Rent & fees
Can my landlord charge a late fee the day rent is due?
Several states require a grace period (often 3-15 days) before any late fee. Elsewhere, the lease controls - but the fee must be in the lease to be charged at all.
States like New York (5 days), Texas (2 full days), Colorado (7 days), Connecticut (9 days), Maine (15 days), and Massachusetts (30 days) build a mandatory grace period into law - a fee charged inside that window is illegal regardless of what the lease says.
In states without a statutory grace period, check the lease: a late fee generally must be written there, in a stated amount, to be enforceable. No clause, no fee.
The details vary by state. Check your state's grace period and cap →
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General educational information, not legal advice. Laws vary by state and city and change over time - for a specific situation, contact a local tenant-rights organization.