State rules on when and how landlords may enter tenant rental units.
When tenants sign a lease or rental agreement, they gain the right to exclusive use of the rental. This means that the landlord cannot enter the rental except as allowed by the terms of the lease or rental agreement and state law. Many states have laws requiring landlords to give tenants a minimum amount of notice (often 24 hours) before entering an occupied rental unit. Often, these laws also specify circumstances when a landlord may enter a tenant's rental unit (for example, to make repairs or show the unit to prospective renters). Here is a summary of state landlord access laws.
Note that even if a specific situation is not specifically mentioned in a statute, other law (such as that created by court decisions) might grant the landlord the right to enter. For example, in all states, even in the absence of a statute, landlords may enter to deal with a true emergency (an imminent and serious threat to health, safety, or property); and when the tenant has abandoned the property (left for good). Most states specify non-emergency circumstances that justify entry, and some explicitly include abandonment and "extended absence" (temporary but prolonged absence, which allows a landlord to enter when necessary to protect the property).
Also, always check to see if your lease or rental agreement includes a clause regarding the landlord's right to enter—many states allow landlords and tenants to make access agreements that differ from statutory law. If you have any questions about landlords' access laws in your state, contact a local tenants' rights group for help, or consult a local landlord-tenant attorney.
State Statutes Regarding Landlords' Access to Occupied Rental Units
| State | State Law Citation | Amount of Notice Required in Nonemergency Situations | Form of Notice | To Deal With an Emergency | To Inspect the Premises | To Make Repairs, Alterations, or Improvements | To Show Property to Prospective Tenants or Purchasers | During Tenant's Extended Absence | When Tenant Has Abandoned the Property |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-303, 35-9A-423 | Two days | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Alaska | Alaska Stat. §§ 34.03.140,34.03.230 | 24 hours | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Arizona | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1343 | Two days; notice period does not apply, and tenant's consent is assumed, if entry is pursuant to tenant's request for maintenance as prescribed in Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1341, paragraph 8 | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Arkansas | Ark. Code § 18-17-602 | No notice specified | Not specified | X | X | X | |||
| California | Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1950.5, 1954 | Reasonable notice; 24 hours is presumed reasonable (48 hours for initial move-out inspection) | Written notice required, but oral notice is sufficient if the entry is to show the property to prospective or actual purchasers, but only if the landlord has given written notice within the previous 120 days, telling the tenant that the property is for sale and such oral notice might be given (24 hours' notice is presumed reasonable; landlord must leave a note when leaving). | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Colorado | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-1004 | Notice statute relates only to access for inspecting for or treating a bed bug infestation. 48 hours' written or electronic notice required unless lease says otherwise. | Not specified, unless the access is related to a possible or actual bed bug infestation, in which case notice must be electronic or written. | ||||||
| Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-16 to 47a-16a | Reasonable notice | Written or oral | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Delaware | Del. Code tit. 25, §§ 5113, 5507, 5509, 5510 | 48 hours | Written, by giving a copy to an adult who resides at the rental unit or at the tenant's usual residence (if it's not the rental) or by mailing via registered or certified mail or first class mail as evidenced by a certificate of mailing postage-prepaid, addressed to the tenant at the rental. The notice can also be posted at the rental unit when it's combined with a return receipt of a certificate of mailing. | X | X | X | X | X | |
| D.C. | D.C. Code § 42-3505.51 | 48 hours | Written and electronic (including email and mobile text messaging), but if the tenant doesn't provide an acknowledgement of the electronic notice in writing, the landlord must provide a paper notice. | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Florida | Fla. Stat. § 83.53 | 24 hours for repairs; landlord may enter "when necessary" in an emergency, when a tenant unreasonably withholds consent, or when the tenant is gone (without notifying the landlord) for a period of time equal to one-half the time for periodic rental payments. | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Georgia | No statute | ||||||||
| Hawaii | Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-53, 521-70(b) | Two days | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Idaho | No statute | ||||||||
| Illinois | No statute | ||||||||
| Indiana | Ind. Code § 32-31-5-6 | Reasonable notice | Written or oral | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Iowa | Iowa Code §§ 562A.19, 562A.28, 562A.29 | 24 hours | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Kansas | Kan. Stat. §§ 58-2557, 58-2565 | Reasonable notice | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Kentucky | Ky. Rev. Stat. §§ 383.615, 383.670 | Two days | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Louisiana | La. Civ. Code art. 2693 | No notice specified | Not specified | X | |||||
| Maine | Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6025 | 24 hours | Not specified | X | X | X | X | ||
| Maryland | No statute | ||||||||
| Massachusetts | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(1)(a) | No notice specified | Not specified | X | X | X | X | ||
| Michigan | No statute | ||||||||
| Minnesota | Minn. Stat. § 504B.211 | Reasonable notice | Not specified | X | X | X | X | ||
| Mississippi | Miss. Code § 89-7-49 | When a landlord believes tenant has abandoned property, and the tenant owes rent, the landlord may request the constable of the county to go onto the premises to ascertain abandonment and leave a notice. | Written | X | |||||
| Missouri | No statute | ||||||||
| Montana | Mont. Code §§ 70-24-108, 70-24-312, 70-24-426 | 24 hours | Email (if email is provided in the lease or rental agreement), hand delivery, mail with a certificate of mailing or by certified mail, or a post on the main entry door of the dwelling unit. | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Nebraska | Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 76-1423, 76-1432 | 24 hours | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Nevada | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.330 | 24 hours | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | |
| New Hampshire | N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:3 | Notice that is adequate under the circumstances; however, 48 hours' notice when entering after receiving notice of a bed bug infestation in an adjacent unit | Not specified | X | X | X | X | ||
| New Jersey | N.J. Stat. § 2A:39-1; N.J.A.C. 5:10-5.1 (for buildings with more than one unit) | In buildings with fewer than three units: Landlords can enter only when they have the tenant's permission or a court order. In buildings with three or more units: Landlords have a right to access the unit to inspect it, make repairs or perform maintenance, and deal with emergencies, but must give reasonable notice (one day under ordinary circumstances) before entering. | Not specified | ||||||
| New Mexico | N.M. Stat. §§ 47-8-24, 47-8-34 | 24 hours | Written | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| New York | No statute | ||||||||
| North Carolina | No statute | ||||||||
| North Dakota | N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.3 | Reasonable notice | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Ohio | Ohio Rev. Code §§ 5321.04(A)(8), 5321.05(B) | 24 hours | Not specified | X | X | X | X | ||
| Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. tit. 41, § 128 | One day | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Oregon | Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 90.322, 90.410 | 24 hours | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Pennsylvania | No statute | ||||||||
| Rhode Island | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-26 | Two days | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| South Carolina | S.C. Code §§ 27-40-530, 27-40-730 | 24 hours | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | |
| South Dakota | No statute | ||||||||
| Tennessee | Tenn. Code §§ 66-28-403, 66-28-507 | 24 hours (applies only within the final 30 days of the rental agreement term, when landlord intends to show the premises to prospective renters and this right of access is set forth in the rental agreement) | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Texas | No statute | ||||||||
| Utah | Utah Code §§ 57-22-4, 57-22-5(2)(c) | 24 hours, unless rental agreement specifies otherwise | Not specified | X | |||||
| Vermont | Vt. Stat. tit. 9, § 4460 | 48 hours | Not specified | X | X | X | X | ||
| Virginia | Va. Code §§ 55.1-1229, 55.1-1249 | For routine maintenance only: 24 hours, but no notice needed if entry follows tenant's request for maintenance. | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Washington | Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.150 | Two days; one day to show property to actual or prospective tenants or buyers | Written, unless it is impracticable to do so | X | X | X | X | X | |
| West Virginia | No statute | ||||||||
| Wisconsin | Wis. Stat. § 704.05(2); Wis. Adm. Code § ATCP 134.09(2) | With 12 hours' advance notice, landlords may enter at reasonable times. Landlords and tenants may sign a separate "Nonstandard Rental Provision" agreement, in which they provide for entry for reasons not enumerated in this chart. | Not specified | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Wyoming | No statute |
To learn more about the rules limiting a landlord's access to rental property, see Nolo's book, Every Tenant's Legal Guide.
Updated: April 4, 2022
Talk to a Lawyer
Need a lawyer? Start here.
How it Works
- Briefly tell us about your case
- Provide your contact information
- Choose attorneys to contact you
Free Legal Information
Landlords & Rental Property
Books, Forms & eGuides
Get Professional Help
Talk to a Landlord-Tenant attorney.
How It Works
- Briefly tell us about your case
- Provide your contact information
- Choose attorneys to contact you