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    North Carolina Rent Increase Law

    North Carolina has no statute on rent-increase notice, so rent is fixed for a lease term unless the lease says otherwise, and a month-to-month increase should be given at least seven days before the next rental period, the same notice needed to end the tenancy (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14). North Carolina has no rent control and bars cities and counties from adopting it.

    Last verified: · Researched and cited by MakeLease · not yet attorney-reviewed

    North Carolina rent increase rules at a glance

    Notice of a rent increaseNo state ruleN.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 42 (no rent-increase provision), N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14
    Rent controlNone; cities barred from adopting itN.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14.1, S.L. 2024-47, § 7 (H.B. 556)
    Ending a month-to-month tenancy7 days (either side)N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14

    Rent control

    • In effect since .
    • Before : Rent-control preemption only (since 1987); S.L. 2024-47 also preempted local source-of-income (federal housing assistance) rules and added an exception for owners receiving local funding or incentives.

    What North Carolina law says

    How much notice is required for a rent increase in North Carolina?

    North Carolina has no statute on rent-increase notice, so rent is fixed for a lease term unless the lease says otherwise, and a month-to-month increase should be given at least seven days before the next rental period, the same notice needed to end the tenancy (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14) (N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 42 (no rent-increase provision)).

    Does North Carolina have rent control?

    North Carolina has no rent control and bars cities and counties from regulating the rent charged for private rental property (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14.1).

    How much notice ends a month-to-month tenancy in North Carolina?

    Either party may end a month-to-month tenancy with a notice to quit given at least seven days before the end of the current rental month (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14).

    How North Carolina compares

    23 of 51 verified jurisdictions set a statewide period.

    Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee follow the same rule as North Carolina; 1 of its 4 neighbors differs.

    Rent-increase noticeStates
    No statewide periodNorth Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee
    30 days (more in some cases)Virginia

    Local rules in North Carolina

    N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14.1 bars cities and counties from regulating private-market rent; local rent limits are allowed only for publicly owned, subsidized or CDBG-assisted property, or for owners receiving local funding or incentives.

    Other North Carolina rules

    Security deposit limit2 months' rent (with exceptions)N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-51(b), N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-53
    Deposit return deadline30 days after move-outN.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-52
    Late-fee capMonthly rent: greater of $15 or 5% of the monthly rent. Weekly rent: greater of $4 or 5% of the weekly rent. One late fee per late payment. If rent is subsidized (HUD, USDA, State agency, public housing authority or local government), the fee is calculated on the tenant's share of the rent only. No late fee for unpaid water/sewer charges.N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-46(a)-(b)
    Entry noticeNo state ruleN.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 42, Art. 5 (silent on landlord entry), N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 42 (silent on landlord entry)
    Notice for unpaid rent10 days (10-day demand for past-due rent)N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-3, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-26(a)

    Read the North Carolina law

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