landlordmate

Entry and routine inspections in Australian Capital Territory

How much notice you have to give before entering, and how often you are allowed to inspect.

The rule in ACT

Routine inspection — 1 week's written notice; maximum twice per 12 months

Statutory basis: RTA 1997 (ACT) Sch 1 cll 79(1), 77
Form: Entry notice (1 week)

What that means on a calendar

Say you serve the notice on 2 March 2026. Australian Capital Territory requires 7 days, so the earliest it can take effect is 9 March 2026. Count the days from when the tenant actually receives it, not from when you wrote it — if it goes by post, allow for delivery on top.

An illustrative date, not today's. Your own dates depend on service and on the tenancy.

How ACT compares

The same question, answered by each state and territory. A period that is right in ACT is wrong two borders over — which is most of the reason this is worth looking up rather than remembering.

WhereNoticeThe rule
QLD7 daysRoutine inspection — at least 7 days' written notice (Entry notice Form 9); no more than once every 3 months, unless the tenant agrees in writing. After a notice to leave or an intention-to-leave notice, entries to show the property are capped at 2 in any 7 days (s 195A)
NSW7 daysRoutine inspection — 7 days' written notice, max 4 times in any 12 months
VIC7 daysRoutine inspection — 7 days' written notice; once every 6 months; not in the first 3 months
SA7 daysRoutine inspection — 7 to 28 days' written notice; maximum 4 per year
WA7 daysRoutine inspection — 7 to 14 days' written notice (Form 19); maximum 4 per year
TAS24 hoursRoutine inspection — at least 24 hours' notice; not more than once every 3 months
ACT7 daysRoutine inspection — 1 week's written notice; maximum twice per 12 months
NT7 daysRoutine inspection — at least 7 days' written notice; only once every 3 months

What's changed recently in ACT

Rent in advance
Maximum 2 weeks' rent in advance.
Rent bidding
Banned — advertise a fixed rent; no soliciting higher offers (since 2023).
Minimum standards
Ceiling-insulation standard (min R5) in force for rentals (from 1 Apr 2023).
ACT note
Rent increases capped at ~110% of the Canberra CPI rents component, once every 12 months, 8 weeks' notice.

Source: act.gov.au · Last verified 1 August 2026.

How LandlordMate handles it

Routine inspection — 1 week's written notice; maximum twice per 12 months. You can generate the Entry notice (1 week) from the Compliance screen when the tenancy is eligible.

More for Australian Capital Territory landlords

Stop looking this up every time

LandlordMate tracks these deadlines for your property, generates the right state form, and tells you when something is due — $29/month for up to 3 rentals, 14 days free.

Start your free trial

General information drawn from each state's published rules — not legal advice. Tenancy law changes, and your situation may turn on facts a general page can't know. Confirm against the linked official source, or get advice. See our disclaimer.