The Landlord Regulation Index (2026)
How much statutory regulation binds a small landlord in each state — scored transparently from verified, statute-cited rules. 17 states ranked; 34excluded because we haven't verified enough of their rules to score them honestly.
Headlines
- Most regulated (of scored states): Delaware — 7/7 points across 4 verified rule areas.
- Least regulated (of scored states): Texas — 5/11 points.
- This is a regulation intensity measure, not a value judgment: the same score reads as tenant protection from one side and compliance load from the other.
The ranking
| # | State | Score | Verified components |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | 7/7 | Deposit return deadline (2/2) · Late fee cap (2/2) · Mandatory grace period (1/1) · Rent increase notice (2/2) |
| 2 | New York | 10/11 | Deposit amount cap (2/2) · Interest on deposits (2/2) · Deposit return deadline (2/2) · Late fee cap (2/2) · Mandatory grace period (1/1) · Rent increase notice (1/2) |
| 3 | Connecticut | 6/7 | Interest on deposits (2/2) · Deposit return deadline (1/2) · Late fee cap (2/2) · Mandatory grace period (1/1) |
| 4 | Nevada | 6/7 | Deposit return deadline (1/2) · Late fee cap (2/2) · Mandatory grace period (1/1) · Rent increase notice (2/2) |
| 5 | Minnesota | 7/9 | Interest on deposits (2/2) · Deposit return deadline (2/2) · Late fee cap (2/2) · Mandatory grace period (0/1) · Rent increase notice (1/2) |
| 6 | New Jersey | 6/8 | Deposit amount cap (2/2) · Interest on deposits (2/2) · Deposit return deadline (1/2) · Rent increase notice (1/2) |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 8/11 | Deposit amount cap (2/2) · Interest on deposits (2/2) · Deposit return deadline (1/2) · Late fee cap (1/2) · Mandatory grace period (1/1) · Rent increase notice (1/2) |
| 8 | Colorado | 5/7 | Deposit return deadline (1/2) · Late fee cap (2/2) · Mandatory grace period (1/1) · Rent increase notice (1/2) |
| 9 | Maine | 5/7 | Deposit return deadline (1/2) · Late fee cap (2/2) · Mandatory grace period (1/1) · Rent increase notice (1/2) |
| 10 | New Mexico | 5/7 | Interest on deposits (2/2) · Deposit return deadline (1/2) · Late fee cap (2/2) · Mandatory grace period (0/1) |
| 11 | California | 6/9 | Deposit amount cap (2/2) · Deposit return deadline (2/2) · Late fee cap (1/2) · Mandatory grace period (0/1) · Rent increase notice (1/2) |
| 12 | Florida | 6/10 | Deposit amount cap (0/2) · Interest on deposits (2/2) · Deposit return deadline (2/2) · Rent increase notice (1/2) · Termination notice (1/2) |
| 13 | Iowa | 4/7 | Interest on deposits (2/2) · Deposit return deadline (1/2) · Late fee cap (1/2) · Mandatory grace period (0/1) |
| 14 | Maryland | 4/7 | Interest on deposits (2/2) · Deposit return deadline (0/2) · Late fee cap (2/2) · Mandatory grace period (0/1) |
| 15 | Oregon | 5/9 | Deposit return deadline (0/2) · Late fee cap (1/2) · Mandatory grace period (1/1) · Rent increase notice (2/2) · Termination notice (1/2) |
| 16 | Virginia | 5/9 | Deposit amount cap (2/2) · Deposit return deadline (0/2) · Late fee cap (2/2) · Mandatory grace period (0/1) · Termination notice (1/2) |
| 17 | Texas | 5/11 | Deposit amount cap (0/2) · Deposit return deadline (1/2) · Late fee cap (1/2) · Mandatory grace period (1/1) · Rent increase notice (1/2) · Termination notice (1/2) |
Methodology
Each state is scored on up to seven rule areas, using only values we have verified against the statute (with a citation and last-verified date): a cap on deposit amounts (0–2), mandatory interest on deposits (0–2), the deposit return deadline (0–2, more points for tighter deadlines), a late-fee cap (0–2; a bare "reasonableness" standard scores 1), a mandatory grace period (0–1), rent-increase notice length (0–2), and month-to-month termination notice length (0–2). Ranking is by score share, so states with more verified components aren't penalized. States with fewer than four verified components are excluded rather than guessed at.
Excluded pending verification: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Reproduce freely with attribution and a link. Underlying data: state pages under /laws and the press & data page. General information, not legal advice.
Not legal advice. LandlordKit provides general informational tools, not legal advice. Landlord-tenant laws change and vary by city and county. Verify the cited statute and consult a licensed attorney before acting on any result.