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Rental Application Fee Laws in Georgia

Georgia's state landlord tenant handbook says application fees may be required and are usually not refundable, even if the application is denied.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Georgia at a glance

Refund required
No refund rule; usually nonrefundable
Per the state handbook (revised Feb. 2021). The fee may be applied to the first month's rent, and tenants should get a receipt.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Georgia

Does a landlord in Georgia have to refund an unused application fee?

No refund rule; usually nonrefundable. Refund required in Georgia: no refund rule; usually nonrefundable. Per the state handbook (revised Feb. 2021). The fee may be applied to the first month's rent, and tenants should get a receipt.

Where do the Georgia rental application fee laws come from?

The rules above come from Georgia Landlord Tenant Handbook (Georgia DCA). Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Before collecting a fee, landlords can tell applicants in writing how much it is, what it pays for, and the screening criteria that will be used. Several statutes require some of this disclosure, and it also reduces disputes when an application is denied.

Keep a copy of the invoice or receipt from the screening company. Where the law ties the fee to actual cost or requires an itemized receipt, that record shows the fee was lawful.

Check local law as well as state law. In many states a city or county ordinance can set a lower limit or add refund and notice rules, and the stricter rule usually applies. A few states bar local rules on application fees.

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