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Rent Late Fee Laws in Rhode Island

Rhode Island's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act sets no cap on rent late fees and no grace period, but any fees beyond rent must be disclosed in the lease next to the rent.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Rhode Island at a glance

Late fee cap
No statewide cap
Fees beyond rent must be disclosed in the lease in the same section as the rent; a tenant may recover fees that were not disclosed as required.
Cap (% of rent)
No statutory cap
Grace period
None required by statute
The 15 day period in R.I. Gen. Laws 34-18-35 is for the nonpayment eviction notice, not a late fee grace period.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Rhode Island

How much can a landlord charge as a late fee in Rhode Island?

Late fee cap in Rhode Island: No statewide cap. Fees beyond rent must be disclosed in the lease in the same section as the rent; a tenant may recover fees that were not disclosed as required.

What percentage of the rent is the late fee cap in Rhode Island?

Cap (% of rent) in Rhode Island: No statutory cap.

How many days does a tenant have before a late fee can be charged in Rhode Island?

Grace period in Rhode Island: None required by statute. The 15 day period in R.I. Gen. Laws 34-18-35 is for the nonpayment eviction notice, not a late fee grace period.

Where do the Rhode Island rent late fee laws come from?

The rules above come from R.I. Gen. Laws 34-18-15, R.I. Gen. Laws 34-18-35 and R.I. Gen. Laws 34-18-61. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Since January 1, 2025, a landlord may not charge a convenience fee on a rent payment unless the landlord also accepts a form of payment that requires no convenience fee (R.I. Gen. Laws 34-18-61).

What this means in practice

In many states, a landlord can charge a late fee only if the lease provides for it. Putting the amount, the due date, and any grace period in the lease in plain numbers helps both sides avoid disputes.

When a state counts a grace period, the details matter: whether weekends and holidays count, and whether the clock starts on the due date or the day after. Read the statute text linked on each state page rather than relying on a rounded summary.

Late fees are separate from unpaid rent. Keeping rent receipts and a record of the date each payment arrived makes it easier to check whether a fee was charged correctly and to resolve disagreements before they reach court.

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