Rhode Island tenant screening & landlord-tenant law

Rhode Island generally prohibits landlords from charging a standalone rental application fee. A landlord may still require an official state criminal background check (from the Bureau of Criminal Identification, Attorney General, state police, or local police) or a credit check, but if the applicant supplies one issued within the prior 90 days, no fee may be charged for it; if not, the landlord may charge only the actual cost of obtaining it and must provide the applicant a copy. This rule took effect January 1, 2024, per §34-18-59. Separately, landlords generally cannot charge tenants a "convenience fee" on rent payments unless they also offer a payment method that doesn't require one (§34-18-61, effective January 1, 2025).

Criminal history or conviction record is not listed as a protected class in the Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act's definitions (§34-37-3), and no Rhode Island statute specifically restricts the use of criminal records in tenant screening (comparable to the state's employment "ban the box" law in §28-5-7(7), which applies to jobs, not housing). Screening decisions involving criminal history are generally governed by federal Fair Housing Act disparate-impact principles, which — per current federal guidance changes in 2025–2026 — are in a state of flux; treat this as a risk area rather than a settled bright-line rule.

Rhode Island explicitly protects "lawful source of income" statewide under §34-37-3(18) and §34-37-4, defined broadly to include child support, alimony, Social Security, SSI, veterans' assistance, and any federal, state, or local rental assistance or housing subsidy program, including Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. There is a narrow exemption for owners of three units or fewer who occupy one as their residence (§34-37-4.6).

Federal FCRA §615 (15 U.S.C. §1681m) sets the baseline pre-adverse action and adverse action notice requirements. Rhode Island adds one specific requirement on top of this: if a landlord charges a fee for a background check or credit report under §34-18-59, the applicant must be given a copy of that report — a disclosure obligation independent of whether the landlord ultimately takes adverse action.

Under R.I. Gen. Laws §34-18-19, a security deposit generally cannot exceed one month's periodic rent (with a separate optional furniture deposit of up to one additional month's rent allowed only for furnished units where the furniture's replacement value is $5,000 or more). Landlords must generally return the deposit, with a written itemized notice of any deductions, within 20 days of the later of lease termination, delivery of possession, or the tenant providing a forwarding address. A landlord who fails to comply can generally be liable for the amount due plus double damages and reasonable attorney's fees, and leases may not waive these rights.

Rhode Island has no statewide rent control: no rent-increase percentage cap exists, only notice requirements — landlords must generally give 60 days' written notice before a rent increase, or 120 days' notice to month-to-month tenants age 62 or older (§34-18-16.1). Rhode Island is also generally not a broad "just cause" eviction state: under §34-18-37, a landlord may end a month-to-month tenancy with 30 days' written notice without stating a reason (week-to-week tenancies need 10 days' notice; year-to-year need 3 months'). A narrower just-cause protection does apply specifically to tenants in foreclosed residential properties under §34-18-38.2. Separately, Rhode Island law allows eviction-related court records to be sealed in limited circumstances — for cases resolved by dismissal, a satisfied stipulation, a fully satisfied judgment, or lack of prosecution after five years — under §34-18-60, effective January 1, 2024, though sealing requires an affirmative motion and is limited to one request every five years.

Rhode Island's counties have no county government function (they exist only as geographic/judicial designations), so there is no "unincorporated county" layer to check the way there is in some other states — cities and towns are the only relevant local government layer statewide. For Providence and Warwick, state law itself (the Providence and Warwick Absentee Landlord Enforcement Act, §34-18-57) requires landlords owning property in those two cities specifically to register their name, address, and phone number with the city clerk — this is a procedural disclosure requirement, not a license to exceed any state screening or deposit rule. Confirm any Providence-, Cranston-, or Warwick-specific fair-chance housing, source-of-income, or rent control ordinance against current municipal code.

Can a Rhode Island landlord charge a rental application fee? Generally no — state law bars a standalone application fee, though a landlord may pass through the actual cost of an official criminal background check or credit report if the applicant doesn't already have a recent one, and must give the applicant a copy of it.

Is source of income a protected class in Rhode Island? Yes, statewide, including housing vouchers and other public assistance — with a narrow exemption for owner-occupied properties of three units or fewer.

How much can a Rhode Island landlord charge for a security deposit, and how fast must it be returned? Generally one month's rent, returned within 20 days of move-out (plus a possible one-month furniture deposit for furnished units with furniture valued at $5,000 or more).

Does Rhode Island require "just cause" to end a tenancy? Not generally — a month-to-month tenancy can generally be ended with 30 days' notice without a stated reason, except for a narrower just-cause protection that applies to tenants in foreclosed properties.

Checkr helps landlords and property managers run consistent, compliant tenant background checks, including in states like Rhode Island with added state-specific screening-fee and disclosure rules. Get started with Checkr to build a screening process that applies the same way to every applicant.

The resources and information provided here are for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Always consult your own counsel for up-to-date legal advice and guidance related to your practices, needs, and compliance with applicable laws.