Housing · Repair and Deduct
Repair and Deduct: How Much a Tenant Can Subtract
How much of the rent a tenant can spend on a repair and subtract, how often, and the notice required, in each state, plus the states that use rent withholding instead of a deduction. Each cited to the statute.
Read this first: not every state has this remedy
Repair-and-deduct lets a tenant pay for a repair the landlord ignores and subtract the cost from rent. Only three of these states put it in statute: California (one month’s rent, twice a year), Texas (the greater of one month’s rent or $500), and Illinois (the lesser of $500 or half a month’s rent statewide, with Chicago more generous).
The other three do not have a statutory repair-and-deduct, and the honest answer is to use a different tool. Florida gives rent withholding, with the rent paid into the court registry. New York has only a court-recognized version under the warranty of habitability, with no cap. Pennsylvania relies on case law, limited to the total rent due. Every one requires notice and a chance to fix first. Every figure links to the source, and pages still pending verification say so.
Every state in one table
The cost cap or the alternative remedy, the notice period, and the statute in each row.
Type a state to jump straight to its full repair and deduct limit guide.
All states (50)
| State | Cost cap | Notice before suing | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No repair-and-deduct | 14 days | Ala. Code §35‑9A‑405 |
| Alaska | Actual cost, no cap | Not set | Alaska Stat. §34.03.180 |
| Arizona | $300 or ½ month’s rent, greater | 10 days | Ariz. Rev. Stat. §33‑1363 |
| Arkansas | No repair-and-deduct | 30 days | Ark. Code Ann. §18‑17‑502 |
| California | One month’s rent | 30 days (presumed) | Cal. Civ. Code §1942 |
| Colorado | Actual cost, no cap | 10 days | Colo. Rev. Stat. §38‑12‑507 |
| Connecticut | Actual cost, essential services only | 48 hours | Conn. Gen. Stat. §47a‑13 |
| Delaware | $400 or ½ month’s rent, lesser | 30 days | Del. Code Ann. tit. 25, §5307 |
| Florida | Not a statutory remedy | 7 days (then withhold) | Fla. Stat. §83.60 |
| Georgia | No statutory remedy | Reasonable time | O.C.G.A. §44‑7‑13 |
| Hawaii | $1,000 or one month’s rent, greater | 7 days | Haw. Rev. Stat. §521‑64 |
| Idaho | No repair-and-deduct | 3 days | Idaho Code §6‑320 |
| Illinois | $500 or ½ month’s rent (lesser) | 14 days | 765 ILCS 742/5 |
| Indiana | No repair-and-deduct | Reasonable time | Ind. Code §32‑31‑8‑6 |
| Iowa | Actual cost, no cap | Written notice | Iowa Code §562A.23 |
| KansasCited | No repair-and-deduct | Not set | K.S.A. ch. 58, art. 25 |
| KentuckyCited | Essential services only | Written notice | Ky. Rev. Stat. §383.640 |
| Louisiana | Actual cost, no cap | Not set | La. Civ. Code art. 2694 |
| Maine | $500 or ½ month’s rent | Certified mail | 14 M.R.S. §6026 |
| Maryland | Rent escrow, no deduct | Not set | Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. §8‑211 |
| Massachusetts | Four months’ rent | 5 and 14 days | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 111, §127L |
| MichiganCited | No repair-and-deduct | Not set | MCL 554.139 |
| Minnesota | Rent escrow, no deduct | Not set | Minn. Stat. §504B.385 |
| Mississippi | One month’s rent | 30 days | Miss. Code Ann. §89‑8‑15 |
| Missouri | $300 or ½ month’s rent | 14 days | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.234 |
| Montana | One month’s rent | Not set | Mont. Code Ann. § 70‑24‑406 |
| Nebraska | Actual cost, no cap | Written notice | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76‑1427 |
| Nevada | $100 or one month’s rent | 14 days | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.360 |
| New HampshireCited | No clear self-help deduction | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. ch. 540‑A | |
| New Jersey | Reasonable cost (case law) | Timely notice | Marini v. Ireland |
| New MexicoCited | Statutory repair remedies | N.M. Stat. Ann. §§ 47‑8‑27.1 | |
| New York | No statutory cap | Reasonable time | N.Y. Real Prop. Law §235‑b |
| North Carolina | No repair-and-deduct | Consent or court order | N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 42 |
| North Dakota | Actual cost, no cap | Reasonable time | N.D. Cent. Code § 47‑16‑13 |
| Ohio | Not a statutory remedy | 30 days (then escrow) | Ohio Rev. Code §5321.07 |
| OklahomaCited | Statutory remedies | Okla. Stat. tit. 41, § 121 | |
| Oregon | $300 limit | 7 days | Or. Rev. Stat. §90.368 |
| Pennsylvania | No statutory cap | Reasonable time | Pugh v. Holmes, 486 Pa. 272 |
| Rhode Island | $500 per year | 20 days | R.I. Gen. Laws §34‑18‑30 |
| South Carolina | No repair-and-deduct | 14 days | S.C. Code Ann. §27‑40‑630 |
| South Dakota | One month’s rent, then escrow | Not set | S.D. Codified Laws §43‑32‑9 |
| Tennessee | No repair-and-deduct | 14 days | Tenn. Code Ann. §66‑28‑502 |
| Texas | One month’s rent or $500 | 7 days (after 2nd notice) | Tex. Prop. Code §92.0561 |
| Utah | Two months’ rent | 3 days | Utah Code Ann. §57‑22‑6 |
| Vermont | Half of one month’s rent | 30 days | 9 V.S.A. §4459 |
| Virginia | One month’s rent or $1,500 | 14 days | Va. Code Ann. §55.1‑1244.1 |
| Washington | One to two months’ rent | 10 days | Wash. Rev. Code §59.18.100 |
| West Virginia | No repair-and-deduct | Not set | W. Va. Code §37‑6‑30 |
| Wisconsin | Rent abatement, no deduct | Not set | Wis. Stat. §704.07 |
| Wyoming | No repair-and-deduct | Not set | Wyo. Stat. Ann. §1‑21‑1206 |
What these pages are, and what they aren't
Each state page is a reference for the repair-and-deduct rule, or the remedy used instead, and the neutral steps to use it. They are deliberately not advice for your tenancy: the notice steps, the cap, and local ordinances can all change the answer, so each page links to the statute and a way to reach a tenant resource or attorney. This is legal information, not legal advice.