Can a landlord refuse a Section 8 voucher in Rhode Island?
No, not in most cases. In Rhode Island, a landlord may not refuse to rent to anyone, or set different terms, because of lawful source of income, which the law defines to include Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and any requirement of a housing subsidy program. This is R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-37-3, 34-37-4.
| What | Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Renting to a voucher holder | Protected: a landlord may not refuse one |
| What the state law does | Bars refusing a tenant because of a voucher |
Source
R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-37-3, 34-37-4
Read the statute in the Rhode Island General Laws (Rhode Island General Assembly): webserver.rilegislature.gov.
Checked against the statute on October 23, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
This page states whether the state protects renters who pay with a housing voucher, so a listing and its screening rules can be checked against it before they are published. Seayora’s rental search assistant never filters homes by how a renter will pay the rent.
Guides on this rule
- Renting to Section 8 Tenants: A Landlord’s Guide to Vouchers — How the Housing Choice Voucher program works for landlords: the HAP contract, inspections and the 2027 NSPIRE change, rent reasonableness, and who pays what.
- Tenant Screening: What Landlords Need to Know — How to screen rental applicants fairly and legally: credit and background checks, consistent criteria, the FCRA’s adverse action notice and fair housing.
- The Fair Housing Act: A Landlord’s Plain-English Guide — The seven protected classes, what the Fair Housing Act prohibits, the small-landlord exemptions, advertising rules, deadlines and penalties, with citations.
Compare this rule in every state
More Rhode Island rules
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Rhode Island?
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Rhode Island?
- How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in Rhode Island?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before entering in Rhode Island?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent in Rhode Island?
- How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in Rhode Island?
- How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee in Rhode Island?
- Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in Rhode Island?
- Can a tenant repair and deduct from rent in Rhode Island?
- Do contractors charge sales tax in Rhode Island?
- Every Rhode Island rule on one page
The same question in other states
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky