Housing · Rent control
Does Indiana Have Rent Control?
Whether Indiana caps how much rent can rise, whether cities can set their own limits or are barred from it, and the exemptions. Rent control is separate from the notice a landlord must give before an increase. Cited to the statute.
What the rent control law says in Indiana
Whether rent increases are capped, who sets the limit, and the housing the rule does not reach.
| What the law says | What it means |
|---|---|
| State law bars local rent control | IC 32-31-1-20 says a unit may not regulate rental rates for privately owned real property, through a zoning ordinance or otherwise, unless the regulation is authorized by an act of the general assembly. For a renter this means no Indiana city, county, or town can limit how much a landlord raises the rent unless the state legislature has specifically allowed it. |
| It reaches beyond rent | The same section also bars local regulation of tenant screening, security deposits, lease applications, leasing terms and conditions, and any fees a landlord charges. Any ordinance that regulates this broader landlord-tenant relationship is declared void and unenforceable. Rent itself is barred by a separate part of the section, so whether a rent ordinance would be void or simply beyond a city power is a finer legal question. |
| What is exempt | What it means |
|---|---|
| Government-funded affordable housing | The section does not apply to privately owned real property for which government funds or benefits have been allocated from the United States, the state, or a political subdivision for the express purpose of providing reduced rents to low or moderate income tenants. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if you are facing a rent increase in Indiana. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Read the increase against your lease
A fixed-term lease locks the rent for its term. A mid-lease increase usually is not allowed unless the lease permits it, so check your dates and terms first.
- Do not expect a local cap
Because state law preempts local rent control, no Indiana city, county, or town ordinance limits your increase unless the general assembly authorized it. If someone claims a local cap applies, ask for the specific statute behind it.
- Confirm the notice you received
A month-to-month tenancy still requires proper notice before a rent increase. Make sure the notice gave the time the law requires, even though the amount is not capped.
- Get help if something looks wrong
If the increase seems to break your lease, contact Indiana Legal Services or a local tenant help line before you sign or move.
If you think an increase breaks a cap or a local ordinance, a legal aid office or the state consumer-protection unit can tell you whether a limit applies to your unit.
→ Indiana Legal ServicesThis is general legal information, not legal advice. Caps, local ordinances, and exemptions turn on the specific unit and city, so confirm your situation against the statute.
What renters in Indiana get wrong about rent control
Indiana is a preemption state, and its law is one of the widest in the country. There is no statewide cap on how much rent can rise, and IC 32-31-1-20 stops local governments from setting one. The rent piece says a unit may not regulate rental rates for privately owned real property, through a zoning ordinance or otherwise, unless the general assembly has authorized it. But the section does not stop at rent. It also bars local rules on tenant screening, security deposits, lease applications, leasing terms, and any landlord fees, and it declares ordinances that regulate that broader landlord-tenant relationship void and unenforceable. One careful point is that the voiding language attaches to the landlord-tenant limb, not directly to the rent limb, so it is fairer to say a local rent cap is beyond a city power than to say it is automatically void. The one carve-out is for privately owned housing that gets government funds to provide reduced rents for low or moderate income tenants. For most renters the result is straightforward. No Indiana city ordinance will cap your increase, and your protection comes from your lease and the state notice rules.
Common questions
Does Indiana have rent control?
No. Indiana has no statewide rent cap, and IC 32-31-1-20 bars local governments from regulating rental rates unless the legislature authorizes it.
Can a city in Indiana limit my rent?
No, not on its own. A unit may not regulate rental rates unless the general assembly has authorized the regulation, and Indiana has not done so for ordinary private housing.
How much can my landlord raise the rent in Indiana?
There is no legal cap on the amount. During a fixed-term lease the rent is set by the lease, but on a month-to-month tenancy a landlord may raise it by any amount after proper notice.
Does the Indiana law cover more than rent?
Yes. The same section also bars local rules on tenant screening, security deposits, lease applications, leasing terms, and landlord fees, and it voids ordinances that regulate that broader landlord-tenant relationship.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.