Rental Property Rules in Memphis, TN (2026)
10 verified rental property rules for Memphis, Tennessee, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Rent Control
Memphis does not have rent control, and Tennessee state law preempts local rent control ordinances. TCA Section 66-35-102 prohibits any Tennessee municipality from enacting rent stabilization or rent control measures. Landlords in Memphis may set and increase rents without limit, subject only to the terms of the lease agreement. There are no caps on rent increases, no mandatory notice periods for increases beyond lease terms, and no local tenant protection ordinances governing rental pricing.
Memphis Rent Control & Stabilization
Few RestrictionsJust Cause Eviction
Memphis does not have a just-cause eviction ordinance. Tennessee follows standard landlord-tenant law under the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (TCA Title 66, Chapter 28). Landlords may decline to renew a lease for any lawful reason. Evictions for nonpayment require a 14-day notice under TCA 66-28-505. Month-to-month tenancies can be terminated with 30 days written notice without stating cause. Tennessee law does not require landlords to provide a reason for non-renewal.
Memphis Just Cause Eviction Protections
Few RestrictionsRental Registration
Memphis requires rental property registration through its rental property code enforcement program. Landlords must register rental properties with the city and maintain them in compliance with the International Property Maintenance Code (Ordinance No. 5708). The Code Enforcement division conducts inspections of rental properties upon complaint or as part of proactive enforcement. Properties that fail inspection must be brought into compliance or face Environmental Court action.
Memphis Rental Property Registration
Some RestrictionsRelocation Assistance
Tennessee preempts most local landlord regulation under TCA 66-35-101, and Memphis has not adopted (and cannot adopt) a tenant relocation-assistance ordinance for rent hikes, no-fault evictions, or condo conversions.
No Mandatory Relocation Assistance in Memphis
Few RestrictionsSecurity Deposit Rules
Tennessee URLTA (TCA 66-28-301) requires landlords in URLTA-counties (including Shelby) to hold security deposits in a separate account and return them with itemized deductions within 30 days of move-out.
TN URLTA Governs Security Deposits Statewide
Some RestrictionsCash-for-Keys Agreements
Memphis has no ordinance setting minimum cash-for-keys payments. Landlords may negotiate voluntary buyouts of leases or month-to-month tenancies at any amount, and tenants may accept or refuse without statutory protections.
Cash-for-Keys Offers Are Voluntary in Memphis
Few RestrictionsNo-Fault Evictions
Tennessee URLTA (TCA 66-28-512) lets a landlord end a month-to-month tenancy for any non-discriminatory reason with 30 days written notice. Memphis cannot impose a just-cause requirement because TCA 66-35-101 preempts local rent control and most local landlord regulation.
TN Allows No-Fault Termination With 30 Days Notice
Few RestrictionsTenant Anti-Harassment
Tennessee URLTA prohibits landlords from changing locks, shutting off utilities, or removing belongings to force a tenant out (TCA 66-28-504). Retaliation for code complaints filed in the prior six months is also barred (TCA 66-28-514).
TN URLTA Bars Self-Help Eviction and Retaliation
Some RestrictionsSource-of-Income Discrimination
Unlike many states, Tennessee does not classify source of income as a protected category. Memphis landlords may legally refuse Section 8 vouchers, SSI, child support, or veterans benefits as the basis for rent without state-law liability.
TN Has No Source-of-Income Protection
Few RestrictionsSection 8 Voucher Acceptance
Memphis Housing Authority (MHA) administers federal Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in the city. Tennessee does not bar source-of-income discrimination, so private Memphis landlords may legally refuse vouchers unless a federal program rule applies.