Rhode Island Late Fee Law
No Rhode Island statute caps residential late fees or requires a grace period; the lease sets both.
Last verified: · Researched and cited by MakeLease · not yet attorney-reviewed
Rhode Island late fee law at a glance
| Late-fee cap | No state capR.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15(a)(1), (a)(5) (fees beyond rent must be disclosed with the rent; undisclosed fees recoverable), R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-13 (unconscionability), R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18 (no section limits late fees) |
|---|---|
| Grace period | No state grace periodR.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35(a), R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15(c) (rent payable without demand at the agreed time) |
| Notice before filing for unpaid rent | 5 days (5-day demand notice (rent 15 days in arrears))R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35, R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-56(a) |
What Rhode Island law says
Is there a limit on late fees in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island sets no cap on residential late fees, but any fee beyond rent must be disclosed in the lease's rent section and a court may refuse to enforce an unconscionable term (R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-15(a)(1), 34-18-13) (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15(a)(1), (a)(5) (fees beyond rent must be disclosed with the rent; undisclosed fees recoverable)).
Does Rhode Island require a grace period before a late fee?
Rhode Island sets no late-fee grace period; the 15-day period in R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35(a) only controls when a landlord may send a nonpayment eviction notice.
How much notice must a Rhode Island landlord give for unpaid rent?
Once rent is 15 days in arrears, mail a written demand on the statutory form giving the tenant 5 days from mailing to pay; you may file no earlier than the 6th day after mailing (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35(a)-(b)).
How Rhode Island compares
31 of 51 verified jurisdictions set no statutory cap. 14 require a grace period.
None of Rhode Island's 2 neighbors follows the same rule.
| Late-fee cap · grace period | States |
|---|---|
| No state cap · none | Rhode Island |
| Statutory formula · 9 days | Connecticut |
| No state cap · 30 days | Massachusetts |
Other Rhode Island rules
| Security deposit limit | 1 month's rent (with exceptions)R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(a), (e) |
|---|---|
| Deposit return deadline | 20 days after the triggering eventR.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(b) |
| Entry notice | 48 hours' noticeR.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-26 |
| Rent-increase notice | 60 days (Month-to-month tenants over 62: 120 days. Independent living, assisted living and congregate care facilities excluded)R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-16.1, P.L. 2024, ch. 243 (H 7304 Sub A), P.L. 2024, ch. 244 (S 2189 Sub A) |
| Month-to-month termination | 30 days (either side)R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-37 |
Read the Rhode Island law
Put the late fee and grace period in writing
Related
- Free late rent notice
- Rhode Island lease agreement
- Rhode Island landlord-tenant law
- Late fee laws in every state
- Rhode Island notice to vacate
- Rhode Island rent increase notice
- Rhode Island security deposit return letter
- Rhode Island notice of entry
- Rhode Island lease termination letter
- Rhode Island lease renewal letter