Key takeaways
- Federal law is a floor, mainly around discrimination and consumer protection.
- State law supplies the main landlord–tenant rules.
- Cities and leases can add duties. They rarely subtract federal civil rights.
Do this today
- Search your state for the official chapter.
- Keep the lease next to the notice.
- If a court is named, call legal aid the same day.
What this page is not
- Not a national statute we wrote.
- Not a replacement for the official chapter.
- Not legal advice.
Confirm it locally
Caps, clocks, and entry hours live in your state chapter. Search below, or take the paper to legal aid if a court is named.
People also ask
- Is there a national tenant-rights law in the United States?
- Is there a national renters' rights law in the United States?
- Which matters more, my state law or my city rules?
- Can my lease take away my rights?
- Why does this site not just tell me the rule for my state?
- Does Alabama use the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act?
Official sources
- LawHelp.orgFree legal aid by state. Start here for court papers.
- HUD tenant rightsFederal floor and state HUD pages.
- Cornell LII landlord-tenant tableIndex of official state chapters. We name the chapter; we do not paraphrase a number out of it.
- 211Local rent, shelter, food, and utilities, in many languages.
Cluster: Rights
Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org