Augusta Landlord Laws, the 2026 Quick Guide (Post HB 404)
Augusta operates under Georgia state landlord-tenant law (post HB 404) with Richmond County and Augusta-Richmond County Consolidated Government overlays. The Augusta market is heavily landlord-friendly with limited city-specific overlay. This is the Augusta-specific quick reference for 2026.
- Security deposit: 2-month cap (OCGA 44-7-30.1).
- Return deadline: 30 days (OCGA 44-7-34).
- Pay-or-quit: 3 business days (OCGA 44-7-50(c)).
- Implied warranty: OCGA 44-7-13.
- Rent control: preempted.
Augusta-Richmond County overlay: - Augusta Property Maintenance Code. - Richmond County Magistrate Court: dispossessories. - No just-cause eviction. - No source-of-income protection. - Lead disclosure: federal.
Augusta has a high concentration of military rental properties (Fort Gordon area). Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (federal SCRA) provides additional rights for active-duty tenants.
## Augusta dispossessory process
Augusta evictions go through Richmond County Magistrate Court:
- 3-business-day pay-or-quit.
- Dispossessory affidavit.
- Tenant 7-day answer.
- Trial.
- Writ of possession.
Total uncontested: 2-4 weeks.
Pre HB 404 dispossessory without notice. No longer permitted.
SCRA non-compliance for military tenants. Federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act gives active-duty tenants early termination rights, eviction stays, and rent caps for deployed members. Generic templates often miss SCRA language.
For an Augusta-ready Georgia residential lease that includes HB 404 compliance and SCRA addenda for military tenants, see leasekit.io/templates/georgia-residential-lease for $29 one-time.