Georgia Rental Laws

Georgia Rental Laws

Your Guide to Georgia Rental Laws with helpful links and information for leases, rent, security deposits, tenant screening, real estate and government.

Official Website of the State of Georgia

The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Georgia was 10,097,343 on July 1, 2014, a 4.23% increase since the 2010 United States Census

The State of Georgia has 159 counties.

State Rules and Regulations

• Keys Laws Landlords and Tenants Need to Know  
• Georgia Residential Landlord and Tenant Code                                           
• Local Tenant Rights, Laws, and Protections:
• Georgia Landlord Tenant Handbook

Important Lease Terms

Security Deposits:

• Amount: No Restrictions
• Return Deadline:  30 Days

Fees and Notice:

• Applications Fees:  No Restrictions
• Termination Notice:  Landlord can terminate with an Unconditional Quit Notice
• Tenant Rights to Withhold Rent:  Tenant may perform repair and deduct from rent

Landlord Disclosures:

• Georgia Required Landlord Disclosures
• The Lead Disclosure Rule –  Federal law requires that before signing a lease for housing built before 1978, renters must receive The Lead Based Paint EPA Disclosure and Lead Based Paint EPA Pamphlet

Real Estate Links

• Georgia Real Estate Commission
• Georgia Verify Real Estate Agent License
• Nationwide and Canada Verify Real Estate Agent License

Federal Government

• Fair Credit Reporting Act – Federal Government legislation which promotes the accuracy, fairness, and privacy of consumer information contained in the files of consumer reporting agencies.
• Fair Housing Act – The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination when they are renting, buying, or securing financing for any housing. The prohibitions specifically cover discrimination because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability and the presence of children

Credit Reports        

• Georgia Credit Freeze
• Identity Theft

Tenant Screening

• Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
• Counties Provided:  Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Baker, Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bibb, Bleckley, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Butts, Calhoun, Camden, Candler, Carroll, Catoosa, Charlton, Chatham, Chattahoochee, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Clinch, Cobb, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Coweta, Crawford, Crisp, Dade, Dawson, De Kalb, Decatur, Dodge, Dooly, Dougherty, Douglas, Early, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Fulton, Gilmer, Glascock, Glynn, Gordon, Grady, Greene, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Hart, Heard, Henry, Houston, Irwin, Jackson, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Lamar, Lanier, Laurens, Lee, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, Lumpkin, Macon, Madison, Marion, McDuffie, McIntosh, Meriwether, Miller, Mitchell, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Peach, Pickens, Pierce, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Quitman, Rabun, Randolph, Richmond, Rockdale, Schley, Screven, Seminole, Spalding, Stephens, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Taylor, Telfair, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Towns, Treutlen, Troup, Turner, Twiggs, Union, Upson, Walker, Walton, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wheeler, White, Whitfield, Wilcox, Wilkes, Wilkinson, Worth
• Options for Tenant Screening Packages and Prices

Last Updated: April 8, 2020