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Rent Control Laws in Connecticut

Connecticut has no statewide rent cap and its courts have held that towns cannot adopt rent control, but state law lets towns (and requires those with 15,000 or more people) set up fair rent commissions that can limit excessive rent increases.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Connecticut at a glance

Statewide rent cap
No
No fixed yearly cap. Fair rent commissions review complaints about excessive rental charges case by case.
Local rent control banned
Barred by case law, fair rent commissions allowed
The Connecticut Supreme Court held towns lack power to adopt rent control (Old Colony Gardens v. Stamford, 1959), but C.G.S. 7-148b authorizes fair rent commissions.
Local rent control
No rent control, towns use fair rent commissions
Towns of 15,000 or more must create or join a fair rent commission by Jan. 1, 2028 under the current text of C.G.S. 7-148b.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Connecticut

Does Connecticut have a statewide rent cap?

No. Statewide rent cap in Connecticut: no. No fixed yearly cap. Fair rent commissions review complaints about excessive rental charges case by case.

Does Connecticut law ban cities from adopting rent control?

Barred by case law, fair rent commissions allowed. Local rent control banned in Connecticut: barred by case law, fair rent commissions allowed. The Connecticut Supreme Court held towns lack power to adopt rent control (Old Colony Gardens v. Stamford, 1959), but C.G.S. 7-148b authorizes fair rent commissions.

Which cities in Connecticut have rent control?

Local rent control in Connecticut: No rent control, towns use fair rent commissions. Towns of 15,000 or more must create or join a fair rent commission by Jan. 1, 2028 under the current text of C.G.S. 7-148b.

Where do the Connecticut rent control laws come from?

The rules above come from Conn. Gen. Stat. 7-148b and Old Colony Gardens, Inc. v. Stamford, 147 Conn. 60 (1959). Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 25-1, effective Jan. 1, 2026, amended C.G.S. 7-148b to let towns join joint or regional fair rent commissions. The current text requires towns of 15,000 or more people to adopt an ordinance by Jan. 1, 2028; a 2023 legislative research report described the earlier threshold as 25,000.

What this means in practice

Even where there is no rent control, a landlord usually cannot raise the rent during a fixed-term lease unless the lease allows it. Increases normally take effect at renewal or after written notice for a month-to-month tenancy, and notice periods are set by state law.

Rent caps and rent stabilization rules commonly have exemptions, such as buildings built in recent years, owner-occupied duplexes, or units owned by individuals rather than companies. A unit can sit in a covered city and still be exempt, so read the coverage section of the law closely.

Local rent control ordinances change through ballot measures and council votes more often than state law does. If you rent or own property in a city that regulates rent, check the city or county housing department for the current allowable increase and any registration requirements.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.