or before the start of the tenancy, give the tenant in writing the name, address and phone number of the person authorized to manage the premises and of an owner or the owner's agent for service of process and notices. Keep it current; a successor landlord is bound too.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-20 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22.3

More detail (5)
  • Anyone who fails to disclose becomes the landlord's agent for receiving notices and for performing the landlord's duties. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-20(c)
  • A landlord who does not live in Rhode Island must designate and keep an in-state agent, filed with the Secretary of State and the city or town clerk, or face a civil fine of $100 a month up to $1,200 a year, or one month's rent if the rent exceeds $1,200. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22.3
  • A seller stays liable until written notice of the sale gives the buyer's name, address and phone number and certifies housing code compliance; a departing manager gives similar notice. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-23
  • Landlords in Providence and Warwick also register their name, home address and phone number with the city clerk. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-57
  • The statewide rental registry requires the landlord's and any manager's contact details for each unit. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-58(a)
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

Every Rhode Island lease attaches an owner and agent identification addendum with the names, addresses and phone number, the mortgage delinquency notice duty and the nonresident agent rule. Check that the phone number shown is correct before signing.

Deposits, rent and fees

Security deposit limit

A landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit, however it is labeled, of more than one month's periodic rent.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-11

More detail (5)
  • A landlord who rents a furnished apartment may also take a separate furniture security deposit of up to one month's rent, but only if the furniture supplied is worth $5,000 or more to replace, valued when the lease is signed. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(e)
  • The furniture deposit comes back within the same 20 days, less reasonable cleaning, repair and damage to the furniture beyond ordinary wear and tear. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(f)
  • A security deposit is money the tenant gives at or shortly after the start of the tenancy as a deposit against physical damage to the unit. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-11
  • A lease may not waive any part of the deposit section. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(h)
  • Money a tenant with a disability pays into an escrow account to restore a modified unit does not count toward the one-month limit, though the return rules still apply to it. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4(d)
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease states the one-month limit and the furniture deposit rule, and the lease builder stops a security deposit above one month's rent. A separate furniture deposit cannot be added in the builder.

Returning the deposit

Within 20 days after the latest of the end of the tenancy, the return of possession, or the tenant giving a forwarding address for the deposit, deliver a written notice itemizing any deductions together with the balance. You may deduct only unpaid accrued rent, reasonable cleaning, reasonable trash disposal, and physical damage beyond ordinary wear and tear caused by the tenant's failure to meet the tenant's duties.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-11

More detail (5)
  • If you do not comply, the tenant may recover the amount due plus damages of twice the amount wrongfully withheld and reasonable attorney's fees. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(c)
  • Ordinary wear and tear is deterioration from the tenant's normal, nonabusive living, and includes deterioration caused by the landlord's failure to prepare for expected conditions or to meet the landlord's own obligations. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-11
  • Whoever holds the landlord's interest when the tenancy ends is bound by the deposit rules, so a buyer takes on the duty to return it. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(g)
  • When a tenant ends the lease because of an uncured serious breach by the landlord, a fire or casualty, or an unlawful lockout or utility shutoff, return all recoverable security and all prepaid rent. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-28(d) R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-33(b) R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-34
  • If a tenant dies and a household member stays on under the post-death grace period, you may deduct damage from the existing deposit but may not ask for a new one. The balance goes to that person if the grace period runs longer than one month, and to the estate otherwise. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-38(d)(10)
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease repeats the 20-day deadline from the latest of the three events, the four allowed deductions, the itemized notice and the double-damages penalty.

Deposit account and interest

Not set by statute

Chapter 34-18 does not require a landlord to keep a security deposit in a separate account or to pay interest on it.

R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19

More detail (1)
  • One exception runs through the fair housing law: where a tenant with a disability agrees to pay toward restoring a modification, the money goes into an interest-bearing escrow account and the interest belongs to the tenant. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4(d)

Move-in condition

Not set by statute

Chapter 34-18 does not require a move-in inspection or a written condition checklist. The landlord must deliver possession at the start of the term in line with the lease and the duty to keep the home fit and habitable.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-21 R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18

More detail (2)
  • Deposit deductions are limited to damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, so a record of the unit's condition at move-in is the landlord's best evidence. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(b)
  • If the landlord fails to deliver possession, rent abates until it is delivered, and the tenant may end the lease on five days' written notice or demand possession. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-29
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease has the tenant accept the home as shown in any move-in condition report and report pre-existing damage in writing within seven days of move-in.

Rent and late fees

Rent is due at the time and place the parties agree, without demand. Chapter 34-18 sets no late fee amount and no grace period. Any fee beyond the rent must be disclosed in the same section of the lease as the rent, with a statement that additional fees may apply, and a landlord may not charge a convenience fee on a rent payment unless it also accepts a way to pay that carries no such fee.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-61 R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18

More detail (6)
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease charges the late fee you choose only after the grace day you set, lists it with every other fee in a disclosure inside the rent section, and says no Rhode Island statute caps a late fee or sets a grace period. Rentari suggests at least three days' grace but does not require it.

Returned payment fee

When a check, draft or other instrument is dishonored and stays unpaid for 10 days, the holder may send a notice of dishonor in the statutory form. If the writer does not pay within 30 days after that notice is mailed, the holder may recover in District Court the amount of the check, a $25 collection fee, and three times the amount of the check, but not less than $200 or more than $1,000.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-42-1 R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-42-2 R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-42-3 R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-42-4

More detail (4)

Rent increase notice

Give the tenant written notice at least 60 days before a rent increase takes effect. A month-to-month tenant over the age of 62 gets at least 120 days' notice. Chapter 34-18 limits the notice, not the size of the increase.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-16.1

More detail (3)

During the tenancy

Landlord entry

Except in an emergency or where it is impracticable, give the tenant at least two days' notice of your intent to enter, and enter only at reasonable times. The tenant may not unreasonably refuse entry to inspect, make necessary or agreed repairs, supply services, or show the unit to buyers, lenders, tenants, workers or contractors.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-26 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-45

More detail (5)
  • You may enter without consent in an emergency, or during a tenant's absence of more than seven days if reasonably necessary to protect the property. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-26(b)
  • Otherwise you have no right of access except by court order, to make repairs the tenant failed to make after notice, or once the tenant has abandoned or surrendered the unit. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-26(d) R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-39
  • You may not abuse the right of access or use it to harass the tenant. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-26(c)
  • If the tenant refuses lawful access, you may seek a court order or end the lease; if the landlord enters unlawfully, unreasonably or with harassing demands, the tenant may seek an order or end the lease. The winner recovers actual damages, costs and reasonable attorney's fees. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-45
  • A lease may require the tenant to tell you, no later than its first day, about any absence longer than 10 days. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-27
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease gives two days' notice, or the longer notice you choose, and repeats the emergency and seven-day absence exceptions, the limits on other access and the remedies for abuse of access.

Repairs and habitability

Keep the premises fit and habitable: comply with building and housing codes affecting health and safety, make all needed repairs, keep common areas clean and safe, and keep electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems and supplied appliances in good and safe working order. Provide trash receptacles and removal, running water and reasonable hot water at all times, and reasonable heat from October 1 to May 1 where the building must be equipped for it.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-18 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-24

More detail (7)
  • Where the housing code duty is stricter than the others, the code duty controls. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22(b)
  • A tenant may agree in a signed writing to do specified repairs or maintenance only if the deal is made in good faith for adequate consideration, the work is not needed to cure a code violation, and it does not reduce your duties to other tenants. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22(c)
  • No lease or other document may let a landlord collect rent free of the duty to maintain the premises. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-18
  • The tenant must keep the unit clean and safe, dispose of waste, use fixtures and appliances reasonably, not damage the premises, and not disturb neighbors. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-24
  • If the tenant fails a maintenance duty affecting health and safety, you may give 20 days' written notice, or act promptly in an emergency, then do the work and bill its reasonable cost as rent. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-39
  • A landlord who converts space into apartments knowing they would violate zoning or the housing code pays the moving costs of tenants forced out, within the same city or town. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22.2
  • Pre-1978 rental homes that are not lead safe must meet the state lead hazard mitigation standard, and hazards must be corrected within 30 days after notice from a tenant whose household has an at-risk occupant. R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-128.1-8(a)
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease restates the maintenance duties, including heat from October 1 to May 1, and the liability insurance duty.

Tenant repair remedies

If the landlord breaks the lease or the maintenance duties in a way that materially affects health and safety, the tenant may give written notice that the lease will end on a date at least 30 days after you receive it unless the breach is fixed within 20 days. For code, repair, trash, water or heat failures whose reasonable cost is under $500 in total per year, the tenant may instead notify you and, if you do not comply or show ongoing good faith efforts within 20 days of written notice, have the work done in a skilled manner and deduct the cost after giving you an itemized statement.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-28 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-30 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-31

More detail (6)
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease sets out the 30-day termination notice, the under-$500 repair and deduct remedy and the essential services remedy.

Locks and security devices

Partly read

Since July 1, 2026, when a tenant or household member reasonably believes they face an imminent threat of abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking at the unit, you must, at the request of all tenants in possession or on a court order, make a good faith effort within two business days to change the locks, or let the tenant change them, and give the requester a key. Chapter 34-18 sets no other rule on locks or rekeying between tenants. The state housing and fire codes were not fully read for this page, so check them and local codes.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-65 (P.L. 2026, ch. 147) R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18

More detail (5)

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Not read

Rhode Island's smoke and carbon monoxide alarm rules sit in the state Fire Safety Code and its regulations, which were not read for this page. Chapter 34-18 has no alarm section of its own.

R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 23-28.1

In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease has the landlord provide working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors at move-in and bars the tenant from disabling them.

Retaliation

You may not raise the rent, cut services, or bring or threaten an eviction because the tenant complained to a code enforcement agency about a health and safety violation, complained to you about a maintenance violation, organized or joined a tenants' union, or used any other lawful right.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-46

More detail (3)
  • A retaliating landlord faces the lockout remedies: the greater of three months' rent or three times actual damages, plus attorney's fees, and the tenant has a defense to the eviction. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-46(b) R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-34
  • A complaint made within six months before the landlord's action creates a presumption of retaliation, unless the complaint came after notice of a proposed rent increase or cut in services. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-46(b)
  • You may still seek possession if the tenant's lack of care caused the violation, the tenant is behind on rent, or code compliance or public action requires work that would displace the tenant and the city's relocation rules are met. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-46(c)
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease states the four protected grounds, the remedies, the six-month presumption and its exception, and the three cases where possession may still be sought.

Lockouts and utility shutoffs

A landlord may not take back the unit by self-help, including by willfully interrupting heat, running water, hot water, electricity, gas or another essential service, except after abandonment or surrender or as chapter 34-18 allows. Possession comes through the court.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-44 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-34

More detail (2)
  • A tenant who is unlawfully removed or excluded, or whose essential services are willfully cut, may recover possession or end the lease and recover the greater of three months' rent or three times actual damages, plus attorney's fees; if the lease ends, the landlord returns the deposit and prepaid rent. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-34
  • Distraint for rent is abolished, and a landlord's lien on a tenant's household goods is not enforceable. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-42
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease says the landlord may not change locks or exclude the tenant except through the court process and may not take possession by self-help.

Ending a tenancy

Ending a month-to-month tenancy

Either side may end a month-to-month tenancy, or any periodic tenancy longer than a month and shorter than a year, by written notice delivered at least 30 days before the date named. A week-to-week tenancy needs at least 10 days, and a year-to-year tenancy needs notice at least three months before the end of the occupation year. Each notice should follow the statutory form.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-37 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-56

More detail (3)
  • Without a fixed term, a tenancy is week to week for a roomer who pays weekly and month to month in every other case. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15(d)
  • The statutory form tells the tenant to leave on the first day after the end of the current rental period and to keep paying rent until then. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-56(c)
  • If the tenant stays on after the date, you may file on the next day. A willful, bad faith holdover can cost up to three months' rent or three times your actual damages, whichever is greater, plus attorney's fees. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-38(a), (c)
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease states all three notice periods, week to week, month to month and year to year.

Ending a lease early

Chapter 34-18 gives a tenant three ways to end a lease early. A tenant who is 65 or older, or turns 65 during the term, may end it to move into assisted living, a nursing facility or federally designated elderly housing, by written notice with proof of admission; it ends no earlier than 45 days after the first rent due date after the notice. A servicemember may end it after entering military service, or on permanent change of station or deployment orders of at least 90 days, by written notice with a copy of the orders. Since July 1, 2026, a tenant may also end it without penalty if the tenant or a household member was a victim of abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking within the last 150 days, with written verification.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15 R.I. Gen. Laws § 30-7-10 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-40 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-63 (P.L. 2026, ch. 147)

More detail (8)

Notice for unpaid rent

Once any rent is 15 days in arrears, mail the tenant a written demand, substantially in the statutory form, stating the amount 15 days overdue and that the lease ends unless the tenant pays within five days of the date of mailing. If the tenant does not pay, you may file for eviction no earlier than the sixth day after mailing.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-56

More detail (4)
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease repeats the 15-day arrears trigger, the five days from mailing, the sixth-day filing rule and both cure rights.

Notice for lease violations

For a material breach of the lease or a breach of the tenant's duties that materially affects health and safety, mail a written notice, substantially in the statutory form, saying what the breach is, what the tenant must do to fix it, and that unless it is fixed within 20 days of mailing the lease ends on a stated date at least 21 days after mailing. If the tenant fixes it in time, the lease continues.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-36 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-56

More detail (4)
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease repeats the 20 days from mailing, the 21-day termination date, the six-month repeat rule and the no-notice cases.

Eviction process

Evictions are filed in the District Court, or a housing court where one has jurisdiction, on the statutory complaint forms. For nonpayment, the clerk sets a hearing 14 to 24 days after filing, you mail the summons, complaint and blank answer on the day you file, and a sheriff or constable serves the tenant at least five days before the hearing. For a lease violation or a holdover, the tenant has 20 days after service to answer.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-9 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-10 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-36 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-38

More detail (6)
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease names the District Court or housing court for the premises and describes the notices each kind of case needs.

Abandonment and belongings left behind

A unit is abandoned when the tenant has left without notice and does not intend to return, shown by rent unpaid for more than 15 days and removal of substantially all belongings. Send a certified letter, return receipt requested, to the last known address saying you will re-rent unless you hear back within seven days. If the letter comes back or the tenant does not reply in seven days, make reasonable efforts to re-rent at a fair rent.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-11(1) R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-40

More detail (3)
  • A new tenancy that starts before the old lease would have ended terminates the old lease on that date. If you do not try to re-rent, or you accept the abandonment as a surrender, the lease is treated as ended on the date you learned of the abandonment. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-40
  • Chapter 34-18 sets no storage period or sale procedure for belongings left behind. R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18
  • After a court-ordered removal, the tenant pays the moving costs and any prepaid storage before the belongings are released. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-50
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease defines abandonment, sets out the certified letter and seven-day wait, and says belongings left behind are handled as applicable law requires.

Small claims

The District Court's small claims procedure is available, at the plaintiff's choice, for contract claims for money only up to $5,000, not counting interest and costs. A plaintiff who chooses it waives the right to appeal.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-16-1 R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-16-2

More detail (2)
In the Rentari Rhode Island lease

The lease names the District Court for the division where the premises are, or the housing court where one has jurisdiction.

More Rhode Island rules

Unauthorized occupancy and adverse possession

Partly read

An adverse-possession claim concerns ownership, not simply whether an occupant must move. Rhode Island requires actual, open, notorious, hostile, continuous and exclusive use under a claim of right for at least ten years, established by clear and convincing evidence. The passage of time alone does not prove every element. Boundaries, permission and the character of the use can matter; this overview does not decide a particular title dispute.

Rhode Island Supreme Court: Union Cemetery v. Foisy

More detail (2)
  • Document how occupancy began and what permission or agreement existed. A tenant holding over, an invited occupant and a person asserting ownership may raise different issues. Keep title and boundary records, leases, written permissions, dated photographs and correspondence, then obtain advice about the appropriate possession or title proceeding rather than assuming one notice period fits every case. Rhode Island Supreme Court: Union Cemetery v. Foisy R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-9 See Eviction process
  • For genuinely vacant property, maintain entrances, arrange lawful condition checks and keep a contact for reports of damage or unexpected activity. If someone is occupying the home, preserve evidence and establish the lawful response before changing access or removing belongings. Tenant possession and essential services remain subject to the protections explained under lockouts and utility shutoffs. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-44 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-34 See Lockouts and utility shutoffs

Local rules

Rent control and local rules

Partly read

Chapter 34-18 regulates the notice for a rent increase, not its amount. Landlords who own and lease property in Providence or Warwick must also register their name, home address and phone number with that city's clerk. City and town ordinances were not read for this page.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-16.1 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-57

More detail (2)
Providence and Warwick

Anyone who owns and leases property in Providence or Warwick must register their name, home address with ZIP code and phone number with the city clerk. City ordinances were not read for this page.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-57

Rhode Island cities and towns

Cities and towns have their own housing, building and fire codes that can add duties for rental property. None was read for this page, so check the codes where the property is located.

Rhode Island landlord questions

How much can I charge for a security deposit in Rhode Island?

No more than one month's periodic rent, whatever you call the deposit. If you supply furniture worth $5,000 or more, you may also take a separate furniture deposit of up to one month's rent.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(a), (e)

When do I have to return the deposit?

Within 20 days after the latest of the end of the tenancy, the return of possession, or the tenant giving you a forwarding address. Send a written, itemized list of deductions with the balance. Missing the rule can cost the amount due, twice the amount wrongfully withheld and the tenant's attorney's fees.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(b), (c)

Can I charge a rental application fee?

No. You may require an official state criminal background check or a credit check, but you may charge only the actual cost, only if the applicant has not provided one issued in the last 90 days, and you must give the applicant a copy.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-59

Is there a limit on late fees in Rhode Island?

Chapter 34-18 sets no late fee amount and no grace period. Any fee beyond the rent must be disclosed in the same section of the lease as the rent, and a tenant can recover a fee that was not disclosed.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15(a)(1), (a)(5) R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18

Can I charge a convenience fee for paying rent online?

Not unless you also accept a way to pay rent that carries no convenience fee.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-61

How much notice do I need to raise the rent?

At least 60 days' written notice before the increase takes effect, or 120 days for a month-to-month tenant over 62. Chapter 34-18 does not limit the amount of the increase.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-16.1

How much notice do I give before entering?

At least two days, except in an emergency or where that is impracticable, and only at reasonable times. You may also enter during an absence of more than seven days if it is reasonably necessary to protect the property.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-26

What notice starts an eviction for unpaid rent?

Once rent is 15 days in arrears, mail a written demand in the statutory form giving five days from the date of mailing to pay. You may file no earlier than the sixth day after mailing, and only if you are registered in the state rental registry.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-58(g)

Do Rhode Island landlords have to register?

Yes. Every landlord registers with the Department of Health's statewide rental registry and re-registers by October 1 each year. A pre-1978 home that is not exempt also needs a lead certificate of conformance or proof of exemption. Unregistered landlords face monthly fines and cannot file a nonpayment eviction.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-58

How do I end a month-to-month tenancy?

Deliver written notice, substantially in the statutory form, at least 30 days before the date named. A week-to-week tenancy needs 10 days and a year-to-year tenancy needs notice three months before the end of the occupation year.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-37 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-56(c)

Do I need liability insurance to rent out a home?

Yes. Carry at least $100,000 of general liability insurance for people injured on the premises through your negligence, and give the tenant the declaration page with the written lease and again at each renewal.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22(a)(7)

Can a tenant repair something and deduct it from rent?

Yes, for code, repair, trash, water and heat failures costing less than $500 in total per year. The tenant must notify you in writing, give you 20 days to comply or show good faith efforts, use skilled work and give you an itemized statement.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-30

Can I change the locks or shut off utilities to get a tenant out?

No. Self-help, including willfully cutting heat, water, electricity or gas, is prohibited. The tenant can recover the greater of three months' rent or three times actual damages, plus attorney's fees.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-44 R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-34

Can I refuse a tenant who uses a Section 8 voucher?

Generally no: lawful source of income, including rental assistance, is protected, and a minimum income test must use only the tenant's share of the rent. An owner-occupied building of three units or fewer is exempt from the source of income rule.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-3(18) R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4(c) R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4.6

Can a domestic violence victim end a lease early in Rhode Island?

Yes, since July 1, 2026. A tenant may end the lease without penalty if the tenant or a household member was a victim of abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking within the last 150 days and gives you written verification. The tenant moves out within 30 days of the notice.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-63(a), (c) (P.L. 2026, ch. 147)

Statutes read for this page

Source: State of Rhode Island General Laws, the Rhode Island General Assembly's official site, read on September 24, 2026.

Not read for this page (8)
  • The state Fire Safety Code and its regulations on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and on locks.
  • City and town ordinances, including any Providence or Warwick rules beyond the state registration requirement.
  • The rest of the state Housing Maintenance and Occupancy Code.
  • Other state laws that might require a flood disclosure to tenants.
  • The rest of the small claims chapter and the District Court's court rules for landlord and tenant cases.
  • The enforcement sections of the Fair Housing Practices Act.
  • Federal law: the lead-based paint disclosure, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the federal Fair Housing Act.
  • Court decisions. This page reflects statute text only.

General information, not legal advice. Checked against the Rhode Island statutes on the Legislature's own site on September 24, 2026; no attorney review is recorded. Laws change, so confirm the current text through the links above or with a Rhode Island attorney.

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