What Is a Landlord Disclosure?
A landlord disclosure is a written notice you must provide to tenants before or at lease signing, informing them of known conditions, hazards, or information material to their tenancy. Disclosures are not the same as lease clauses — they are separate documents or addenda required by federal or state law.
Disclosure violations are taken seriously. Federal lead paint disclosure failures carry civil penalties up to $16,000 per violation. State violations commonly allow tenants to terminate leases without penalty or sue for actual damages.
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Federal Disclosure: Lead-Based Paint (All 50 States)
Under 42 U.S.C. § 4852d, every landlord renting housing built before January 1, 1978 must, before signing the lease:
- Disclose any known lead-based paint hazards in the unit
- Provide the EPA pamphlet Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home
- Include a lead warning statement in the lease agreement
- Retain the signed acknowledgment for 3 years
This applies regardless of your state's laws. It is the only disclosure required uniformly across all 50 states.
All 50 States: Required Disclosure Comparison Table
Requirements current as of March 2025. Laws change — verify with your state's landlord-tenant statute before relying on this table.
| State | Lead Paint | Radon | Mold | Bed Bugs | Move-In Checklist | Utility Metering | Other Key Disclosures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Late fee policy |
| Alaska | Federal | No | No | No | Required | No | Written move-in condition report; landlord name/address |
| Arizona | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address; non-refundable fees; pool/spa hazards |
| Arkansas | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address |
| California | Federal | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Death on property (3 yrs); sex offender proximity opt-out; Prop 65; military ordnance; smoking policy; pest control; OFAC; methamphetamine contamination |
| Colorado | Federal | Recommended | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address; lease renewal notice requirement (2025 law) |
| Connecticut | Federal | Required | No | Required | No | No | Landlord name/address; code violations; nuisance history; tenant rights summary |
| Delaware | Federal | Recommended | No | Required | Required | No | Landlord name/address; summary of landlord-tenant code |
| Florida | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address; disclosure of deposit holding method (§83.49); rent withholding rights |
| Georgia | Federal | No | No | No | Required | No | Move-in inspection report; landlord name/address |
| Hawaii | Federal | No | No | No | Required | No | Move-in inspection checklist; landlord name/address |
| Idaho | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address |
| Illinois | Federal | Required | No | Required | No | Local | Radon test results if tested; Chicago: many additional disclosures |
| Indiana | Federal | No | Required | No | No | No | Mold disclosure; landlord name/address; utility responsibility |
| Iowa | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address |
| Kansas | Federal | No | No | No | Required | No | Move-in condition checklist; landlord name/address |
| Kentucky | Federal | No | No | No | Required | No | Move-in inspection; landlord name/address |
| Louisiana | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address; utility responsibility |
| Maine | Federal | Required | No | No | No | No | Radon if test done; landlord name/address; energy efficiency; subsurface oil storage |
| Maryland | Federal | Required | Required | No | Required | No | Move-in checklist; lead paint registry; flooding history; landlord name/address |
| Massachusetts | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Last month's rent notice; security deposit receipt; lead paint inspection (if applicable); landlord name/address |
| Michigan | Federal | No | No | No | Required | No | Move-in checklist (if deposit taken); landlord name/address; truth in renting act disclosure |
| Minnesota | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address; prior code violations; city rental license; outstanding inspection orders; pending condemnation |
| Mississippi | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address |
| Missouri | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address |
| Montana | Federal | No | Required | No | Required | No | Move-in checklist; mold disclosure; landlord name/address |
| Nebraska | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address |
| Nevada | Federal | No | No | No | Required | No | Move-in checklist; landlord name/address; nuisance/drug activity on property |
| New Hampshire | Federal | No | No | No | Required | No | Move-in checklist; landlord name/address |
| New Jersey | Federal | Required | Required | Required | No | No | Truth in renting; anti-eviction act; landlord name/address; flood zone (if applicable) |
| New Mexico | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address; owner of record |
| New York | Federal | Required | Required | Required | No | No | Landlord name/address; flood history; smoking policy; stove knob covers; window guard; bedbug infestation history; rent stabilization status |
| North Carolina | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address; military zone (if near military base) |
| North Dakota | Federal | No | No | No | Required | No | Move-in checklist; landlord name/address |
| Ohio | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address; move-in condition (recommended but not required) |
| Oklahoma | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address |
| Oregon | Federal | Required | No | No | Required | No | Move-in checklist; landlord name/address; flooding; carbon monoxide; utility billing method; smoking policy; notice of tenant rights |
| Pennsylvania | Federal | Recommended | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address; deposit escrow bank name |
| Rhode Island | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address; lead hazard disclosure (for pre-1978); right to jury trial disclosure |
| South Carolina | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address |
| South Dakota | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address |
| Tennessee | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address; known conditions affecting habitability |
| Texas | Federal | No | Required | No | No | No | Mold; parking; towing policies; landlord name/address; smoke detector info; late fees; lease violation notice |
| Utah | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address; utility metering (required if submetered) |
| Vermont | Federal | Required | No | No | No | No | Radon; landlord name/address; condition of property; list of code violations |
| Virginia | Federal | No | Required | No | Required | No | Move-in checklist; mold; landlord name/address; methamphetamine contamination; known defects |
| Washington | Federal | No | No | No | Required | No | Move-in checklist (required); landlord name/address; notice of tenant's rights; fire safety; flooding (2024 requirement) |
| West Virginia | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address |
| Wisconsin | Federal | No | No | No | Required | No | Move-in checklist; landlord name/address; late fee disclosure; nonstandard rental provisions |
| Wyoming | Federal | No | No | No | No | No | Landlord name/address |
| D.C. | Federal | No | No | Required | No | No | Tenant bill of rights; rent control status; housing provider registration; bed bug history; DCRA inspection certificate |
Frequently Asked Questions
What disclosures are required in every state?
Federal law requires all landlords to disclose known lead-based paint hazards for properties built before 1978 — this applies in all 50 states. Beyond that, required disclosures vary by state. Most states require disclosing your name and address (or your agent's) as a minimum.
What happens if a landlord fails to make required disclosures?
Penalties vary by state but commonly include: tenant right to void the lease, civil penalties up to $16,000 per violation for federal lead paint disclosure failures, actual damages, and attorney fees. In some states, failure to disclose allows tenants to terminate the lease without penalty and retain their deposit.
Do landlords have to disclose mold?
California, Indiana, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Virginia have specific mold disclosure requirements. Most other states require disclosure under general habitability or material defect laws even without a specific mold statute. If you know about mold, disclose it regardless of state law.
Is a move-in checklist required by law?
Move-in inspection checklists are required in Alaska, California, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Even where not required, a signed move-in checklist is your best defense against deposit disputes at move-out.
Does California require the most disclosures?
Yes. California requires over 12 specific written disclosures, more than any other state. These include the Proposition 65 notice, military ordnance disclosure, smoking policy, death on the property (within 3 years), pest control, methamphetamine contamination, and others. California landlords should use a comprehensive disclosure checklist at every lease signing.
RentSolve Handles Your Disclosures Automatically
Our AI-powered lease drafting tool detects your property's state and automatically includes all required disclosures. No checklist needed — it's built in.
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