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The larger of two numbers. Many leases charge the greater of a flat late fee or a percentage of the rent. Enter the rent, the flat fee, and the percentage to see which one applies. The example numbers are set by this page.
A common lease clause charges the larger of a flat late fee or a percentage of the monthly rent. Compare the two and keep the bigger one.
| Step | Example ($2,000 rent) |
|---|---|
| Flat late fee | $50.00 |
| Percentage fee (5% of rent) | $100.00 |
| Charge the larger | $100.00 |
5% of $2,000.00 = $100.00. The flat fee is $50.00, so the late fee charged is $100.00, the larger of the two. These are example values set by this page.
late fee = max(flat fee, rent × percentage ÷ 100). Use the rent before any partial-month or other adjustment. If your lease adds a daily per-day charge after the flat period, add those days on top of the larger base fee.
The example numbers above are set by this page. The actual limit on a late fee comes from the lease you signed and the rules where the home is; some places cap the percentage, some cap the flat amount, and some set both. Check the lease and the local rule before treating any number here as final.
Three numbers decide how a late fee grows over time: how many days you get before any fee starts, how much each day after that costs, and the ceiling the fee cannot pass. Below they are chained in one example so you can see where each one bites.
The three numbers below are a worked example, not a market norm. Put your own lease terms in their place.
| Part | Example value | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Grace period | 5 days | No fee on days 1–5 after the due date |
| Daily rate after grace | $10.00 per day | Each day past day 5 adds $10.00 |
| Cap (max total fee) | $200.00 | The fee stops growing at $200.00 |
Grace period, daily rate and cap all come from your lease. If it is silent on any of them, ask for it in writing.
These three numbers are example values set by this page, not pulled from any lease or state law.
| Days late | Days charged | Daily subtotal | Fee so far | Capped? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–5 | 0 | $0.00 | $0.00 | No |
| 6 | 1 | $10.00 | $10.00 | No |
| 10 | 5 | $50.00 | $50.00 | No |
| 15 | 10 | $100.00 | $100.00 | No |
| 20 | 15 | $150.00 | $150.00 | No |
| 25 | 20 | $200.00 | $200.00 | Yes — reached cap |
| 30 | 25 | $250.00 | $200.00 | Yes — capped at $200.00 |
Day 25 is the turning point: 20 days past grace at $10.00 each = $200.00, which exactly hits the cap. From day 26 onward the daily rate keeps counting ($250.00 at day 30) but the fee charged stays at $200.00 because the cap holds.
The three numbers interact at one breakpoint: cap ÷ daily rate = days past grace to reach the ceiling. Here $200.00 ÷ $10.00 = 20 days past grace, so day 25 (5 + 20) is the day the fee stops growing. Change any one of the three and the breakpoint moves — a $15.00 daily rate reaches the same $200.00 cap in 14 days past grace (day 19), while a $300.00 cap with the same $10.00 rate takes 30 days past grace (day 35).
This page compares a flat fee and a percentage with example numbers. It is not legal advice and does not quote any state's late-fee limit.