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Georgia Tenant Rights & Lease Help

Georgia has historically been landlord-friendly, but the 2024 Safe at Home Act added the state's first deposit cap and a habitability duty. Here's what Georgia law now provides — deposits, the eviction process, and rent rules.

By the LeasePlain Editorial Team · Checked against Georgia Code & the Safe at Home Act per our editorial standards·Last reviewed October 2026

Georgia Tenancy Law Overview

Georgia residential tenancies are governed by Title 44, Chapter 7 of the Georgia Code, now updated by the Safe at Home Act (HB 404, 2024) — which, for the first time, caps security deposits and imposes a statutory duty to keep rentals habitable.

Georgia still has no rent control and a landlord-friendly eviction framework, but the new deposit and habitability rules give tenants more protection than before.

Key Georgia Tenant Protections

  • The 2024 Safe at Home Act (HB 404) caps security deposits at two months' rent, effective July 1, 2024 — Georgia's first statutory deposit limit.
  • Deposits must be returned within 30 days of move-out, with an itemized written statement of any deductions.
  • HB 404 also added a statutory duty of habitability — landlords must keep units fit for human habitation.
  • No rent control: state law preempts any Georgia city or county from capping rent.
  • Eviction is a court process (a 'dispossessory' action). A landlord must demand possession before filing, and only a court order can remove a tenant.
  • No statutory notice period is fixed for routine landlord entry — the lease governs.
  • For a month-to-month tenancy, a landlord must give 60 days' notice to terminate; a tenant must give 30 days.

Georgia Cities

Atlanta

Largest Georgia rental market; state law and the Safe at Home Act apply

Savannah

Growing coastal market under Georgia state law

Augusta

Standard Georgia landlord-tenant rules apply

City-specific guides for Atlanta and Savannah coming soon.

Frequently Asked Questions