Georgia (GA) law guide
Quick answer
Georgia law caps security deposits at 2 months' rent and requires landlords to return them within 30 days of move-out. There is no statewide rent control, and landlords can raise rent by any amount with proper notice. For nonpayment of rent, landlords must give tenants 3 business days to pay or vacate before filing for eviction.
Security deposit limit
2 months' rent (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-30.1, effective July 1, 2024)
Deposit return deadline
30 days after tenant vacates, with itemized statement
Statewide rent control
None, prohibited by O.C.G.A. § 44-7-19
Nonpayment eviction notice
3 business days to pay or vacate
Georgia rental market snapshot
Population
11.0 million
Renter households
~36% of households rent
Median rent
$1,685/mo for a 2-bedroom
Largest rental markets
Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, Macon
Atlanta renters make up 54% of households, well above the state average, making it one of the Southeast's most renter-heavy major markets. Savannah and Augusta are also majority-renter cities where tenant protections added by the 2024 Safe at Home Act carry real practical weight.
Landlords may collect a maximum of 2 months' rent as a security deposit for leases signed or renewed on or after July 1, 2024 (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-30.1). Pet deposits count toward that cap, so a landlord cannot stack a pet deposit on top of a 2-month security deposit and exceed the limit.
The deposit must be returned within 30 days after the tenant surrenders the unit. The landlord must include a written itemized list of any deductions. A landlord who misses that deadline forfeits the right to keep any portion of the deposit, and a bad-faith withholding can cost the landlord up to 3 times the wrongfully kept amount plus attorney fees.
Georgia has no statewide rent control and actively bans local governments from enacting it (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-19). Landlords can raise rent by any amount, at any time, as long as proper written notice is given before the next rental period begins.
Georgia law does not set a mandatory grace period or cap late fees, so check your lease for those terms. Withholding rent is generally not a recognized remedy in Georgia, and tenants who stop paying risk eviction.
For nonpayment of rent, landlords must give tenants a 3-business-day notice to pay or vacate before filing a dispossessory (eviction) action. This rule was created by Georgia's Safe at Home Act (HB 404, effective 2024). Elderly or disabled tenants and those facing documented hardship may receive a 14-day extension on top of those 3 days.
After the notice period expires without cure, the landlord files a dispossessory affidavit in magistrate court. The entire process, from notice to writ of possession, typically takes 3 to 5 weeks when uncontested.
Georgia has no statute specifying a required notice period before a landlord enters a rental unit. Most standard leases include a 24-hour notice provision, and courts generally recognize the tenant's right to quiet enjoyment. In a genuine emergency, a landlord may enter without advance notice.
Repairs must be completed within a reasonable time after the landlord receives written notice. In practice, courts treat 24 to 48 hours as reasonable for emergencies and up to 30 days as reasonable for non-critical repairs. Since the Safe at Home Act (July 1, 2024), all residential leases include an implied warranty of habitability.
Effective July 1, 2024, Georgia law implies a warranty of habitability in every residential lease (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-13, as updated by HB 404). Landlords must maintain plumbing, heating, structural soundness, and working smoke detectors. A unit that falls below habitable standards may entitle tenants to seek remedies in court.
Retaliation by a landlord against a tenant who exercises legal rights (such as reporting code violations) is prohibited. A court can void a retaliatory eviction and may award the tenant damages.
Georgia landlords must comply with the federal Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and familial status. Georgia does not add protected classes at the state level beyond the federal baseline.
A tenant who breaks a lease early generally owes rent until the unit is re-rented or the lease ends. Exceptions apply for active-duty military service members under the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Small claims court in Georgia handles landlord-tenant disputes up to $15,000.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Governing statute: O.C.G.A. Title 44, Chapter 7. Laws change; confirm the current statute or consult an attorney before acting. Last reviewed 2026-06-05.
Georgia FAQ
**30 days** after the tenant moves out. The landlord must also include an itemized written statement of any deductions. Missing that deadline forfeits the landlord's right to keep any of the deposit.
No. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-19) prohibits cities and counties from enacting rent control. Landlords can raise rent by any amount as long as they give written notice before the next rental period.
**3 business days**. Under the 2024 Safe at Home Act, the landlord must deliver a pay-or-vacate notice and wait 3 full business days before filing a dispossessory action in magistrate court.
Georgia has no statute requiring advance notice for landlord entry. However, most leases require **24 hours' notice**, and courts recognize tenants' quiet-enjoyment rights. Emergency entry without notice is generally allowed.
For leases signed or renewed on or after July 1, 2024, the cap is **2 months' rent** (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-30.1). Pet deposits count toward that limit. Older leases signed before that date were not subject to a statutory cap.
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