Rhode Island: Landlord Entry Notice Requirements

Requirements one by one

Advance notice required

Rhode Island is one of the few states that requires more than 24 hours. A landlord
must give "at least two (2) days' notice of his or her intent to enter"
(§ 34-18-26(c)), except in an emergency or where notice is impracticable. Two days is
a hard minimum, and the same figure applies to a repair, an inspection, or a showing —
Rhode Island sets no separate, shorter period for showing the unit.

Reasons a landlord may enter

Section 34-18-26(a) lists the lawful reasons: to inspect the premises; to make
necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations, or improvements; to supply
necessary or agreed services; or to exhibit the unit to prospective or actual
purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workers, or contractors. Subsection (d) closes off
the rest — "a landlord has no other right of access except" by court order, as
permitted by § 34-18-39 (the landlord's remedy where a tenant fails to maintain), or
after the tenant has abandoned or surrendered the unit.

When no notice is needed

Rhode Island's no-notice cases are broader than most. Section 34-18-26(b) allows entry
without consent "in case of emergency, or, during any absence of the tenant in excess
of seven (7) days, if reasonably necessary for the protection of the property." The
notice requirement is also excused where giving it "is impracticable" (§ 34-18-26(c)),
and no notice is needed after abandonment or surrender. The seven-day-absence rule is
narrow: it applies only when entry is reasonably necessary to protect the property,
not as a general license to enter while you are on vacation.

Tenant's remedies for unlawful entry

Section 34-18-45 gives a tenant a real statutory remedy. If the landlord "makes an
unlawful entry or a lawful entry in an unreasonable manner or makes repeated demands
for entry otherwise lawful but which have the effect of unreasonably harassing the
tenant," the tenant "may obtain injunctive relief to prevent the recurrence of the
conduct or terminate the rental agreement" (§ 34-18-45(b)). And in any such action
"the prevailing party may recover actual damages and shall be awarded costs and
reasonable attorney's fees" (§ 34-18-45(c)) — the fee award cuts both ways, so a weak
claim carries risk.

What trips people up

It's two days, not 24 hours. National guides that list a flat "24-hour" rule are
wrong for Rhode Island. The statute requires at least two days' notice
(§ 34-18-26(c)); a next-day notice, outside an emergency, is not enough.

A long absence can justify entry to protect the property. If you are away more than
seven days, the landlord may enter without notice "if reasonably necessary for the
protection of the property" (§ 34-18-26(b)) — for example, to deal with a leak. This
is not a general right to enter whenever you travel.

The attorney-fee award runs both ways. Section 34-18-45(c) awards costs and fees to
the prevailing party. That helps a tenant with a strong unlawful-entry claim, but a
tenant who unreasonably refuses lawful access and loses can be on the hook too.

Common questions

How much notice does my Rhode Island landlord need to enter? At least two days,
except in an emergency or where notice is impracticable (§ 34-18-26(c)). The notice
must be for one of the reasons the statute lists, and entry must be at a reasonable
time.

Can my landlord enter while I'm on vacation? Only in an emergency, or — if you have
been gone more than seven days — where entry is "reasonably necessary for the
protection of the property" (§ 34-18-26(b)). Otherwise the two-day-notice rule applies.

What can I do if my landlord enters without notice? You can seek a court injunction
to stop it or terminate the lease, and if you prevail you recover actual damages plus
costs and attorney's fees (§ 34-18-45).

Is there a shorter notice for showings to buyers or new renters? No. Showings use
the same two-day notice as any other entry (§ 34-18-26(a), (c)).

Statutes and sources

• R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-26 — the access section: the listed entry purposes and the tenant's duty not to unreasonably withhold consent (a); emergency and seven-day-absence entry (b); the at-least-two-days notice, reasonable-times limit, and no-harassment rule (c); and the "no other right of access except" limits (d).
  https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/statutes/title34/34-18/34-18-26.HTM (accessed 2026-07-11)
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-45 — landlord and tenant remedies for abuse of access: injunctive relief or termination for an unlawful entry (b), with actual damages, costs, and reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party (c).
  https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/statutes/title34/34-18/34-18-45.HTM (accessed 2026-07-11)