Rhode Island Lease Agreement: What to Include
June 22, 2025A Rhode Island residential lease needs to reflect this state's actual rules on security deposits, entry notice, late fees, and required disclosures — not a generic template written for a different state. The figures below come from Rhode Island's residential landlord-tenant statute; where the state sets no fixed number, that's stated plainly rather than glossed over, since "the state doesn't specify" is itself something you need to know.
Security deposit
Security deposit limit: 1 month rent. Rhode Island does not require interest on held deposits. Return deadline after move-out: 20 Days.
Entry notice, late fees, and rent increases
Entry notice: 48 Hours. Late fees: No statewide fixed cap; should be reasonable and stated in lease; no statewide grace period requirement. Rent increase notice for month-to-month tenancies: 30; 60 for tenants age 62+ in some contexts days. (Entry notice citation: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-26 (2 days).)
Required disclosures
A Rhode Island lease should include or accompany:
- • Federal lead-based paint
- • housing code/rental registry/lead certificate where applicable
Eviction notice for nonpayment
For nonpayment of rent, Rhode Island: 5 after rent 15 days late This is the minimum notice before you can move to the next step in the eviction process — actual court timelines run longer once a case is filed. (Eviction notice citation: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35 (15-day arrears + 5-day cure).)
What actually distinguishes Rhode Island
Rhode Island caps the security deposit at: 1 month rent.
Rhode Island requires 48 hours notice before a landlord enters an occupied unit for routine, non-emergency purposes.
Rent increase notice for month-to-month tenancies in Rhode Island is 30; 60 for tenants age 62+ in some contexts days — different from the 30-day default most other states use, so don't assume the general rule applies here.
Sources and the bottom line
The figures above reflect Rhode Island's residential landlord-tenant statute as summarized on LeasePilot HQ's Rhode Island landlord-tenant law page, which lists the specific sources behind each number. Security deposit rules specifically are codified at R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19 (1 month), with the return deadline set by R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19 (20 days). Primary and cross-reference sources used in compiling this page:
- • https://ipropertymanagement.com/laws/security-deposits
- • https://www.justia.com/real-estate/landlord-tenant/information-for-landlords/right-of-entry/
- • https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/state-landlord-tenant-laws
State landlord-tenant law changes through legislative sessions and court decisions — treat the numbers above as a starting point, verify against Rhode Island's current statute (linked above) before relying on them for an actual lease, and see LeasePilot HQ's full Rhode Island landlord-tenant law summary for the complete breakdown, or generate a lease with Rhode Island-specific clauses built in automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can I charge as a security deposit in Rhode Island?
1 month rent. No interest is owed on the deposit.
How much notice do I need to evict a tenant for nonpayment in Rhode Island?
5 after rent 15 days late. Rhode Island law does not reduce this to a single fixed number of days the way most states do — confirm the current procedure before filing. Court timelines add additional time once a case is filed.
What disclosures does Rhode Island require in a lease?
At minimum: Federal lead-based paint, housing code/rental registry/lead certificate where applicable. Cities and counties can require additional disclosures on top of state law.