Landlord repair laws by state
Nearly every state requires a landlord to keep a rental fit to live in, but the deadline to fix a problem and what a tenant may do when it isn't fixed differ a lot. Here are the rules for 51 jurisdictions, each linked to its statute. Last checked .
How long does your landlord have?
Choose the state and the date the landlord got your request.
Every state at a glance
| State | Time to repair | Repair and deduct | Withhold rent | End the lease |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 14 days | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Alaska | 10 days | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits (escrow) | Allowed |
| Arizona | 10 days; urgent: 5 days | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits (escrow) | Allowed |
| Arkansas | 30 days | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed with limits |
| California | 30 days (presumed reasonable) | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits | Allowed |
| Colorado | 14 days; urgent: 24 hours | Allowed with limits | Not addressed by state law | Allowed |
| Connecticut | 15 days; urgent: 48 hours | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits (escrow) | Allowed |
| Delaware | 30 days; urgent: 48 hours | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits | Allowed |
| District of Columbia | A reasonable time | Not addressed by state law | Allowed with limits | Not addressed by state law |
| Florida | 7 days | Not allowed | Allowed with limits (escrow) | Allowed |
| Georgia | A reasonable time | Allowed with limits | Not allowed | Allowed with limits |
| Hawaii | 12 business days; urgent: 3 business days | Allowed with limits | Not addressed by state law (escrow) | Allowed |
| Idaho | 3 days | Allowed with limits | Not allowed | Not addressed by state law |
| Illinois | 14 days | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits |
| Indiana | A reasonable time | Not addressed by state law | Not allowed | Not addressed by state law |
| Iowa | 7 days | Allowed with limits | Not addressed by state law (escrow) | Allowed |
| Kansas | 14 days | Not allowed | Not allowed (escrow) | Allowed |
| Kentucky | 14 days | Allowed with limits | Not allowed (escrow) | Allowed with limits |
| Louisiana | A reasonable time | Allowed | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits |
| Maine | 14 days | Allowed with limits | Not addressed by state law | Allowed with limits |
| Maryland | 30 days (presumed reasonable) | Not addressed by state law | Allowed with limits (escrow) | Allowed with limits |
| Massachusetts | 14 days; urgent: 24 hours | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits (escrow) | Allowed with limits |
| Michigan | A reasonable time | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits (escrow) | Allowed with limits |
| Minnesota | 14 days | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits (escrow) | Allowed with limits |
| Mississippi | 30 days | Allowed with limits | Not addressed by state law | Allowed |
| Missouri | 14 days | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits | Not addressed by state law |
| Montana | 14 days; urgent: 3 business days | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits (escrow) | Allowed |
| Nebraska | 14 days | Allowed with limits | Not addressed by state law | Allowed |
| Nevada | 14 days; urgent: 2 business days | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits (escrow) | Allowed |
| New Hampshire | 14 days | Not addressed by state law | Allowed with limits (escrow) | Allowed with limits |
| New Jersey | A reasonable time | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits (escrow) | Allowed with limits |
| New Mexico | 7 days | Not addressed by state law | Allowed with limits | Allowed |
| New York | A reasonable time | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits (escrow) | Allowed with limits |
| North Carolina | A reasonable time | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed with limits |
| North Dakota | A reasonable time | Allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Ohio | 30 days | Not addressed by state law | Not allowed (escrow) | Allowed with limits |
| Oklahoma | 14 days | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits | Allowed |
| Oregon | 30 days; urgent: 48 hours | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits | Allowed |
| Pennsylvania | A reasonable time | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits (escrow) | Allowed |
| Rhode Island | 20 days | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits | Allowed |
| South Carolina | 14 days | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed |
| South Dakota | A reasonable time | Allowed | Allowed with limits | Allowed |
| Tennessee | 14 days | Allowed with limits | Not allowed | Allowed with limits |
| Texas | 7 days (presumed reasonable) | Allowed with limits | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Utah | 3 days; urgent: 24 hours | Allowed with limits | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Vermont | A reasonable time | Allowed with limits | Allowed | Allowed |
| Virginia | 14 days | Allowed with limits | Not allowed (escrow) | Allowed |
| Washington | 10 days; urgent: 24 hours | Allowed with limits | Not allowed (escrow) | Allowed |
| West Virginia | A reasonable time | Not allowed | Allowed with limits | Allowed with limits |
| Wisconsin | A reasonable time | Not addressed by state law | Allowed with limits | Allowed |
| Wyoming | A reasonable time | Not allowed | Not allowed | Allowed with limits |
Summary only — every remedy has conditions (written notice, rent paid up, the tenant didn't cause the damage). Open your state for the full rule. This is legal information, not legal advice; see our methodology.
What usually applies everywhere
- Ask in writing and keep a copy. In most states the deadline — and any remedy — counts from the landlord's written notice.
- Keep paying rent unless your state's law clearly lets you withhold it and you have followed its steps. Withholding without that right can lead to an eviction case for unpaid rent.
- Remedies don't apply to damage the tenant, a household member or a guest caused.
- Many states ban retaliation — a rent increase, cut in services or eviction because you asked for repairs or reported a code violation.
- Local housing or health code inspectors can inspect and order repairs; a city may have stricter rules than the state.
Tools
- Repair deadline calculator: the date the landlord's time runs out.
- Repair request letter: a dated request that cites your state's law.
- Breaking a lease: notice periods and early-termination rights.