The short version: Federal fair housing law protects 7 classes: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and familial status. But many states go further. 21 states add sexual orientation and gender identity. 11 states protect source of income. DC protects over 21 classes including personal appearance, political affiliation, and matriculation. Mississippi and Wyoming rely primarily on federal protections with minimal state law. We compiled fair housing rules for every state.
Fair housing compliance is not optional. Violations can result in federal and state lawsuits, fines up to $150,000 or more for repeat offenders, and compensatory damages to the victim. The challenge for landlords is that the rules change depending on your state, and some states have added protected classes that go well beyond federal law.
We pulled fair housing data from our 50-state legal database and compared the protections.
Key Findings
1
Federal law protects 7 classes everywhere. Race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation as of 2021 interpretation), national origin, disability, and familial status. These apply in all 50 states and DC regardless of state law.
2
21 states explicitly add sexual orientation and gender identity. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, DC, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
3
11 states protect source of income. California, Connecticut, DC, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Utah, and Virginia prohibit landlords from rejecting tenants based on how they pay rent, including Section 8 vouchers.
4
DC has the most protected classes. Over 21 classes including personal appearance, political affiliation, matriculation, place of residence, and status as a victim of an intrafamily offense.
5
Mississippi has the weakest state protections. Mississippi does not have a comprehensive state fair housing law. Landlords in Mississippi are governed primarily by the federal Fair Housing Act.
Fair Housing Protections: All 50 States + DC
| State | Fair Housing Protections | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and familial status. | Ala. Code § 24-8-1 et seq. |
| Alaska | Adds marital status, pregnancy, and parenthood to federal protections. | Alaska Stat. § 18.80.240 |
| Arizona | Mirrors federal Fair Housing Act protections. | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 41-1491 |
| Arkansas | Mirrors federal protections. | Ark. Code § 16-123-201 |
| California | One of the most protective. | Cal. Gov. Code § 12955 |
| Colorado | Adds ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status. | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-502 |
| Connecticut | Adds source of income, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, ancestry. | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46a-64c |
| Delaware | Adds marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity. | Del. Code tit. 6, § 4603 |
| District of Columbia | Over 21 protected classes including personal appearance, matriculation, political affiliation, source of income. | D.C. Code § 2-1402.21 |
| Florida | Mirrors federal with additional pregnancy coverage. | Fla. Stat. § 760.23 |
| Georgia | Mirrors federal protections. | Ga. Code § 8-3-200 |
| Hawaii | Adds gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, age, HIV status. | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 515-3 |
| Idaho | Does not include familial status at state level (federal still applies). | Idaho Code § 67-5909 |
| Illinois | Adds ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, source of income. | 775 ILCS 5/3-102 |
| Indiana | Adds ancestry to federal protections. | Ind. Code § 22-9.5-5-1 |
| Iowa | Adds sexual orientation, gender identity. | Iowa Code § 216.8 |
| Kansas | Adds ancestry. | Kan. Stat. § 44-1016 |
| Kentucky | Mirrors federal. | Ky. Rev. Stat. § 344.360 |
| Louisiana | Mirrors federal protections. | La. Rev. Stat. § 51:2606 |
| Maine | Adds sexual orientation, ancestry, source of income. | Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, § 4581 |
| Maryland | Adds marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity. | Md. Code, State Gov't § 20-705 |
| Massachusetts | Among the most protective. | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B, § 4 |
| Michigan | Adds age, marital status. | Mich. Comp. Laws § 37.2502 |
| Minnesota | Adds sexual orientation, public assistance status. | Minn. Stat. § 363A.09 |
| Mississippi | No comprehensive state fair housing law. | Federal: 42 U.S.C. § 3604 |
| Missouri | Adds ancestry. | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040 |
| Montana | Adds age, marital status. | Mont. Code § 49-2-305 |
| Nebraska | Mirrors federal protections. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 20-318 |
| Nevada | Adds sexual orientation, gender identity. | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118.100 |
| New Hampshire | Adds age, marital status, sexual orientation. | N.H. Rev. Stat. § 354-A:10 |
| New Jersey | Among the most protective. | N.J. Stat. § 10:5-12 |
| New Mexico | Adds sexual orientation, gender identity, spousal affiliation. | N.M. Stat. § 28-1-7 |
| New York | Among the most protective. | N.Y. Exec. Law § 296 |
| North Carolina | Mirrors federal protections. | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 41A-4 |
| North Dakota | Adds age, marital status, public assistance status. | N.D. Cent. Code § 14-02.4-12 |
| Ohio | Adds ancestry, military status. | Ohio Rev. Code § 4112.02 |
| Oklahoma | Mirrors federal protections. | Okla. Stat. tit. 25, § 1452 |
| Oregon | Adds marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, source of income. | Or. Rev. Stat. § 659A.421 |
| Pennsylvania | Adds ancestry, age, use of guide animals. | 43 Pa. Stat. § 955 |
| Rhode Island | Adds sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-4 |
| South Carolina | Mirrors federal protections. | S.C. Code § 31-21-40 |
| South Dakota | Adds ancestry. | S.D. Codified Laws § 20-13-20 |
| Tennessee | Does not specifically list familial status at state level. | Tenn. Code § 4-21-601 |
| Texas | Mirrors federal protections. | Tex. Prop. Code § 301.021 |
| Utah | Adds source of income. | Utah Code § 57-21-5 |
| Vermont | Adds sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, receipt of public assistance. | Vt. Stat. tit. 9, § 4503 |
| Virginia | Adds sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, source of funds. | Va. Code § 36-96.3 |
| Washington | Adds sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, use of service animal. | Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.222 |
| West Virginia | Adds ancestry. | W. Va. Code § 5-11A-4 |
| Wisconsin | Adds sexual orientation, ancestry, marital status, lawful source of income, age. | Wis. Stat. § 106.50 |
| Wyoming | Limited state provisions. | Federal: 42 U.S.C. § 3604 |
States With the Most Protections
DC, New York, California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts lead with the most protected classes. New York's Human Rights Law covers race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, familial status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, military status, source of income, and domestic violence victim status. California adds immigration status and genetic information. These states require landlords to be extremely careful in their screening and advertising practices.
Source of Income Protections
Source of income protection is the fastest-growing category in fair housing law. This typically means landlords cannot reject tenants solely because they pay with Section 8 vouchers, social security, or other non-employment income. If your state protects source of income, declining a Section 8 tenant solely because they use a voucher is a fair housing violation.
How RentSolve AI Helps
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Try RentSolve AI FreeMethodology: Data compiled from state revised statutes, annotated codes, and landlord-tenant acts for all 50 U.S. states and Washington DC. Source statutes verified against official state legislature websites as of March 2026. RentSolve AI maintains a database of 459 landlord-tenant statutes. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.