Tennessee Lease Agreement: What to Include
September 3, 2025A Tennessee 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 Tennessee'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: No statewide statutory limit. Tennessee does not require interest on held deposits. Return deadline after move-out: 30 Days.
Entry notice, late fees, and rent increases
Entry notice: 24 in URLTA counties; otherwise lease/common law. Late fees: Up to 10% of past-due rent, with a grace period of 5. Rent increase notice for month-to-month tenancies: 30 days. (Entry notice citation: Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-403 (24 hours, last 30 days of lease).)
Required disclosures
A Tennessee lease should include or accompany:
- • Federal lead-based paint
- • owner/agent disclosures
- • showings within final 30 days if in lease
Eviction notice for nonpayment
For nonpayment of rent, Tennessee's standard notice period is 14 days. 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: Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-505 (14 days) — URLTA counties only.)
What actually distinguishes Tennessee
Tennessee sets no statewide statutory cap on the security deposit amount — the lease itself is what controls how much you can charge, so put the amount and any pet/move-in fees in writing.
Tennessee requires 24 in urlta counties; otherwise lease/common law notice before a landlord enters an occupied unit for routine, non-emergency purposes.
Tennessee requires a comparatively long 14 notice period for nonpayment before you can file — plan for that lead time when a tenant falls behind.
Sources and the bottom line
The figures above reflect Tennessee's residential landlord-tenant statute as summarized on LeasePilot HQ's Tennessee landlord-tenant law page, which lists the specific sources behind each number. Security deposit rules specifically are codified at Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301 (no statutory cap; URLTA applies only in counties above population threshold). 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 Tennessee's current statute (linked above) before relying on them for an actual lease, and see LeasePilot HQ's full Tennessee landlord-tenant law summary for the complete breakdown, or generate a lease with Tennessee-specific clauses built in automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can I charge as a security deposit in Tennessee?
No statewide statutory limit. No interest is owed on the deposit.
How much notice do I need to evict a tenant for nonpayment in Tennessee?
14 days notice before filing, under Tennessee's standard nonpayment procedure. Court timelines add additional time once a case is filed.
What disclosures does Tennessee require in a lease?
At minimum: Federal lead-based paint, owner/agent disclosures, showings within final 30 days if in lease. Cities and counties can require additional disclosures on top of state law.