Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a § 47a-15a
Nonpayment of rent by tenant: Landlord's remedy. Charges for late rent. Extension of grace period.
Operative Text
(a) If rent is unpaid when due and the tenant fails to pay rent within nine days thereafter or, in the case of a one-week tenancy, within four days thereafter, the landlord may terminate the rental agreement in accordance with the provisions of sections 47a-23 to 47a-23b, inclusive, except that such nine-day or four-day time period shall be extended an additional five days if a landlord's online rental payment system prevents the payment of rent when due. Any extension of such time periods shall apply only for the week or month, as applicable, when such rental payment system prevents the payment of rent when due. For purposes of this section, “grace period” means the nine-day or four-day time periods or the extension of such time periods identified in this subsection, as applicable. (b) If a rental agreement contains a valid written agreement to pay a late charge in accordance with subsection (a) of section 47a-4 a landlord may assess a tenant such a late charge on a rent payment made subsequent to the grace period in accordance with this section. Such late charge may not exceed the lesser of (1) five dollars per day, up to a maximum of fifty dollars, or (2) five per cent of the delinquent rent payment or, in the case of a rental agreement paid in whole or in part by a governmental or charitable entity, five per cent of the tenant's share of the delinquent rent payment. The landlord may not assess more than one late charge upon a delinquent rent payment, regardless of how long the rent remains unpaid.
Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15a, Connecticut landlords cannot immediately terminate a rental agreement the moment rent goes unpaid. Instead, tenants receive a grace period—nine days for most tenancies or four days for week-to-week tenancies—before a landlord may begin termination proceedings under the eviction statutes. If a landlord's own online payment system blocks a timely payment, that grace period is extended by an additional five days for that particular payment cycle. When rent is paid after the grace period, a landlord may charge a late fee only if the rental agreement includes a valid written late-charge provision, and that fee is capped at the lesser of five dollars per day (up to fifty dollars total) or five percent of the overdue amount.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15a sets the framework Connecticut property operators must follow before pursuing nonpayment terminations. Compliant operators track the applicable grace period—nine days for monthly tenancies, four days for weekly ones—and do not initiate termination proceedings under §§ 47a-23 to 47a-23b until that window has fully elapsed. If the property's online payment portal experiences a system-side barrier to payment, operators account for the automatic five-day extension for that billing cycle. Late fees are assessed only when a valid written late-charge clause exists in the lease, and operators apply no more than one late charge per delinquent payment, keeping the amount at or below the statutory cap.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15a gives Connecticut tenants a built-in grace period before a landlord can lawfully move to terminate for nonpayment—nine days in a standard monthly tenancy or four days in a week-to-week arrangement. If a landlord's online payment system was the reason rent could not be submitted on time, the grace period extends by five additional days for that month or week. Tenants who believe a landlord has assessed an unlawful late fee—one that exceeds the statutory cap or was charged without a written lease provision—may raise that violation as a defense in eviction proceedings, file a complaint with a local housing authority, or consult a tenant-rights organization for guidance on available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 17, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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