Connecticut Residential Lease Agreement
What Connecticut law requires in a residential lease — the deposit cap, the return deadline, the notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and the disclosures you have to give the tenant. Every figure is cited to the statute it comes from and dated. The free Connecticut lease template is one click away.
Maintained by Rapi Stack · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
Other Connecticut rules your lease has to live with
Beyond the deposit, Connecticut law sets rules on entry, late fees, and repairs that apply whether or not the lease mentions them.
- Late fees. 9-day grace period (4 days for week-to-week); late charge capped at the lesser of $5/day up to $50, or 5% of the delinquent rent; only one late charge per delinquent payment (P.A. 23-207). — Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15a (as amended by P.A. 23-207) ↗
- Rent increases. Written notice at least 45 days before the increase takes effect; for leases of one month or less, notice equal to one full term (P.A. 24-143, eff. Oct. 1, 2024). — Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4e (P.A. 24-143, effective Oct. 1, 2024) ↗
- Repair and deduct. Limited: if landlord fails to supply essential services (heat, water, hot water, electricity, gas), tenant may procure them and deduct the actual reasonable cost from rent (§ 47a-13). No general repair-and-deduct statute. — Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-13(a) ↗
- Habitability. Connecticut law implies a warranty of habitability into every residential lease; a clause waiving it is unenforceable. — Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-7(a) ↗
Each point links to the Connecticut source it was taken from. Rules change; confirm before relying on them.
What Connecticut law requires · as of 2026
- Max security deposit
- 2 months' rent (1 month if tenant 62+)
- Deposit return deadline
- 30 days after move-out
- Notice to end month-to-month
- Not set by statute
Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. §47a-21 · verify ↗. Laws change — confirm the current rule before you rely on it.
Deposit still not back 30 days after move-out? Ask for it in writing with a Connecticut security deposit demand letter; if that doesn’t work, the usual next step is Connecticut small claims court.
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Required disclosures in Connecticut
What Connecticut law says a residential landlord has to tell the tenant, each with the statute it comes from. Federal rules and some city ordinances can add more.
Identification of landlord / agent
Landlord must notify tenant in writing, on or before commencement, of the name and address of the person managing the premises and the person authorized to receive notices and service of process.
Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-6
Fire sprinkler system notice
In buildings required to have a fire sprinkler system, the lease must state existence or nonexistence of an operative system in 12-point boldface, plus date of last inspection if operative.
Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-3f
Common interest community notice
When renting from a declarant or successor declarant, written notice before the lease that the unit is in a common interest community.
Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-3e
Pre-occupancy walk-through offer
On and after Jan. 1, 2024, landlord must offer tenant a walk-through inspection before occupancy using the state checklist.
Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-7c
Frequently asked questions
How much security deposit can a landlord charge in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, the security deposit is limited to 2 months' rent (1 month if tenant 62+), and it must be returned within 30 days after move-out (as of 2026). Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. §47a-21. Confirm the current rule before you sign.
Is this lease valid in Connecticut?
A written lease that identifies the parties, the property, the term, and the rent is generally enforceable in Connecticut once both sides sign. What it cannot do is contract around Connecticut law: the deposit rules, entry notice, and habitability duties below apply whether or not the lease mentions them.
Can a landlord charge late fees in Connecticut?
9-day grace period (4 days for week-to-week); late charge capped at the lesser of $5/day up to $50, or 5% of the delinquent rent; only one late charge per delinquent payment (P.A. 23-207). Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15a (as amended by P.A. 23-207).
Can a tenant repair and deduct rent in Connecticut?
Limited: if landlord fails to supply essential services (heat, water, hot water, electricity, gas), tenant may procure them and deduct the actual reasonable cost from rent (§ 47a-13). No general repair-and-deduct statute. Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-13(a).
What does a landlord have to disclose in Connecticut?
Under Connecticut law: Identification of landlord / agent (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-6); Fire sprinkler system notice (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-3f); Common interest community notice (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-3e); Pre-occupancy walk-through offer (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-7c). Federal and local rules can add more; each item on this page links to the law it comes from.
How does Connecticut compare? See the security deposit limits in all 50 states, every figure cited to statute.
How Connecticut compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Connecticut: Conn. Gen. Stat. §47a-21 ↗.
- Connecticut is one of 29 of 51 jurisdictions that cap the deposit by statute (22 set no statutory cap on the security deposit).
- Deposit return deadline
Deposit return deadline: 30 days, exactly the national median.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 26 other states.
Deposit return deadline in neighboring states — Massachusetts (30 days), New York (14 days), Rhode Island (20 days).
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy
Connecticut has no statutory rule for this — the figure is whatever the document says, so set it explicitly.
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy in neighboring states — Massachusetts (30 days), New York (30 days), Rhode Island (30 days).
The rest of what Connecticut requires
The figures below are Connecticut's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full Connecticut page for that document.
- Notice for unpaid rent · as of 2026
- 3 days to pay or quit Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23; § 47a-15 ↗
- Notice to cure a lease violation · as of 2026
- 15 days Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23; § 47a-15 ↗
- Small claims limit · as of 2026
- $5,000 (up to $15,000 for home-improvement claims) Conn. Gen. Stat. §51-15; Conn. Practice Book §§24-1 et seq. ↗
- Where you file · as of 2026
- Small Claims Session of the Superior Court (Centralized Small Claims) · filing fee $95 entry fee Conn. Gen. Stat. §51-15; Conn. Practice Book §§24-1 et seq. ↗
- Rental application fee · as of July 2026
- Application fees are prohibited Connecticut General Statutes ↗
- Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026
- Not required Connecticut DMV (Form H-31) ↗
- Power of attorney signing · as of 2026
- Notarization recommended · 2 witnesses Conn. Gen. Stat. §1-350d (forms §1-351/§1-352) ↗
- LLC operating agreement · as of 2026
- Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules Conn. Gen. Stat. § 34-243a(20) ↗
- Recording a deed · as of 2026
- Town Clerk — deeds are recorded by town (169 towns), not by county · 2 witnesses Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47-5 ↗
Lease agreement in other states
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