Connecticut late rent fee: the legal maximum
Connecticut caps late fees at the lesser of $0.00 or 5% of the monthly rent. Rent must be at least 9 days late before any fee may be charged.
Maximum late fee at common rents
Applying lesser of $null or 5% once the 9-day grace period has passed.
| Monthly rent | Maximum fee |
|---|---|
| $1,000.00 | $50.00 |
| $1,500.00 | $50.00 |
| $2,000.00 | $50.00 |
| $3,000.00 | $50.00 |
What the statute says
No late charge until rent is more than 9 days late (4 days for a week-to-week tenancy). The charge may not exceed the lesser of (1) $5 per day up to a maximum of $50, or (2) 5% of the delinquent rent (5% of the tenant's share if rent is subsidized). Only one late charge per delinquent payment regardless of how long it remains unpaid; a lease clause contrary to these limits is unenforceable (§ 47a-4(a)(8)-(9)). Added by PA 23-207, effective Oct 1, 2023. Secondary sources report PA 25-1 (effective Jan 1, 2026) extends the grace period 5 more days when the landlord's own online payment system blocked the payment — UNVERIFIED against the act text.
How this applies in practice
- A late fee must be written into the lease. The statute caps what the lease may say; it does not create a fee on its own.
- Rent is not "late" for fee purposes until 9 days after the due date. A fee charged earlier is unenforceable.
- Any amount above the cap cannot be collected or deducted from the deposit, and in several states charging an unlawful fee exposes the landlord to damages.
- Late fees are separate from interest on unpaid rent and from eviction filing costs, which have their own rules.
Related Connecticut rules
- Pay-or-quit notice: 3 days. Notice periods in Connecticut.
- Security deposit: 2 months' rent (1 month's rent if the tenant is 62 or older); returned 21 days after termination of the tenancy, or 15 days after receiving written notice of the tenant's forwarding address, whichever is later (deposit plus accrued interest, less itemized deductions). Deposit rules in Connecticut.
- All rules on one page: Connecticut landlord and tenant law.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum late fee for rent in Connecticut?
Lesser of $null or 5%. No late charge until rent is more than 9 days late (4 days for a week-to-week tenancy). The charge may not exceed the lesser of (1) $5 per day up to a maximum of $50, or (2) 5% of the delinquent rent (5% of the tenant's share if rent is subsidized). Only one late charge per delinquent payment regardless of how long it remains unpaid; a lease clause contrary to these limits is unenforceable (§ 47a-4(a)(8)-(9)). Added by PA 23-207, effective Oct 1, 2023. Secondary sources report PA 25-1 (effective Jan 1, 2026) extends the grace period 5 more days when the landlord's own online payment system blocked the payment — UNVERIFIED against the act text.
Is there a grace period for rent in Connecticut?
Yes. State law requires rent to be 9 days late before a late fee can be charged, regardless of what the lease says.
Can a Connecticut landlord charge a daily late fee?
Only if the total stays within the statutory cap (Lesser of $null or 5%). A daily fee that accumulates past the cap is unenforceable above it.
Can a landlord charge a late fee that is not in the lease in Connecticut?
No. A late fee is a contract term. If the lease does not provide for one, the landlord cannot impose it, and in Connecticut the statutory cap applies on top of whatever the lease says.