Free Georgia Rent-to-Own Agreement Template

Last reviewed July 2026

Written by LawLease Editorial

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Georgia Rent-to-Own Agreement

This Rent-to-Own Agreement is built with Georgia as the governing state. These are the Georgia landlord-tenant rules that most often bear on it, with the statute for each.

Georgia rules at a glance

Georgia rules for a Rent-to-Own Agreement
Security deposit limit	2 months’ rent (combining damage, advance-rent, and pet deposits)OCGA §44-7-30.1 (2024)
Deposit return	30 days, with an itemized statement of any deductionsOCGA §44-7-34
Escrow & move-in list	Required — but self-managing owners of ≤10 units are exemptOCGA §§44-7-31, 44-7-33, 44-7-36
Escrow	Deposits generally must be held in a separate escrow account (or secured by a surety bond), with written notice to the tenant of where it’s held (§§44-7-31, 44-7-32).
Rent control	Prohibited statewideOCGA §44-7-19
Month-to-month termination	Landlord 60 days · Tenant 30 daysOCGA §44-7-7

Security deposits in Georgia

Since July 1, 2024, a Georgia landlord may not collect more than two months’ rent as a security deposit — counting any damage deposit, advance rent, and pet deposit together (§44-7-30.1). The deposit must be returned within 30 days of the landlord regaining possession, with an itemized statement of any deductions; ordinary wear and tear can’t be charged (§44-7-34).

Escrow — Deposits generally must be held in a separate escrow account (or secured by a surety bond), with written notice to the tenant of where it’s held (§§44-7-31, 44-7-32).
Move-in damage list — Before collecting a deposit, the landlord gives the tenant a list of existing damage to inspect and sign (§44-7-33).
Small-landlord exemption — A self-managing owner who (with spouse and minor children) owns 10 or fewer units and uses no third-party manager is exempt from the escrow, move-in-list, and bad-faith-penalty rules — but still must meet the 30-day return and itemization duty (§44-7-36).
Bad-faith penalty — Where it applies, wrongfully withholding a deposit can cost the landlord up to three times the amount plus attorney’s fees (§44-7-35).

Rent, late fees & returned checks

Georgia sets no statutory rent due date or grace period — the lease controls. There is also no statutory cap on residential late fees.

Late-fee myth — A widely repeated “$20 or 20%” late-fee cap actually comes from Georgia’s Self-Service Storage Facility Act, which by its own terms doesn’t apply to homes or apartments. Residential late fees are governed only by the common-law rule that a fee must be a reasonable estimate of loss, not a penalty.
Returned-check fee — Georgia’s bad-check statute allows $30 or 5% of the check, whichever is greater, plus bank fees (§13-6-15).
Rent control — Georgia bars any city or county from regulating residential rents (§44-7-19).

Tenant protections you can’t waive

Non-waivable duties — A lease can’t disclaim the landlord’s repair or habitability duties, even with “as-is” language (§44-7-2).
Two-way attorney fees — A clause making the tenant pay the landlord’s attorney fees is void unless it also makes the landlord pay the tenant’s (§44-7-2).
No self-help eviction — Lockouts, removing belongings, and utility shutoffs are illegal — Georgia requires the court dispossessory process.
Non-waivable early termination — The military and family-violence termination rights can’t be waived (§§44-7-22, 44-7-23).

Georgia Rent-to-Own Agreement FAQs

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Georgia?

No more than two months’ rent, combining any damage, advance-rent, and pet deposit (§44-7-30.1). This cap took effect July 1, 2024 under the Safe at Home Act and applies to every landlord, regardless of how many units they own.

How long does a landlord have to return a deposit in Georgia?

30 days after regaining possession, with a written itemized statement of any deductions (§44-7-34). Missing the deadline generally forfeits the right to keep any of it — unless the landlord qualifies for the small-owner exemption, though the 30-day duty still applies (§§44-7-35, 44-7-36).

How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month lease in Georgia?

A tenancy at will takes 60 days’ notice from the landlord and 30 days from the tenant (§44-7-7). That notice ends the tenancy but doesn’t itself authorize eviction — the landlord still needs the court process if the tenant stays.

Rent-to-Own Agreement in other states

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