Georgia Tenant Rights Guide

Last updated: April 2026

Georgia has no rent control. The state's landlord-tenant law is relatively landlord-friendly, though a 2024 law (HB 404, effective July 1, 2024) added the state's first statutory duty that residential rentals be fit for human habitation. Still, tenants have some protections worth knowing, and several nonprofits can help if things go wrong.

Georgia at a Glance

Rent control: None
Statewide rent cap: None — landlords can raise rent by any amount
Preemption: Georgia expressly preempts local rent control: O.C.G.A. § 44-7-19 prohibits any county or municipality from regulating the amount of rent charged for private residential or commercial property. Georgia's landlord-tenant law also provides minimal statutory tenant protections compared to most states.

What Protections Georgia Tenants Do Have

Even without rent control, Georgia law gives renters meaningful rights in these areas:

Security Deposit

Landlords must return your deposit within 30 days (or 3 days if the property is sold), along with an itemized statement. Failing to return it can make the landlord liable for the full deposit plus damages (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34). For leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, the security deposit is capped at two months' rent (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-30.1, added by HB 404); leases predating that date are not subject to the cap.

Notice to Terminate

To terminate a month-to-month tenancy, a landlord must give 60 days' written notice, while a tenant need give only 30 days' written notice, unless your lease says otherwise (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-7).

Habitability

Effective July 1, 2024, HB 404 amended O.C.G.A. § 44-7-13 to require that residential rentals be fit for human habitation — Georgia's first statutory habitability duty, which applies to leases entered into or renewed on or after that date. Landlords also have a longstanding duty to keep the premises in repair. Tenants may additionally rely on lease terms and local housing codes.

Retaliation Protection

Georgia has limited statutory retaliation protections. Atlanta renters have additional protections under the city's ordinances. Document everything in writing if you believe your landlord is retaliating.

Eviction Process

Landlords must follow the dispossessory process — they cannot lock you out or remove your belongings without a court order. You have the right to be notified and to appear in court (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50).

Check your address to see what tenant protections apply to your rental.

Major Cities in Georgia

Acworth — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Albany — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Alpharetta — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Americus — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Athens — No — Georgia has no rent control, and no city has enacted one. Landlords may raise rent by any amoun
Athens-Clarke County — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Atlanta — No rent control; Atlanta has its own housing code that adds some tenant protections beyond state law.
Augusta — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Augusta-Richmond County — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Bainbridge — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Braselton — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Brookhaven — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Brunswick — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Buford — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Cairo — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Calhoun — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Canton — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Carrollton — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Cartersville — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Cedartown — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Chamblee — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Clarkston — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
College Park — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Columbus — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Conyers — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Covington — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Dallas — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Dalton — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Decatur — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Doraville — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Douglas — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Douglasville — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Dublin — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Duluth — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Dunwoody — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
East Point — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Evans — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Fairburn — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Fayetteville — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Flowery Branch — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Forest Park — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Fort Oglethorpe — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Gainesville — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Garden City — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Griffin — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Grovetown — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Hinesville — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Holly Springs — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Jefferson — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Jesup — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Johns Creek — No rent control. Georgia has no rent stabilization law and does not permit local rent caps.
Kennesaw — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Kingsland — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
LaGrange — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Lawrenceville — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Lilburn — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Locust Grove — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Loganville — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Lovejoy — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Macon — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Macon-Bibb County — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Marietta — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Martinez — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
McDonough — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Milledgeville — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Milton — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Monroe — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Moultrie — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Newnan — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Norcross — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Peachtree City — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Peachtree Corners — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Perry — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Pooler — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Port Wentworth — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Powder Springs — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Richmond Hill — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Rincon — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Riverdale — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Rome — No rent control. Georgia has no rent stabilization and does not permit local rent caps.
Roswell — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Sandy Springs — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Savannah — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Smyrna — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Snellville — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
South Fulton — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
St. Marys — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Statesboro — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Stockbridge — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Stonecrest — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Sugar Hill — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Suwanee — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Thomasville — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Tifton — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Tucker — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Union City — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Valdosta — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Vidalia — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Villa Rica — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Warner Robins — No rent control. Georgia has no rent stabilization and prohibits local rent caps.
Waycross — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Winder — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.
Woodstock — No rent control; Georgia state protections apply.

Georgia Tenant Resources

These organizations offer free or low-cost help to Georgia renters:

Atlanta Legal Aid Society — Free civil legal services for low-income residents of metro Atlanta, including housing and eviction defense.
Georgia Legal Services Program — Free legal help for low-income Georgians outside Metro Atlanta, including housing cases in rural and suburban areas.
Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation — Pro bono legal services in Atlanta including housing stability and eviction prevention.
GeorgiaLegalAid.org — Plain-language guides to Georgia tenant rights, security deposits, eviction, and more.
Tenant-Landlord Clinic – Atlanta — Atlanta Legal Aid's housing hotline and walk-in clinic for renters facing eviction or housing code issues.

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