Landlords and tenants who don’t keep up with Tennessee landlord-tenant law can easily end up on the wrong side of the rules. Issues such as unpaid rent, missed repairs, and landlord access can (and often do) spiral out of control when either party doesn’t understand their rights and responsibilities.
By contrast, a landlord who understands Tennessee renters’ rights can navigate disputes more easily and enjoy a productive rental relationship. In this guide, we’ll cover the rules that affect tenancies in Tennessee so you can determine which deadline or remedy applies to a given problem.
The grace period and late fee cap, the separate deposit account rule, and the 14-day repair window outlined in this article all come from Tennessee’s Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA). The act applies only in counties that had more than 75,000 residents in the 2010 census (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-102). That threshold covers these counties at the time of publication:
In Tennessee’s other 78 counties, the lease and the state’s general landlord-tenant law set the rules instead. Fair housing law, the eviction court process, and the other statutes cited outside the URLTA’s Chapter 28 still apply statewide.
Landlords in URLTA counties must meet several duties that affect day-to-day property management. Here’s what to know:
We’ll explore these responsibilities in detail later, including the deadlines, the exceptions, and the statutes behind them.
Learn more: Guide to Landlord-Tenant Relationships
In URLTA counties, Tennessee renters’ rights include several protections regarding rental housing conditions, notice requirements, and repairs. Here’s what to know:
This article will cover Tennessee renters’ rights in more depth below, including required notice periods and the statutes that establish each right.
Learn more: Guide to Tenant Rights & Responsibilities
Application fee limits: Tennessee’s URLTA doesn’t limit rental application fees, dictate what a fee covers, or require a refund of any unused portion.
Permissible screening criteria: Tennessee’s fair housing law doesn’t restrict credit, criminal, eviction, or rental history checks, but it prohibits refusing to rent to someone because of a protected class (Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-21-601).
Look-back limits on criminal and eviction records: The URLTA doesn’t set a look-back limit on the criminal and eviction records landlords consider during the application process.
The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act does limit screening reports, though. Consumer reporting agencies usually can’t report eviction filings, civil judgments, arrests, or other adverse information that’s older than 7 years. Criminal convictions have no reporting time limit (15 U.S.C. § 1681c).
Source-of-income and voucher protections: Tennessee doesn’t protect tenants from source-of-income discrimination at the state level. State law also prohibits local governments from adding to the state’s definition of discriminatory practices and voids any such rule adopted before May 23, 2011 (Tenn. Code Ann. § 7-51-1802).
Adverse action notice obligations: If a consumer report results in a housing denial or other adverse action, the FCRA requires landlords to provide an adverse action notice that identifies the reporting agency and explains that the agency didn’t make the decision.
Applicants must also be informed of their right to a free report within 60 days and their right to dispute inaccurate information (15 U.S.C. § 1681m).
Free resources: Send Rental Applications & Screen Tenants Online
Federal protected classes: The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability nationwide (42 U.S.C. § 3604).
State-added protected classes: In addition to the federally protected classes above, Tennessee protects tenants from housing discrimination based on creed (Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-21-601).
Reasonable accommodations and modifications: Tenants with a disability who need a service or support animal can request an exception to a landlord’s pet restrictions and pet fees.
When a disability or need isn’t apparent, landlords may request reliable documentation, but aren’t authorized to obtain confidential medical records (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-7-111, § 66-28-406).
Discriminatory advertising language: Regardless of the landlord’s intent, using phrases such as “no children” or “American-born tenants only” in rental advertising can violate fair housing laws, because the listing itself signals a prohibited preference (42 U.S.C. § 3604(c)).
Complaint filing routes and deadlines: Tenants who believe they were discriminated against may file a state complaint with the Tennessee Attorney General’s Civil Rights Enforcement Division within 180 days of the alleged act.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development accepts Fair Housing Act complaints within 1 year of the alleged act (Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-21-204(e), 42 U.S.C. § 3610(a)(1)(A)(i)).
Learn more: How to Screen Applicants Fairly
A Tennessee-specific lease agreement sets practical expectations for both landlords and tenants by accounting for state rules on written leases, void clauses, and holdovers. Here are a few state-specific laws to keep in mind:
Statute of frauds threshold: Tennessee requires a lease agreement longer than 1 year, or a memorandum of it, to be in writing and signed by the party against whom enforcement is sought (Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-2-101).
Mandatory lease terms: Tennessee landlord-tenant law doesn’t require a standard lease format (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-201).
Void and unenforceable clauses: A lease agreement can’t authorize confession of judgment, excuse or limit a landlord’s liability to the tenant, require the tenant to indemnify the landlord for that liability, or waive rights and remedies under the URLTA (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-203).
Default rules absent a written lease: Under the URLTA, a landlord who doesn’t sign a written rental agreement but accepts rent without reservation creates a month-to-month tenancy. Without an agreement, the tenant must pay the reasonable value of occupying the unit (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-201, § 66-28-202).
Renewal and holdover terms: The URLTA permits any lease term that the act or other law doesn’t prohibit. A tenant who stays past a lease agreement’s expiration without the landlord’s consent faces a possession action and can owe back rent, attorney’s fees, and lease damages (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-201, § 66-28-512).
Tennessee-specific leases: Custom Online Lease Builder
Tennessee landlords must make up to five disclosures to tenants, depending on the property’s location, condition, and history. They include:
Learn more: Online Lease Agreement Template
Maximum deposit amount: Tennessee landlord-tenant law doesn’t limit security deposit amounts, so the lease agreement ultimately sets the amount (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301).
Fees and deposits counting toward the cap: The URLTA defines a security deposit as an escrow payment covering tenant damage and lease breaches, and the definition doesn’t mention nonrefundable fees (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-104).
Account and interest requirements: Landlords must hold security deposits in a separate account at a regulated financial institution and disclose the account’s location to tenants. Tennessee doesn’t require landlords to pay interest on security deposits (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301(a), (h)).
Return deadline and triggering event: Tennessee landlord-tenant law does not have a fixed deadline for returning a security deposit. When a tenant moves out (without owing rent), the landlord must notify the tenant of the refund amount due, after which the tenant has 60 days to request a refund (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301(f)).
Itemized statement requirements: A damage statement must identify chargeable damage and estimated repair costs (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301(b)).
Wear and tear versus tenant damage: Tennessee landlord-tenant law excludes ordinary wear and tear from deposit deductions (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-104(14)).
Penalties for wrongful withholding: If a Tennessee landlord fails to store security deposits in a separate account and fails to provide a damage statement, the URLTA prohibits the landlord from retaining any portion of the deposit (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301(c)).
Learn more: How Security Deposits Work
Due date and lawful payment methods: Tennessee landlord-tenant law lets the parties agree on when and how rent is due. The URLTA doesn’t name a required payment method, so the lease sets payment terms (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-201(c)).
Statutory grace period: Tennessee landlord-tenant law provides a 5-day grace period before a landlord can charge a late fee, counting the due date as Day 1. If Day 5 falls on a Sunday or legal holiday, payment remains timely through the next business day (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-201(d)).
Late fee cap: A landlord may charge no more than 10% of the past-due rent amount after the grace period expires (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-201(d)).
Partial payment consequences: Accepting rent without reservation while knowing about a default waives the landlord’s right to terminate the lease for that breach (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-508).
Helpful tool: Collect Rent Online
Notice periods by tenancy type: Tennessee doesn’t have a statewide rent-increase notice period.
Mid-lease increase restrictions: Tennessee landlord-tenant law does not establish separate rules for mid-lease increases. Instead, lease terms set rent-increase expectations (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-201).
Statutory caps and rent control: Tennessee does not have statewide rent control or stabilization, and no state law limits how much a landlord may raise rent. State law also prohibits local governments from controlling rent on private residential property (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-35-102).
Service and delivery requirements: No particular delivery method applies specifically to rent-increase notices. URLTA notices must be in writing and sent to the last known or designated lease address or, for landlord notices, by email if the tenant listed one in the lease (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-106, § 66-28-108).
Retaliatory and discriminatory increases: Landlords can’t raise rent simply because a tenant complained about a deposit violation or used a remedy the URLTA provides. Separately, fair housing laws prohibit discriminatory rent increases (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-514, § 4-21-601).
Learn more: Guide to Rent Increase Laws & How to Raise Rent Legally
Maintenance and habitability: Landlords need to follow applicable building and housing codes affecting health and safety and keep rental premises fit and habitable (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-304).
Conditions constituting a violation: The URLTA names gas, heat, electricity, and water as essential services, along with other landlord obligations that materially affect tenant health and safety. The law doesn’t name hot water, plumbing, structural integrity, pests, or mold, though unsafe conditions may violate housing codes and/or the URLTA’s habitability standard (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-304, § 66-28-502, § 66-28-511).
Tenant notice requirements: Tenants must give their landlords written notice and allow them 14 days to complete repairs before pursuing damages or injunctive relief, while essential-service remedies require written notice but have no stated waiting period (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-501, § 66-28-502).
Repair-and-deduct, withholding, and escrow remedies: Tennessee landlord-tenant law does not give renters general repair-and-deduct, rent-withholding, or rent-escrow rights. For essential-service violations, tenants may obtain the service themselves and deduct actual reasonable costs, recover damages for the unit’s reduced rental value, or move to substitute housing and stop paying rent during the outage (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-501, § 66-28-502).
Helpful tool: Rental Property Maintenance Coordination
Advance notice requirements: Tennessee landlord-tenant law doesn’t require advance or written notice for routine access. The law requires at least 24 hours’ notice only for lease-authorized showings to prospective tenants during the final 30 days of the lease (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-403).
Lawful reasons for entry: With the tenant’s consent, which can’t be unreasonably withheld, landlords may enter to conduct inspections, make necessary or agreed-upon repairs, provide services, or conduct certain showings. Landlords may also enter the premises under a court order (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-403).
Emergency exception: A landlord may enter without the tenant’s consent when a sudden, unexpected event demands immediate action (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-403(b)).
Remedies for unlawful entry and refused access: Tenants may seek an injunction or terminate the lease in response to unlawful or harassing access, and they may be able to obtain actual damages and reasonable attorney’s fees.
Landlords have similar remedies available when tenants refuse lawful access (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-513).
Free form: 24-Hour Notice to Enter
No-cause termination notice periods: The URLTA requires 10 days’ written notice to terminate week-to-week tenancies and 30 days to terminate month-to-month tenancies.
Fixed-term leases end on their stated expiration date, and a tenant who stays without consent becomes a holdover (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-512).
Statutory early termination rights: Service members may terminate qualifying leases under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act by providing written or electronic notice and military orders. Tennessee also protects victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking who give written notice and documentation (50 U.S.C. § 3955, Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-205).
When a lease ends because the landlord fails to comply after proper notice, the landlord must return all prepaid rent and recoverable security deposits (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-501).
Legal grounds for eviction: Tennessee landlord-tenant law allows landlords to pursue possession actions for nonpayment, material lease violations, holdover tenancies, and violent or dangerous conduct. Certain illegal conduct may also lead to eviction (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505, § 66-28-517, § 66-28-512, § 66-7-107).
Notice periods by ground: Tennessee eviction notice rules depend on the underlying violation. Nonpayment and other remediable material breaches require a 14-Day Notice to Cure, though a qualifying written lease agreement may waive nonpayment notice.
Nonremediable breaches require a 14-Day Notice of Termination, without the opportunity to cure.
A substantially repeated lease violation within 6 months reduces the notice period to at least 7 days. Violence, serious danger, hazardous conditions, or qualifying unauthorized occupancy only require a 3-Day Notice to Quit.
A fixed-term holdover tenant does not have an additional statutory termination period after the agreed-upon term expires (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505, § 66-28-512, § 66-28-517).
Curable versus unconditional notices: The 14-day cure right applies to violations that rent, repair costs, damages, or another amount due can remedy. Nonremediable violations don’t automatically grant a Tennessee renter the right to cure, and violent or dangerous conduct can end a tenancy in 3 days (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505, § 66-28-517).
Court filing through judgment: After the required notice period expires, the landlord may file a detainer warrant. The tenant must be served eviction papers at least 6 days before trial (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505, § 29-18-115, § 29-18-117).
Writ of possession and execution: A writ can’t be issued until at least 10 days after judgment. The statutory writ form directs the sheriff or a constable to restore possession to the landlord and report back to the court within 20 days.
Landlords must leave the removed tenant’s belongings undisturbed for at least 48 hours before discarding them (Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-126, § 29-18-127).
Self-help eviction penalties: Landlords can’t use lockouts, utility shutoffs, or comparable measures to force tenants to leave a rental. In that situation, tenants may recover possession or terminate the lease agreement and seek actual damages, punitive damages where appropriate, and attorney’s fees (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-504, § 66-28-511).
Learn more: Tennessee Eviction Laws
Squatter, holdover tenant, and guest distinctions: A squatter enters a property without authorization, a holdover tenant stays past the tenancy’s original end date, and a guest arrives with permission. Tennessee’s expedited sheriff process for removing unlawful occupants excludes current and former authorized tenants, and may not apply to someone who entered lawfully (Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-135).
Adverse possession elements and statutory period: Adverse possession can allow someone to gain ownership of property by possessing it without the owner’s permission for a legally specified period. Under common law, the possession must be exclusive, actual, adverse, continuous, open, and notorious for 20 years (Cumulus Broadcasting, Inc. v. Shim).
Color of title and property tax payment: Recorded color of title can reduce the required possession period from 20 to 7 years.
Paying state and county taxes for more than 20 continuous years, with recorded assurance of title across that period, creates a rebuttable presumption of ownership (Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-2-101, § 28-2-109).
Lawful removal routes: Qualifying residential owners may file a verified complaint with the county sheriff for immediate removal of unlawful occupants. Former tenants and disputed occupancy claims may require a detainer or other court process, and criminal trespass rules can apply separately (Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-18-135, § 39-14-405).
Practical likelihood of a successful claim: Landlords typically don’t have to worry about losing their property to adverse possession, because the claimant must prove every element by clear and convincing evidence. However, removing a squatter who doesn’t qualify for the sheriff process can still require a court case.
Learn more: What are Squatters’ Rights?
Abandoned property after move-out: Tennessee landlord-tenant law considers 30 days of unexplained absence without rent to be evidence of abandonment. Nonpayment for 15 days, along with other signs of a permanent move, triggers a 10-day notice before reentry. Landlords must store belongings for at least 30 days before selling or disposing of them (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-405).
Local ordinances superseding state law: Local governments can’t add anti-discrimination protections beyond the state’s own definition. Separately, the URLTA preempts the entire field of landlord-tenant legislation in the counties where it applies (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-102(e)).
Smoke and carbon monoxide detector requirements: Tennessee requires approved smoke alarms in one- and two-family rentals and apartments. These alarms must be audible in sleeping rooms.
Tenants must perform routine maintenance, and owners must verify alarm operation before a new tenant moves in. In buildings that predate 2016, Tennessee’s alarm statutes require CO alarms only in hotels, rooming houses, and similar lodging with fuel-burning equipment, and newer buildings follow state building standards (Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-102-151, Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-120-112).
Renters insurance requirements: The URLTA doesn’t regulate renters insurance requirements or coverage amounts, so the lease agreement sets the terms (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-201).
Utility billing and submetering: Tennessee’s water utility rules require regulated utilities to meter and bill separate premises separately, and they set no Ratio Utility Billing Systems formula or common-area cap for landlords (Tenn. Comp. R. and Regs. 1220-04-03-.06).
Recent statutory changes: URLTA landlords must provide maintenance contact information or a tenant portal on leases entered into, amended, or renewed since January 1, 2025 (Tenn. Public Ch. 907).
The following official Tennessee resources provide information on landlord-tenant law, court procedures, renters’ rights, and legal help:
Tennessee is mostly landlord-friendly. Tennessee doesn’t have statewide rent control or security deposit limits, and its entry-notice rules are minimal. Tennessee renters still have specific rights related to habitability and lease termination, however.
Tennessee doesn’t require landlords to provide advance notice for most routine entries. The exception is lease-authorized showings to prospective tenants in the final 30 days of a lease agreement, which require at least 24 hours’ notice.
Tennessee has no statewide deadline for returning security deposits. If a tenant moves out without owing back rent, the landlord must send notice of the refund amount, and tenants have 60 days to request it.
Tennessee does not have a statewide notice period for rent increases. During a fixed-term lease, the lease itself controls the rent and any increase terms.
Timing depends on the grounds, the required notice period, service, and the court’s schedule. In URLTA counties, nonpayment and most other breaches start with a 14-day notice before the landlord can file, unless the lease waives notice for nonpayment.
Tennessee renters’ rights cover habitable housing, deposits, landlord access, essential services, retaliation, and a court process before removal.
Tennessee’s fair housing law doesn’t restrict landlords from reviewing credit, criminal records, eviction history, and rental history when screening a new tenant. Federal fair housing and consumer-reporting rules still apply, including adverse-action notice when a consumer report leads to a denial.
