Georgia Landlord-Tenant Law at a Glance
Georgia’s 2024 Safe at Home Act changed the state’s eviction process: landlords must now give 3 business days’ written notice to pay or vacate before filing, and every lease carries a duty to keep the home fit for human habitation. Deposits have no cap but must be returned within one month (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34).
How Long Does a Landlord Have to Return a Security Deposit in Georgia?
A Georgia landlord must return the deposit, or a written list of damages with the balance, within one month after the tenant vacates.
| Maximum Deposit | No statutory limit |
| Return Deadline | One month |
| Interest Required | No |
| Itemized Statement | Required, based on the move-in and move-out inspection lists |
| Statute Reference | O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-33, 44-7-34 |
How Much Can a Landlord Raise Rent in Georgia?
Georgia sets no limit on rent increases and prohibits local rent control; a month-to-month tenancy needs 60 days’ notice from the landlord to change or end.
| Grace Period | None set by statute |
| Late Fee Limit | No statutory cap |
| Rent Control Status | Prohibited (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-19) |
| Statute Reference | O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-7, 44-7-19 |
How to Evict a Tenant in Georgia
Since July 2024 a Georgia landlord must give at least 3 business days’ written notice to pay or vacate before filing a dispossessory action for unpaid rent.
| Non-Payment Notice | 3 business days’ written notice to pay or vacate |
| Month-to-Month Notice | 60 days from landlord; 30 days from tenant |
| Statute Reference | O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-50, 44-7-7 |
Can a Landlord Enter Without Permission in Georgia?
Georgia has no statute on landlord entry, so the lease sets the terms; reasonable notice is the accepted practice.
| Notice Required | No statutory period; follow the lease |
| Emergency Entry | Allowed |
What Must a Georgia Lease Disclose?
- Lead-based paint disclosure (pre-1978 housing)
- Move-in inspection list signed by both parties before a deposit is collected (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-33)
- Flooding disclosure if the living space was damaged by flooding at least three times in five years (O.C.G.A. § 44-1-16)
- Name and address of the owner or agent (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-3)
What Repairs Is a Landlord Responsible For in Georgia?
Georgia landlords must keep the premises in repair and, since 2024, fit for human habitation; they are liable for damage caused by failing to repair.
What Georgia landlords must maintain
- • Keep the premises in repair (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-13)
- • Maintain the home fit for human habitation (Safe at Home Act, 2024)
What a Georgia tenant can do
- • Sue for damages caused by the landlord’s failure to repair
- • Raise habitability as a defense in a dispossessory case
| Statute Reference | O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-13, 44-7-14 |