Georgia landlord and tenant rules

Seayora publishes 11 Georgia rules, covering security deposits, notice periods, evictions, rent regulation, tenant protections, contractor sales tax. Every one is composed from the statute it cites and links to that statute on the state’s own code site.

Georgia at a glance

RuleGeorgia
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Georgia?30 days
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Georgia?2 months of rent
How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in Georgia?3 business days to pay
How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent in Georgia?60 days
How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in Georgia?60 days
Can a landlord change the locks to force a tenant out in Georgia?A Georgia landlord may not lock out, remove property or cut utilities; only a writ of possession executed by the sheriff or marshal may put a tenant out.
How long does a tenant have to respond to an eviction case in Georgia?Seven days from service.
What are the steps to evict a tenant for unpaid rent in Georgia?Serve a 3-business-day notice to vacate or pay
Is there rent control in Georgia?Prohibited by state law
Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in Georgia?Presumed within 3 months
Do contractors charge sales tax in Georgia?Consumer of materials

Security deposits in Georgia

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Georgia?

In Georgia, a landlord has 30 days after the tenancy ends to return the security deposit, together with an itemised statement of any deductions. This is O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-34, 44-7-30.1.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Georgia?

In Georgia, a security deposit is capped at 2 months of rent. Two months' rent, for leases entered into or renewed on or after 1 July 2024 (Safe at Home Act, HB 404). This is O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-34, 44-7-30.1.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Notice periods in Georgia

How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in Georgia?

In Georgia, before starting a nonpayment case a landlord must serve a written notice giving the tenant 3 business days to pay the rent due. Three BUSINESS days from delivery of a written notice to pay or vacate, required by the Safe at Home Act (HB 404) for leases entered into or renewed on or after 1 July 2024; an older lease that has not been renewed may still be governed by the earlier rule, under which no notice period applied. This is O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-7, 44-7-50(c).

Landlord must give 60 days to end or change a month-to-month tenancy. No statute sets an entry-notice period.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent in Georgia?

In Georgia, a landlord must give 60 days written notice before raising the rent. This is O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-7, 44-7-50(c).

Landlord must give 60 days to end or change a month-to-month tenancy. No statute sets an entry-notice period.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in Georgia?

In Georgia, a landlord must give 60 days written notice to end a tenancy or decline to renew it. This is O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-7, 44-7-50(c).

Landlord must give 60 days to end or change a month-to-month tenancy. No statute sets an entry-notice period.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Evictions in Georgia

Can a landlord change the locks to force a tenant out in Georgia?

No. A Georgia landlord may not lock out, remove property or cut utilities; only a writ of possession executed by the sheriff or marshal may put a tenant out. In Georgia a tenant may be removed only through the court process, which is set by O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-50 (as amended by the Safe at Home Act, 2024), 44-7-51, 44-7-52, 44-7-55.

For a residential lease entered into or renewed on or after 1 July 2024, a landlord must give a notice to vacate or pay all past-due rent, late fees, utilities and other charges within three business days before filing for nonpayment (the Safe at Home Act). A tenant may pay all rent and costs within seven days of the answer to stop the eviction, once every twelve months. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50 is amended again from 1 January 2027.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

How long does a tenant have to respond to an eviction case in Georgia?

In Georgia, the time a tenant has to respond to an eviction case is governed by O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-50 (as amended by the Safe at Home Act, 2024), 44-7-51, 44-7-52, 44-7-55. Seven days from service. If the seventh day is a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day.

For a residential lease entered into or renewed on or after 1 July 2024, a landlord must give a notice to vacate or pay all past-due rent, late fees, utilities and other charges within three business days before filing for nonpayment (the Safe at Home Act). A tenant may pay all rent and costs within seven days of the answer to stop the eviction, once every twelve months. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50 is amended again from 1 January 2027.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

What are the steps to evict a tenant for unpaid rent in Georgia?

In Georgia, an eviction for unpaid rent runs through 5 steps, each set by the statute or court rule beside it: (1) Serve a 3-business-day notice to vacate or pay — O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(c), (d); (2) File a dispossessory affidavit — O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50; (3) Seven days to answer — O.C.G.A. § 44-7-51; (4) The tenant’s right to pay and stay — O.C.G.A. § 44-7-52; (5) Writ of possession, seven days after judgment — O.C.G.A. § 44-7-55. For a residential lease entered into or renewed on or after 1 July 2024, a landlord must give a notice to vacate or pay all past-due rent, late fees, utilities and other charges within three business days before filing for nonpayment (the Safe at Home Act). A tenant may pay all rent and costs within seven days of the answer to stop the eviction, once every twelve months. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50 is amended again from 1 January 2027. The procedure as a whole is set by O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-50 (as amended by the Safe at Home Act, 2024), 44-7-51, 44-7-52, 44-7-55.

For a residential lease entered into or renewed on or after 1 July 2024, a landlord must give a notice to vacate or pay all past-due rent, late fees, utilities and other charges within three business days before filing for nonpayment (the Safe at Home Act). A tenant may pay all rent and costs within seven days of the answer to stop the eviction, once every twelve months. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50 is amended again from 1 January 2027.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Rent regulation in Georgia

Is there rent control in Georgia?

No. Georgia has no statewide rent control, and its cities and counties cannot simply adopt their own: no county or city may enact, maintain or enforce an ordinance or resolution that would regulate in any way the amount of rent charged for privately owned single-family or multiple-unit residential rental property. This is O.C.G.A. § 44-7-19.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Tenant protections in Georgia

Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in Georgia?

No. In Georgia, a tenant makes a prima facie case of retaliation by showing the landlord filed an eviction, raised the rent, cut services or took a similar action within three months after the tenant acted in good faith to report or request repairs of a health or safety problem or to exercise a legal right. Retaliation is a defense to the eviction, and the tenant may recover one month’s rent plus $500, but a tenant who is behind on rent cannot rely on it. Separately, the federal Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to threaten or interfere with anyone for exercising fair housing rights. This is O.C.G.A. § 44-7-24.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Contractor sales tax in Georgia

Do contractors charge sales tax in Georgia?

In Georgia a contractor is treated as the CONSUMER of the materials they build into real property. That means the contractor pays sales tax when they buy the materials, and does not add sales tax to the customer's invoice for that work — the tax is already inside the price. Georgia also has county, city or special-district rates on top of the state rate, so the rate depends on where the job site is, not where the contractor is based. Source: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 560-12-2-.26 (contractors are the consumers of tangible personal property furnished to and installed in real property).

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Sources

  • Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 560-12-2-.26 (contractors are the consumers of tangible personal property furnished to and installed in real property).
  • O.C.G.A. § 44-7-19
  • O.C.G.A. § 44-7-24
  • O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-34, 44-7-30.1
  • O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-50 (as amended by the Safe at Home Act, 2024), 44-7-51, 44-7-52, 44-7-55
  • O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-7, 44-7-50(c)

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.

This is a summary of the published procedure, not legal advice. Courts, local rules and the facts of a tenancy change what applies, and a defect in a notice or a filing can end a case. Have a lawyer review anything before it is served or filed.

This is a summary of a state’s published guidance, not tax or legal advice. Rates and rules change, local jurisdictions add their own, and the treatment of a specific job depends on the contract and the work. Check the citation and speak to a CPA or a state tax adviser before relying on it.

How Seayora uses these rules

Security deposits. Seayora computes the deadline this rule sets from the tenancy’s own dates, shows it on the deposit statement, and reminds the landlord before it falls due — so the answer above is not reference material sitting beside the product, it is the rule the product enforces.

Notice periods. Seayora computes the notice this rule requires from the tenancy’s own dates — for a renewal offer, a rent increase or a served notice — and will not serve one that is short unless the owner records a reason. The answer above is the rule the product enforces.

Evictions. Seayora does not file, serve or appear in an eviction, and is not anybody’s lawyer. When a tenant has stopped paying, it lays out these steps for the property’s own state and city with the statute beside each one, holds back any step that would come too early, keeps an append-only record of the case — and shows the resident what would end it, legal-aid links included.

Rent regulation. This page states whether the state lets its cities control rent, and any statewide limit on an increase, so a renewal can be checked before it is offered. In New York City, Seayora’s rent-increase advisor goes further: it computes the highest increase the Rent Guidelines Board order and the Good Cause standard allow for each apartment, with the law cited, and gives no number where the law is not verified.

Tenant protections. When an owner prepares an eviction in Seayora, it lists any repair request opened on the unit in the last 180 days that is still open, not to stop the case but because the tenant will raise retaliation and the owner should have an answer. Every repair request keeps the date it was filed.

Contractor sales tax. Seayora resolves this rule on every invoice a contractor raises — per line, from the job site’s own address — and prints the rate, the jurisdiction and this citation on the document itself, so the estimate a customer accepts is the invoice they are billed. Where the rule is more nuanced than a single answer, Seayora refuses to guess a total rather than quoting a confident wrong one.

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