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Georgia Landlord-Tenant Laws 2026

Security deposit limits, eviction notice requirements, rent increase rules, and every compliance deadline for Georgia landlords. 536 cities covered.

Based on Georgia state statutes. Updated August 2026.

Georgia Landlord Law Summary

In Georgia, landlords must return security deposits within 30 days, provide 3-day eviction notice for nonpayment, and do not cap rent increases. No just cause eviction requirement.

Georgia Landlord Rules at a Glance

Key compliance requirements every Georgia landlord must follow.

Rule Requirement
Security Deposit Cap No statutory limit
Deposit Return Deadline 30 days
Eviction Notice (Nonpayment) Immediate demand for payment (no statutory cure period)
Rent Cap No statewide cap
Entry Notice Reasonable notice (no specific statute; 24 hours recommended)
Late Fee Cap No statutory cap
Grace Period No statutory requirement
Just Cause Eviction Not required

What Happens If You Violate Georgia Landlord-Tenant Law

Security deposit violation: Landlord may be liable for up to 3x the wrongfully withheld amount plus attorney fees.

  • Late deposit return: Miss the 30-day deadline and tenants can sue for up to 3x the withheld amount.
  • Improper eviction notice: Wrong notice period or procedure = case dismissed. You restart from zero and owe additional court costs.
  • Illegal entry: Entering without 24-hour notice = harassment claim. Tenants can terminate the lease and sue for damages.
  • Fair housing violation: First offense: $16,000+ federal fine. Repeat: $65,000+. Plus actual damages, attorney fees, and potential criminal penalties.

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Georgia Landlord-Tenant Statutes

The laws that govern residential rentals in Georgia.

Georgia Landlord-Tenant Act

Ga. Code §44-7-1 et seq.

Governs landlord-tenant relationships including security deposits, dispossessory proceedings (eviction), and basic tenant rights.

Georgia Landlord Law Topics

Explore detailed rules by topic for any Georgia city.

Security Deposit Laws

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Eviction Process & Notice Requirements

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Rent Increase Laws

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Landlord Entry & Access Rules

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Maintenance & Habitability Standards

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Late Fee Limits

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Lease Termination & Renewal

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Fair Housing Protections

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Tenant Screening Rules

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Required Landlord Disclosures

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Rent Control

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Property Registration Requirements

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Top 10 Georgia Cities — Landlord Law Coverage

The largest Georgia cities by population, with median rent and deposit cap data.

City Population Median 2BR Rent
Atlanta 510,823 $1,820/mo
Columbus 201,877 $1,088/mo
Macon-Bibb County 156,512 $1,202/mo
Savannah 147,748 $1,680/mo
South Fulton 110,920 $1,202/mo
Sandy Springs 105,793 $1,202/mo
Roswell 91,706 $1,820/mo
Warner Robins 84,537 $1,362/mo
Johns Creek 81,108 $1,202/mo
Alpharetta 67,056 $1,820/mo

All 536 Georgia Cities

Click any city to view its specific landlord-tenant laws, deadlines, and free calculators.

Atlanta 510,823 Columbus 201,877 Macon-Bibb County 156,512 Savannah 147,748 South Fulton 110,920 Sandy Springs 105,793 Roswell 91,706 Warner Robins 84,537 Johns Creek 81,108 Alpharetta 67,056 Albany 66,877 Marietta 62,769 Stonecrest 60,677 Brookhaven 57,945 Smyrna 56,566 Valdosta 55,025 Dunwoody 51,713 Gainesville 47,265 Newnan 44,940 Peachtree Corners 42,136 Milton 41,383 Peachtree City 40,193 Douglasville 39,049 Woodstock 38,473 East Point 38,115 Rome 38,111 Tucker 36,975 Canton 36,857 Hinesville 36,181 Stockbridge 35,452 Kennesaw 34,683 Dalton 34,508 Statesboro 34,452 Duluth 32,350 LaGrange 32,343 McDonough 32,138 Chamblee 31,841 Lawrenceville 31,015 Pooler 29,544 Union City 27,832 Carrollton 27,793 Sugar Hill 25,889 Cartersville 24,937 Decatur 24,307 Griffin 24,044 Perry 24,029 Suwanee 22,913 Acworth 22,379 Snellville 22,067 Kingsland 20,343 Fayetteville 20,083 Winder 19,669 Holly Springs 19,540 St. Marys 19,537 Conyers 19,505 Forest Park 19,368 Powder Springs 18,950 Calhoun 18,900 Villa Rica 18,703 Thomasville 18,558 Richmond Hill 18,459 Buford 18,273 Norcross 18,043 Grovetown 17,580 Tifton 17,357 Fairburn 16,661 Loganville 16,516 Milledgeville 16,486 Dublin 16,008 Monroe 15,929 Lilburn 15,862 Jefferson 15,756 Americus 15,703 Braselton 15,538 Brunswick 15,404 Dallas 14,985 Covington 14,677 Riverdale 14,672 Moultrie 14,565 Port Wentworth 14,468 Bainbridge 14,423 Clarkston 14,396 College Park 13,867 Waycross 13,714 Lovejoy 12,080 Douglas 11,769 Rincon 11,624 Flowery Branch 11,607 Locust Grove 11,199 Doraville 10,780 Vidalia 10,741 Fort Oglethorpe 10,598 Garden City 10,373 Cedartown 10,300 Jesup 10,065 Cairo 10,007 Thomaston 9,876 Cordele 9,868 Auburn 9,688 Cumming 9,471 Toccoa 9,303 Hampton 9,162 Fitzgerald 8,942 Fort Valley 8,868 Cusseta-Chattahoochee County 8,661 Centerville 8,470 Commerce 8,287 Austell 8,148 Tyrone 7,949 Bremen 7,712 Dacula 7,650 Swainsboro 7,611 Dahlonega 7,585 LaFayette 7,044 Thomson 6,860 Hapeville 6,691 Eatonton 6,579 Stone Mountain 6,553 Oakwood 6,412 Morrow 6,395 Temple 6,360 Barnesville 6,329 Jonesboro 6,140 Byron 6,132 Senoia 5,929 Jackson 5,854 Adel 5,700 Waynesboro 5,607 Eastman 5,568 Sandersville 5,536 Sylvester 5,436 Hoschton 5,388 Hiram 5,353 Social Circle 5,330 Cornelia 5,309 Glennville 5,245 Rockmart 5,231 Blakely 5,218 Camilla 5,089 Adairsville 5,052 Palmetto 5,021 Grayson 4,975 Jasper 4,970 Madison 4,964 Baxley 4,945 Nashville 4,945 Forsyth 4,901 Chatsworth 4,883 Elberton 4,778 McRae-Helena 4,759 Cochran 4,749 Folkston 4,684 Hartwell 4,638 Dawsonville 4,627 Summerville 4,420 Dawson 4,200 Ashburn 4,196 Lyons 4,195 Euharlee 4,168 Hawkinsville 4,100 Hazlehurst 4,071 Quitman 4,036 Baldwin 4,003 Harlem 3,992 Rossville 3,991 Metter 3,986 Walthourville 3,913 Hephzibah 3,815 Echols County 3,709 Blackshear 3,646 Washington 3,634 Watkinsville 3,631 Greensboro 3,605 West Point 3,605 Wrightsville 3,586 Leesburg 3,553 Cleveland 3,539 Manchester 3,528 Avondale Estates 3,524 Gray 3,513 Alma 3,472 Hahira 3,459 Ringgold 3,435 Pelham 3,432 Chattahoochee Hills 3,361 Springfield 3,284 Grantville 3,278 Hogansville 3,234 Tallapoosa 3,201 Unadilla 3,169 Bloomingdale 3,129 Tybee Island 3,119 Statham 3,102 Chickamauga 3,057 Ball Ground 3,039 Lakeland 3,008 Lula 2,993 Millen 2,960 Ocilla 2,949 Guyton 2,925 Cuthbert 2,915 Soperton 2,899 Montezuma 2,898 Lake City 2,896 Nicholls 2,896 Vienna 2,845 Abbeville 2,844 Pembroke 2,839 Monticello 2,833 Donalsonville 2,826 Alamo 2,811 Royston 2,670 Sylvania 2,630 Lithonia 2,583 Reidsville 2,563 Thunderbolt 2,539 East Dublin 2,499 Claxton 2,474 Webster County 2,337 Homerville 2,327 Oxford 2,294 Louisville 2,289 Georgetown-Quitman County 2,280 Midway 2,253 Varnell 2,227 Trenton 2,226 Bowdon 2,211 Lavonia 2,167 Maysville 2,167 Clarkesville 2,135 Wrens 2,127 Brooklet 2,063 Clayton 2,063 Demorest 2,046 Berkeley Lake 2,029 Sparks 2,029 Mount Zion 2,022 Arcade 1,980 Mount Vernon 1,975 Trion 1,969 Davisboro 1,939 Ellijay 1,938 Colquitt 1,894 Porterdale 1,884 Nicholson 1,878 Warrenton 1,875 Ludowici 1,846 Butler 1,832 Pearson 1,825 Tennille 1,825 Pendergrass 1,805 Morgan 1,800 Union Point 1,789 Hamilton 1,763 Gordon 1,742 Twin City 1,714 Darien 1,678 Lookout Mountain 1,671 Homer 1,647 Comer 1,599 Walnut Grove 1,575 Wadley 1,569 Ellaville 1,541 Buena Vista 1,539 Aragon 1,502 Lake Park 1,485 Chester 1,477 Mount Airy 1,472 Emerson 1,437 Lincolnton 1,419 Richland 1,406 East Ellijay 1,394 Bogart 1,350 Zebulon 1,324 Omega 1,320 Sparta 1,320 Pine Mountain 1,281 Remerton 1,265 Willacoochee 1,243 Blue Ridge 1,233 Boston 1,216 Cave Spring 1,204 Winterville 1,195 Edison 1,177 McCaysville 1,169 Nelson 1,168 Franklin Springs 1,167 Arlington 1,149 Resaca 1,145 Rochelle 1,138 Clermont 1,126 Enigma 1,098 Broxton 1,075 Woodbine 1,059 Nahunta 1,028 Ivey 1,026 Ray City 1,020 Hiawassee 1,002 Sardis 999 Alto 996 Marshallville 987 Fort Gaines 982 Tunnel Hill 979 Norman Park 975 Franklin 965 Waleska 961 Buchanan 958 Lumber City 954 Oglethorpe 953 Hagan 939 Mountain City 939 Meigs 928 Dasher 926 Jeffersonville 925 Lumpkin 919 Rutledge 916 Reynolds 903 Kingston 902 Homeland 899 Crawford 880 Bowman 873 Woodbury 865 Flemington 864 Allenhurst 856 Baconton 850 Eton 846 Danielsville 834 Shellman 824 Glenwood 819 Luthersville 814 Milner 814 Cohutta 809 Young Harris 804 Screven 803 Greenville 799 Blairsville 785 Roberta 784 Bethlehem 777 Patterson 773 Blythe 770 Fairmount 765 Pine Lake 749 Williamson 741 Lenox 737 Talbotton 736 Newborn 731 Sycamore 731 Poulan 726 Carnesville 718 Doerun 718 Canon 690 Flovilla 683 Portal 677 Ochlocknee 673 Colbert 667 Waverly Hall 667 Dexter 663 Riceboro 656 White 645 Ty Ty 639 Gibson 630 Whitesburg 622 Smithville 617 Pavo 607 Milan 606 Helen 600 Dudley 595 Turin 589 Brooks 575 Waco 575 Mountain Park 572 Newton 569 Adrian 565 McIntyre 565 Plains 552 North High Shoals 546 Collins 540 Dearing 536 Coolidge 529 Ailey 528 Irwinton 519 Berlin 517 Morven 514 Oak Park 510 Leary 503 Ephesus 494 Warwick 492 Crawfordville 491 Tignall 491 Alapaha 490 Hoboken 489 Sky Valley 487 Odum 484 Menlo 482 Mansfield 469 Bowersville 467 Lyerly 463 Offerman 460 Arnoldsville 458 Arabi 453 Between 453 Pineview 453 Uvalda 448 Attapulgus 447 Stillmore 447 Warm Springs 443 Sumner 437 Tiger 429 Shiloh 422 Molena 421 Cadwell 419 Jenkinsburg 417 Funston 411 Concord 407 Ideal 399 Stapleton 399 Yatesville 396 Bostwick 394 Good Hope 386 Moreland 382 Midville 381 Whigham 380 Ila 378 Toomsboro 376 Braswell 369 Centralhatchee 365 Barwick 353 Plainville 353 Sale City 350 Bishop 344 Martin 344 Cobbtown 342 Leslie 337 Ambrose 335 Byromville 335 Dillard 334 Sharpsburg 325 Harrison 322 Higgston 316 Bronwood 315 Gillsville 314 Hiltonia 314 Rentz 314 Keysville 307 Iron City 306 Woodville 301 Pinehurst 300 Woodland 299 Morganton 297 Newington 295 Rhine 291 Talmo 290 Carlton 287 Chauncey 287 Shady Dale 286 Meansville 284 Cecil 283 Climax 270 Sasser 270 White Plains 269 Graham 264 Fargo 258 Taylorsville 258 Gumbranch 254 Garfield 250 Pitts 243 Roopville 242 Avalon 238 Hull 236 Andersonville 234 Orchard Hill 233 Carl 227 Culloden 219 Oliver 218 Maxeys 216 Avera 215 Brinson 214 Ellenton 213 Lexington 213 Sunny Side 212 Pulaski 208 Woolsey 207 Buckhead 206 Montrose 206 Rebecca 206 Tallulah Falls 206 Damascus 203 Santa Claus 202 Haralson 199 Surrency 195 Siloam 193 Allentown 192 Norwood 190 Argyle 189 Denton 188 Aldora 185 Oconee 184 Girard 182 Bartow 179 Alston 177 Scotland 168 Rocky Ford 167 Register 166 Danville 160 Daisy 158 Kite 158 Mitchell 158 Rayle 157 Jersey 151 Vernonburg 141 Junction City 137 Nunez 132 Camak 128 Du Pont 128 Jakin 128 Lilly 128 Bellville 123 De Soto 120 Summertown 120 Gay 116 Lone Oak 115 Bluffton 114 Deepstep 113 Sharon 111 Ranger 107 Jacksonville 106 Parrott 106 Vidette 102 Talking Rock 92 Riddleville 77 Geneva 75 Tarrytown 65 Dooling 64 Manassas 62 Rest Haven 45 Edge Hill 20

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Frequently Asked Questions — Georgia Landlord Laws

No. Georgia does not cap the amount landlords can charge for a security deposit. However, the deposit must be returned within 30 days of lease termination, with an itemized list of deductions. Wrongful withholding can result in 3x damages.
Georgia allows landlords to file a dispossessory affidavit immediately after a lease violation or nonpayment without a statutory cure period. The tenant is served and has 7 days to answer before the court can issue a writ of possession.
No. Georgia has no statewide rent control and preempts local governments from enacting rent control. Landlords may set and increase rents freely.

Compliance tracking for your Georgia properties

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How we researched this page: This guide covers all Georgia landlord-tenant statutes, verified against official government sources. Rent data comes from HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026). Last updated: August 2026.
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Reviewed by Rachid Abadli

Founder & CEO, LeaseBase · Sacramento landlord · Self-managing since 2019

LeaseBase is a property management platform — not a law firm. Consult an attorney for legal advice specific to your situation.