Connecticut enforces specific statutory regulations regarding when a residential landlord can charge for late rent. The state mandates specific grace periods that cannot be waived in a lease agreement. Under C.G.S. § 47a-4(a)(8), rental agreements are prohibited from requiring late charges prior to the expiration of the statutory grace period set forth in section 47a-15a.

Failing to adhere to the statutory grace period before issuing a Notice to Quit or charging an unauthorized late fee can lead to legal complications or the dismissal of an eviction case.

Official Law Citation: The rules and regulations outlined on this page are actively anchored to the Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S. § 47a-15a and § 47a-4)Preview unavailable.

The Mandatory Statutory Grace Period

Connecticut law (C.G.S. § 47a-15a) establishes a mandatory grace period during which a landlord is prohibited from charging late fees or initiating eviction proceedings for nonpayment.

• Monthly Leases: The law mandates a nine (9) day grace period. While rent is typically due on the 1st, a tenant is protected from late fees and termination for nonpayment until the expiration of the 9th day.
• Weekly Leases: For tenants who pay rent on a week-to-week basis, the statutory grace period is four (4) days.

A landlord cannot charge a late fee, nor can they legally issue a Notice to Quit for nonpayment, during these grace periods. Any lease provision attempting to establish a shorter grace period or requiring a late charge before the grace period expires is void and unenforceable under C.G.S. § 47a-4(a)(8).

Late Fee Regulations

Under the provided Connecticut General Statutes, there is no specified maximum late fee amount or a daily/monthly cap for residential properties. However, for a late fee to be enforceable, it must be clearly outlined in a written rental agreement.

Furthermore, C.G.S. § 47a-4(a)(8) explicitly prohibits any lease provision that requires a tenant to pay a late charge before the statutory grace period set forth in C.G.S. § 47a-15a has expired.

Regardless of the scenario, a Connecticut landlord is legally prohibited from assessing any late charge for a single delinquent monthly rent payment until the mandatory grace period has fully elapsed.

Serving a Notice to Quit

Once the statutory grace period expires—meaning the rent has not been received by the end of the 9th day (for monthly leases)—the landlord may initiate the eviction process.

The first step is serving the tenant with a Notice to Quit Possession, which is a jurisdictional prerequisite for a Summary Process action in the Connecticut Superior Court. It is standard practice to base this notice strictly on the unpaid rent amount. While late fees may be legally owed under a valid lease, relying solely on unpaid late fees as the primary basis for an eviction for nonpayment can be legally precarious. Landlords often choose to recover unpaid late fees through security deposit deductions at the end of the tenancy, as permitted by C.G.S. § 47a-21.

See our Eviction ProcessPreview unavailable guide for detailed next steps.

How Landager Helps

Landager continually tracks lease terms, required compliance items, and strict escrow accounting records - making it easy to fundamentally stay heavily compliant with Connecticut regulations.

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