US landlord compliance checklist
Use this as a working checklist before every new tenancy and as a periodic audit of existing ones. US rules are layered: federal law sets the floor, then your state and often your city add their own requirements, so every item here should be checked against the rules for the specific property.
Before advertising and screening
Advertising complies with the federal Fair Housing Act and any state or local protected classes, with no preferences or limitations tied to a protected class.
Screening criteria are written, applied identically to every applicant, and comply with the FCRA, including adverse action notices when a report drives a denial.
Application fees and screening charges comply with any state caps and are disclosed before the applicant pays.
Assistance animal and reasonable accommodation requests have a documented, lawful handling process.
At lease signing
For housing built before 1978, the tenant receives the lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet 'Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home' before signing, and the signed disclosure is kept for three years from the start of the lease.
All state-required disclosures are included, commonly mold, bedbug history, flood risk, utility arrangements and the identity of the owner or agent.
The security deposit is within the state cap, held in the manner the state requires, and any required receipt or account disclosure is given.
During the tenancy
Smoke alarms, and carbon monoxide alarms where required, are installed and tested, with records kept.
The property meets the implied warranty of habitability and repair requests are logged with dates and outcomes.
Entry notices follow the state notice period and permitted purposes.
Rent increases and non-renewals follow the notice periods and, where applicable, local rent stabilization rules.
Money and records
Client and trust funds are held per state rules for property managers, reconciled monthly, and never commingled with operating funds.
Vendor payments are tracked so year-end Form 1099-NEC reporting is complete: the threshold is US$2,000 for payments made after 31 December 2025, up from US$600, and is adjusted for inflation from 2027.
Security deposit returns follow the state deadline with an itemized statement of deductions; Cuvanti's guide to US security deposit rules explains how the state rules differ, with California and New York as worked examples.
This is general information, not legal advice. Requirements vary by state and city and change over time; confirm the current rules for each property with a qualified adviser.
Figures checked against the official sources below on .
Official sources
General information, not legal or financial advice.