Montana’s rent increase laws in 2025 give landlords broad authority to raise rents with few limits, but tenants should be aware of important regulations and protections. Montana has a statewide ban on rent control, enacted through House Bill 463 in 2023, which prohibits any cities or counties from setting rent increase caps or rent stabilization policies. This means landlords can increase rents to market rates freely when leases expire, without restrictions on the amount of increase per year.
Landlords must provide tenants with at least 30 days’ written notice before a rent increase takes effect on a month-to-month tenancy or after a lease expires. However, rent cannot be raised during an active fixed-term lease unless the lease agreement specifically allows it. There is no legal limit on how much rent can be raised, but tenants have the right to proper notice and can negotiate with landlords if they find increases unaffordable.
While there are no statewide caps on rent increases, landlords cannot increase rent more than once during an active lease period. Rent can be increased multiple times during tenancy if leases end and proper notice is given each time. Tenants who fail to pay increased rent after receiving valid notice risk eviction due to nonpayment.
Montana’s landlord-tenant laws balance landlord rights and tenant protections around notice and lease terms but leave tenants vulnerable to potentially high rent hikes due to the ban on rent control. Tenants facing affordability challenges may seek legal advice or local housing resources, though statewide protections for limiting rent increases do not exist.
Montana landlords can raise rents in 2025 without caps but must provide 30 days’ advance written notice unless a fixed lease restricts increases during its term. Tenants should review lease terms carefully and plan for possible market-rate rent increases when leases renew.
Sources
(https://www.hemlane.com/resources/montana-rent-control-laws/)
(https://www.steadily.com/blog/rent-increase-laws-regulations-montana)
(https://www.landlordstudio.com/landlord-tenant-laws/montana-landlord-tenant-laws)
(https://www.steadily.com/blog/mid-term-rental-laws-regulations-montana)
(https://www.hemlane.com/resources/montana-tenant-landlord-law/)
