Connecticut Landlord-Tenant Law 2026: The Plain-English Guide
Connecticut runs its landlord-tenant law through Chapter 830 of the General Statutes, with deposits handled separately under Chapter 831. It's middle-of-the-road tenant-protective: deposits must be held in a Connecticut escrow account and earn interest, tenants get a 9-day rent grace period, and evictions go through summary process in housing court.
Security deposits
- Cap: 2 months' rent — or 1 month's rent if the tenant is 62 or older (Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 47a-21).
- Escrow account: deposits must be held in a Connecticut escrow account and earn interest payable to the tenant. The landlord must give the tenant a written statement of the account terms and interest rate.
- Return: within 30 days after termination of the tenancy (or within 15 days after receiving the tenant's written forwarding address, whichever is later), with an itemized accounting.
- Prohibited lease terms include waivers of deposit interest.
Use our Security Deposit Deadline Finder and deductions guide.
Rent rules
- No rent control in Connecticut.
- 9-day grace period: for monthly tenancies, rent isn't late — and no late charge or nonpayment notice may issue — until 9 days after the due date (4 days for week-to-week; extended by 5 days if the landlord's online payment system prevents payment). Late fees are capped.
- Renewal increases require at least 90 days' written notice before the end of the lease.
See how to raise rent legally.
Eviction in Connecticut (summary process)
Eviction is a court action called summary process, filed in housing court:
- Nonpayment: 3-day notice to quit (only after the grace period runs).
- Lease violations: 3-day notice to quit; some violations allow a 15-day notice to cure.
- Lapse of time (lease ended, no renewal): 3-day notice to quit.
- Retaliation is prohibited.
Timelines vary by court — uncontested cases move in weeks; contested cases can take 2–3 months. Self-help lockouts are illegal. Full process: how to evict a tenant.
Repairs and habitability
- The landlord's duty to keep the unit fit and habitable cannot be waived by the lease (Sec. 47a-7).
- Rent abatement is available for uninhabitable conditions.
- Tenants can complain to the local health department or housing code enforcement.
Entry rights
Landlords must give reasonable notice before entering (Sec. 47a-16) — no fixed hour rule in the statute, but 24 hours is standard practice. No notice needed for emergencies, court orders, or abandoned units. Repeated unjustified entries can be landlord harassment.
Discrimination
Federal + Connecticut's broad fair housing protections (source of income is a protected class in Connecticut).
The bottom line
Connecticut is procedural: interest-bearing escrow accounts, a real grace period, and formal summary process. The 2-month (or 1-month for seniors 62+) deposit rule and the 9-day grace period are the two numbers to internalize. Document deposit accounting precisely — interest disputes are common.
This is general information, not legal advice. Consult a Connecticut landlord-tenant attorney for specific situations.