✓ Law Verified June 2026
This guide explains tennessee rent increase laws in plain English — whether there is a cap on how much your landlord can raise your rent, how much notice they must give, which Tennessee cities have local rent control, and what to do if an increase looks illegal. All figures are from Tennessee law, verified as of June 2026.
In This Tennessee Guide:
Tennessee Rent Increase Rules at a Glance
| Statewide rent cap | NO — Tennessee has no statewide cap, limit, or maximum percentage on how much a landlord can raise rent. There is no ceiling on the dollar amount or percentage of any rent increase. However, increases cannot be retaliatory or discriminatory under TCA 66-28-514 and the federal Fair Housing Act. |
| Notice required before increase | Month-to-month tenancy: 30 days written notice before the next rental due date (TCA 66-28-512). Week-to-week tenancy: 10 days written notice (TCA 66-28-512). If the lease is silent on notice periods or there is no written lease: 90 days advance written notice is the default under Public Chapter 272 (HB 1760 / SB 1009), which amended the URLTA. If the written lease specifies 60 or more days notice, that lease term controls instead. |
| How often rent can be raised | No statutory limit — Tennessee law does not restrict how often a landlord may raise rent. As long as the landlord provides proper written notice each time and the increase is not retaliatory or discriminatory, rent may be raised at every renewal period. For month-to-month tenancies, this means rent could theoretically increase every month with 30 days notice (or 90 days if the lease is silent on notice). |
| During a fixed-term lease | NO — a landlord cannot raise rent during a fixed-term lease unless the lease itself contains a specific clause permitting mid-term rent increases. If no such clause exists, the rent is locked for the entire lease term. Any increase can only take effect after the original lease term expires, with proper written notice. |
Retaliatory increases: YES — Tennessee prohibits retaliatory rent increases under TCA 66-28-514. A landlord may not increase rent, decrease services, or threaten eviction because a tenant complained to the landlord about a code violation, complained to a government agency about a health or safety violation, or exercised a legal right under the URLTA.
IMPORTANT LIMITATION: this protection only applies in URLTA counties (population over 75,000 per 2010 census), which include Davidson (Nashville), Shelby (Memphis), Knox (Knoxville), Hamilton (Chattanooga), Rutherford, Williamson, Montgomery, Sumner, Wilson, Blount, Bradley, Sullivan, Washington, Madison, Maury, Putnam, Sevier, Anderson, and Greene counties. Tenants in smaller counties may not have this statutory protection.
Tennessee Cities With Local Rent Control
NONE — Tennessee law (TCA 66-35-102) expressly prohibits any city or county from enacting, maintaining, or enforcing an ordinance that controls the amount of rent charged for private residential or commercial property. Nashville attempted stronger local tenant protections (Metro Code Chapter 11.22), but state preemption law blocks enforcement. No Tennessee city has an enforceable rent control ordinance.
Exempt properties: Not applicable — because Tennessee has no rent cap or rent control, there are no exemptions. No properties are subject to rent regulation and therefore none need to be exempted. Note: the URLTA (TCA 66-28) itself only applies in counties with a population over 75,000 per the 2010 census, meaning tenants in smaller counties have fewer statutory protections overall.
State preemption: YES — Tennessee strongly preempts local rent control. TCA 66-35-102 (originally enacted 1981, amended 2024) prohibits any local government from enacting, maintaining, or enforcing any ordinance or resolution that controls the amount of rent charged for private residential or commercial property.
The 2024 amendment added a private right of action — any person who suffers an ascertainable loss because a local government violated this preemption can sue for actual damages.
The only exception is for voluntary attainable housing incentive programs under TCA 13-3-601 or TCA 13-4-401.
What to Do If Your Rent Increase Is Illegal
If you believe a rent increase is retaliatory (raised because you reported a code or safety violation), you may have a defense under TCA 66-28-514. Many tenants can file a complaint with the Tennessee Attorney General Consumer Affairs Division at 615-741-4737 or online at tn.gov/attorneygeneral.
You may be able to consult a local legal aid organization — Tennessee has several, including Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Memphis Area Legal Services, and West Tennessee Legal Services.
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If you believe the increase violates the Fair Housing Act (based on race, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin), you may file a complaint with HUD at hud.gov or the Tennessee Human Rights Commission.
If your landlord raised rent without proper written notice (30 days for month-to-month, 10 days for week-to-week, or 90 days if your lease is silent on notice), you may be able to challenge the increase in your local General Sessions Court. Check with your county court clerk for procedures.
Other Tennessee rent rules: Late fees are capped at 10 percent of past-due rent with a mandatory 5-day grace period (TCA 66-28-201). The URLTA (Title 66 Chapter 28) only applies in counties with population over 75000 per the 2010 census — tenants in smaller rural counties have significantly fewer statutory protections and should consult local legal aid.
Tennessee enacted Public Chapter 272 (HB 1760 / SB 1009) which established a 90-day default notice period for rent increases when the lease is silent or requires fewer than 60 days notice — this is more protective than the base 30-day rule for month-to-month tenancies.
Tennessee also has Source of Income Protection under the Fair Access to Housing Act prohibiting landlords from discriminating based on a tenant’s lawful source of income including housing vouchers.
You May Also Like
Official Tennessee Sources & Resources
- Tennessee Attorney General: https://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/working-for-tennessee/protecting-consumers.html
- Tennessee Rent Statute: https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-66/chapter-28/
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: hud.gov
- Cornell Legal Information Institute: law.cornell.edu/wex
Understanding Tennessee Rent Increase Laws
Whether a Tennessee rent increase is legal depends on the cap (if any), the notice given, and whether the increase is retaliatory. Tennessee rent increase laws protect tenants from surprise hikes by requiring a minimum notice period before any increase takes effect.
If you believe a Tennessee rent increase violates these rules, document the notice you received, check the math against the cap, and contact your local housing authority or legal-aid office.
Knowing the Tennessee rent increase rules before your lease renews puts you in a much stronger position.
This Tennessee rent increase guide was last verified against official sources in June 2026. Rent caps change — verify with your state or a local legal-aid office.
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Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal advice. Landlord-tenant laws change and vary by city and county within a state. Verify current rules with your state, your local court, or a free legal-aid office before acting. If you are facing eviction, contact a local tenant attorney or legal-aid organization right away.