A Rhode Island lease agreement is a written contract that sets the terms for renting a home or apartment. It states the rent amount, the lease length, and each party’s responsibilities. Rhode Island’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 34-18, sets rules for the security deposit, the deposit return deadline, and the notice needed to end a lease. This guide does not cover eviction procedures.
Last Updated: September 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Rhode Island law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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The Rhode Island lease agreement helps protect both the landlord and the tenant. It states who takes care of the property, who pays for utilities, and how to end the lease. The rental agreement template also covers the security deposit, pet rules, and other terms both parties agree to. This keeps the arrangement clear for both sides from the start.
Rhode Island’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Chapter 34-18 of the Rhode Island General Laws, sets the rules for security deposits, ending a tenancy, and other parts of a rental agreement in the state. The sections below explain the deposit limit, the return deadline, and the notice a landlord or tenant must give to end a lease.
Under Section 34-18-19 of the R.I. Gen. Laws, a Rhode Island landlord may not charge a security deposit worth more than one month’s periodic rent. The deposit acts as a financial safeguard for the landlord against unpaid rent or damage beyond normal wear and tear.[1]
A landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit, however denominated, in an amount or value in excess of one month’s periodic rent.
The landlord must return the deposit within twenty days. That deadline runs from the latest of three events: the end of the tenancy, the landlord regaining possession of the property, or the tenant giving a forwarding address for the deposit. A landlord who misses this deadline can be ordered to pay the tenant double the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney fees. A Rhode Island rental agreement cannot contain any waiver of these security deposit provisions.[1]
A furnished unit follows a different rule. If the furniture’s replacement value is five thousand dollars or more when the lease is signed, the landlord may also charge a separate furniture security deposit of up to one month’s periodic rent. The furniture deposit follows the same twenty-day return deadline as the regular security deposit.[1]
Rhode Island law addresses when a landlord may enter a rented home. The goal is to balance the landlord’s need for access with the tenant’s right to privacy. In practice, a Rhode Island lease typically lets the landlord enter to inspect the property, make repairs or improvements, provide agreed services, or show the unit to a prospective buyer, tenant, or worker.
Under Section 34-18-26 of the R.I. Gen. Laws, a landlord may enter without the tenant's consent only in an emergency or, when reasonably necessary to protect the property, while the tenant is away for more than seven days. Otherwise the landlord must give at least two days' notice of intent to enter and may enter only at reasonable times.[3] Many leases spell out how much notice the landlord will give, so it helps to check the signed agreement for the exact terms. A tenant who has concerns about entry timing can raise them with the landlord before signing, so both sides agree on the process in advance.
Rhode Island landlords must give tenants the following disclosures:
These practices help keep the rental relationship transparent for both sides.
If cited for a housing code violation, the landlord must deliver a copy of the notice to each affected tenant within thirty days of receiving it, unless all violations are corrected within that time (Section 34-18-22.1).[6]
Rhode Island law also sets notice periods for ending a periodic tenancy that has no fixed end date. A landlord or tenant ending one of these tenancies must give the other party written notice:
You can count the notice period with our deadline calculator.[2]
| Document Name | Rhode Island Rental Lease Agreement Form |
| Other Names | RI Rental Lease, Rhode Island Residential Lease Agreement |
| Relevant Laws | Rhode Island General Laws, Chapter 34-18 |
| Security Deposit Amount | One (1) month’s rent |
| Security Deposit Return | Twenty (20) days |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 18 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 119 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF |
Rhode Island landlords and tenants can choose from a few types of rental agreements. A fixed-term lease ends on a set date and does not renew on its own. A month-to-month, week-to-week, or year-to-year tenancy has no fixed end date and continues until either side gives the notice the law requires.
The notice a landlord or tenant must give to end each of these tenancies is covered above in Ending a Lease: Notice Requirements.
When a fixed-term lease ends, the landlord and tenant can sign a new lease, move to a month-to-month tenancy if both agree, or end the rental. Some Rhode Island leases include a renewal clause that explains what happens if neither side gives notice. Reading this clause before signing helps both sides avoid surprises when the lease term is up.
This section answers the security deposit and lease termination questions people search for most about Rhode Island rental agreements. Each answer below is based on Rhode Island’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Chapter 34-18 of the Rhode Island General Laws.
A Rhode Island lease agreement should include the names of the landlord and tenant, the property address, and the rent amount and due date. It should also state the security deposit amount, the lease start and end dates, and each party’s responsibilities for utilities and repairs. Spelling out these terms in writing helps both sides avoid disputes later.
If you want help understanding a long lease before you sign it, our chat with PDF tool can answer questions about the document.
A Rhode Island landlord cannot charge a security deposit of more than one month’s periodic rent. If the unit is furnished and the furniture’s replacement value is five thousand dollars or more, the landlord may also charge a separate furniture security deposit of up to one month’s rent.[1]
To end a month-to-month tenancy in Rhode Island, the landlord or tenant must deliver written notice to the other party at least thirty days before the termination date. A week-to-week tenancy needs at least ten days of written notice, and a year-to-year tenancy needs at least three months of written notice before the occupation year ends.[2]
General information, not legal or tax advice.
This page cites Rhode Island’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Act for the rules explained above, linked to the official Rhode Island General Laws website so you can read the full text. Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the R.I. Gen. Laws.
