Security Deposit Return Deadlines & Deductions by State
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit, and what can they deduct?
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Statutes checked
Every entry, oldest check July 6, 2026
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What this survey covers
When a tenant moves out, state law sets the clock running on getting a security deposit back. Every state answers the same handful of questions differently: how many days the landlord has, whether a written itemized statement of deductions is required, what the landlord can actually deduct for, whether there's a cap on the deposit in the first place, whether the tenant is owed interest on the money the landlord held, and what the tenant can recover if the landlord blows the deadline or acts in bad faith.
This survey answers one question, state by state: how long does a landlord have to return a security deposit, and what can they deduct? Each state's page states the rule in plain English, quotes the statute it comes from, and shows the date we last verified the statutory text. This page covers STATE law only — some cities and counties add their own, stricter deposit rules on top of it, which this survey doesn't track.
How to read the table
Each column is one feature of the state's security deposit rule, answered the same way for every state, with the statutory citation compressed into the cell. Where a state's deadline is actually a multi-step process rather than a single number (a notice period followed by an objection window, for example), the cell states the real shape rather than flattening it into one misleading figure. Click a state for the full plain-English page: the rule dimension by dimension, the practical traps people actually hit, and the verbatim statutory text with official source links.
Patterns across all 51 jurisdictions
Many deadlines run from more than one event. Rather than counting from move-out alone, a number of states start the clock only after two or three things have happened. Some use the later of the tenancy's end and the tenant's forwarding address (WY, CT, RI, SD, IA); others require both the end of the tenancy and delivery of possession (VA, OR, OH, NM, ND); and a few add the tenant's demand for the deposit as a third trigger (AZ, KS, MS, OK, SC). A smaller group splits the process into stages: Florida (15 days if the landlord makes no claim, otherwise a 30-day notice followed by a 15-day objection window), DC (45 days to return the deposit or give notice of intent to withhold, then 30 more days for the balance), and North Carolina (an interim accounting at 30 days and a final one at 60 when the claim cannot yet be determined). Reducing either shape to a single number misstates the rule.
No statutory cap is a common answer. Twenty-one jurisdictions set no limit on the deposit amount: FL, ID, IL, IN, KY, LA, MN, MS, MT, OH, OK, OR, SC, TN, TX, UT, VT, WA, WI, WV, and WY. A few more cap deposits only in some situations: Alaska's cap does not apply once rent exceeds $2,000 a month, New Mexico's one-month cap applies only to agreements shorter than a year, and Delaware's one-month cap reaches a month-to-month tenancy only after it has lasted a year. Georgia's two-month cap applies to residential leases entered or renewed on or after July 1, 2024. Among states that do cap, one month's rent is the most common limit, but the range runs up to three months' rent in Nevada, and New Hampshire sets one month's rent or $100, whichever is greater.
Mandatory interest is the minority position, and it is usually conditional. Most states require no interest at all. The states that do (CT, DC, IL, MA, MD, MN, ND, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, and PA) mostly attach conditions: a minimum holding period (6 months in MD and OH, 9 months in ND, one year in DC, MA, and NH, more than two years in PA), a building-size threshold (6 or more units in NY, 25 or more in IL), a minimum deposit size (MD, OH, PA), or, in New Mexico, an annual lease with a deposit above one month's rent. Connecticut, Minnesota, and New Jersey require interest without a tenancy-length condition. In Florida, interest is owed only if the landlord chooses an interest-bearing account or a bond. A few statutes say outright that the deposit comes back "without interest" (WY, OK).
Penalties sort into a few recurring shapes, and many states stack more than one. One common shape is a no-fault forfeiture: miss the deadline or the itemized statement and the landlord loses the right to keep any part of the deposit (VT, NY, HI, IA, PA, SD, WA, and others). Another is a damages multiple, most often twice the amount withheld or twice the deposit (AL, AR, AZ, CT, NH, NJ, OR, RI, and others), sometimes three times (GA, MD, ND, SC, TX) or one and a half times (KS, WV). Several states stack the two. A few use a presumption instead: in Texas, missing the 30-day deadline presumes bad faith; in DC, a missed deadline is prima facie evidence that the tenant is owed the full deposit; in Colorado, retaining 125% or more of actual damages is presumed bad faith. A thin remedy, the deposit and court costs with no multiplier, is rarer but real: Wyoming is the clearest example, and its provision cuts both ways, since a tenant who sues unreasonably can be ordered to pay the landlord's costs instead.
Account requirements and interest requirements are separate questions. Most interest states also require a separate or insured account (CT, DC, MA, MD, ND, NH, NJ, NY, PA), but Illinois, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Ohio require interest without an account rule. Many more states require a separate, trust, or escrow account without requiring interest, including AK, DE, GA, IA, KY, ME, MI, MO, NC, OK, TN, and WA, while Florida lets the landlord choose among a non-interest-bearing account, an interest-bearing account, or a bond.
State by state
Every column answered the same way for each jurisdiction. Open a state for the full page, with the statute text and the date it was checked.
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| State | Governing law | Deadline to return the deposit | Itemized statement required? | What can be deducted | Maximum deposit amount | Interest on the deposit? | Penalty for a late/bad-faith withholding | Separate account or bond required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama verified 2026-10-07 | Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-201, 35-9A-301 |
60 days after tenancy termination and delivery of possession (§ 35-9A-201(b)) |
Yes, if any deposit is withheld; send the itemized list within 60 days (§ 35-9A-201(c)) |
Accrued rent and damage from breach of statutory tenant duties (§§ 35-9A-201(b), 35-9A-301) |
One month's periodic rent, except for pets, changes to the premises, or increased liability risks (§ 35-9A-201(a)) |
No interest duty in the state security-deposit section (§ 35-9A-201) |
Double the original deposit for failing to mail a timely refund or accounting (§ 35-9A-201(f)) |
No separate-account or bond duty in the state security-deposit section (§ 35-9A-201) |
| Alaska verified 2026-08-24 | AS 34.03.070 (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act — Security deposits and prepaid rent) |
Two tracks. If the tenant gave the landlord proper notice under AS 34.03.290, the landlord must mail the refund/notice within 14 days after the tenancy is terminated and possession is delivered. If the tenant didn't give that notice, the landlord has 30 days after termination, delivery of possession, or the landlord learning the unit is abandoned. EITHER way, if the landlord is deducting for damage under this section, the deadline is 30 days, not 14. |
Yes — accrued rent and damages must be itemized by the landlord in a written notice mailed to the tenant's last known address, within the applicable 14- or 30-day deadline, together with the amount due the tenant |
Accrued (unpaid) rent, and damages meaning deterioration of the premises and their contents caused by the tenant's noncompliance with the tenant's maintenance duties. Excluded from "damages": deterioration from normal wear and tear, and deterioration caused by the LANDLORD's own failure to prepare for expected conditions or to meet the landlord's own statutory obligations. |
Combined prepaid rent plus security deposit may not exceed two months' periodic rent — UNLESS the rental unit's rent exceeds $2,000 a month, in which case this cap doesn't apply at all. A separate pet security deposit is allowed on top, capped at one additional month's rent, accounted for separately and usable only for pet-related damage. |
No interest required |
If the landlord WILLFULLY fails to comply with the return/itemization duty, the tenant may recover up to twice the actual amount wrongfully withheld — a bad-faith-style trigger tied to willfulness, not an automatic penalty for any missed deadline |
Yes — money paid as prepaid rent or a security deposit must be promptly deposited, wherever practicable, in a trust account at a bank, savings and loan association, or licensed escrow agent. Multiple tenants' funds may be commingled in one account, but the landlord must account for each tenant's money separately and may not use one tenant's funds to refund another tenant's deposit, pay another tenant's rent, or cover another tenant's damages. |
| Arizona verified 2026-08-12 | A.R.S. § 33-1321 (Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) |
14 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and other legal holidays, running from whichever happens LAST of three triggers: termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession by the tenant, and demand by the tenant for the deposit |
Yes — a written, itemized list of all deductions together with any amount due, mailed by first-class mail to the tenant's last known address (unless the tenant has arranged otherwise in writing) within the 14-day window. If the tenant doesn't dispute the itemization within 60 days after it's mailed, it becomes final and any further tenant claims are waived. |
All accrued rent; any charges the signed lease itself specifies; and damages the landlord suffered because of the tenant's noncompliance with § 33-1341 (the tenant's duty not to deliberately or negligently destroy, deface, damage, or impair the premises), subject to the landlord's duty to mitigate. Arizona's statute never uses the phrase "normal wear and tear" — it grounds recoverable damage in the tenant's own deliberate or negligent misconduct, so ordinary deterioration from normal use isn't chargeable under the statute's own terms. |
One and one-half month's rent, for security "however denominated" (including any prepaid rent counted as security). A tenant may voluntarily pay more in advance, but a landlord can't demand or receive more. |
No. Nothing in § 33-1321 requires a landlord to pay or credit interest on a held deposit. |
If the landlord fails to comply with the 14-day itemization/payment requirement, the tenant may recover the property and money due, plus damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld — in effect, up to three times the wrongfully withheld amount when the whole deposit was improperly kept. This recovery is triggered by simple noncompliance with the deadline itself; the statute's text doesn't require a separate showing of bad faith. |
No. Arizona's statute doesn't require the deposit to be held in a separate account, trust account, or bond. During the tenancy, a landlord may use a refundable deposit consistent with any property management agreement, but must refund it at termination under this section. |
| Arkansas verified 2026-07-06 | Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-16-301 to -306 (Residential Security Deposit Act) |
60 days after BOTH termination of the tenancy AND delivery of possession by the tenant |
Yes, if any amount is withheld — a written itemized notice of deductions delivered with the remaining balance inside the same 60 days |
Accrued unpaid rent; damages the landlord suffered from the tenant's noncompliance with the rental agreement. The statute's own text never uses the phrase 'wear and tear' — that description comes only from secondary sources paraphrasing this clause. |
2 months' periodic rent — but the entire subchapter (cap, deadline, and penalty) doesn't apply at all to a landlord who owns 5 or fewer dwelling units, unless a third party manages the unit or collects rent for a fee |
No interest required |
Recovery of the property/money due, damages equal to 2x the amount wrongfully withheld, costs, and reasonable attorney fees. If the landlord proves the noncompliance was an error despite reasonably designed procedures, or a good-faith dispute over the amount due, liability is limited to costs and the amount itself — no doubling, no fees. |
None — no segregated account, interest-bearing account, or bond required |
| California verified 2026-08-23 | Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 |
21 calendar days after the tenant vacates |
Yes — written itemized statement within the same 21 days; supporting bills/invoices/receipts and before-and-after repair or cleaning photographs generally required, subject to the $125 documentation exception and later tenant request |
Unpaid rent; damage beyond normal wear and tear; cleaning to restore move-in cleanliness; future furnishing defaults if the lease authorizes it. Ordinary wear and tear and pre-existing damage cannot be deducted. |
1 month's rent for most landlords; 2 months' rent for a small landlord (natural person/all-natural-person LLC owning 2 or fewer rental properties totaling 4 or fewer units) |
No state-mandated interest |
Bad-faith retention: up to 2x the deposit plus actual damages. Failure to comply with the itemized-statement/return rule in bad faith: forfeits the right to keep any of the deposit. |
No segregated account or bond required; the tenant's claim to the deposit is simply prior to any claim of the landlord's creditors |
| Colorado verified 2026-10-02 | C.R.S. §§ 38-12-102, -102.5, -103 (Title 38, Art. 12, Part 1); the 2026 Title 38 printout includes the current 2026 deposit rules and a January 2027 cap exception |
30 days after lease termination or surrender of the premises, whichever occurs last (up to 60 days if the written lease specifies a longer period) |
Written exact-reasons statement with any retained amount. When a landlord gives that statement within 14 days after a tenant's written request, relevant supporting documentation in the landlord's possession or control must accompany it (§ 38-12-103(1), (8)) |
Unpaid rent or utilities, lawful lease charges, and necessary repair of damage beyond normal wear and tear that did not preexist tenancy. Whole-unit carpet/paint replacement has stricter damage tests; partial replacement can qualify. Carpet not replaced within 10 years before lease termination/surrender cannot be deemed substantially and irreparably damaged (§§ 38-12-102(4), -103(1), (11)) |
2 months' rent now; a narrow post-closing occupancy exception starts 2027-01-01 (§ 38-12-102.5). Additional refundable pet deposit capped at $300 (§ 38-12-106) |
No state-mandated interest |
Missing the deadline or statement requirement, or otherwise wrongfully withholding, forfeits the landlord's right to keep any portion. A retained amount is presumed a bad-faith wrongful withholding if it's 125% or more of actual damages. If the landlord doesn't pay the wrongfully withheld amount within 7 days of the tenant's written demand, the tenant can recover 3x that amount plus attorney fees and court costs; a good-faith landlord found to have merely overestimated damages owes only the excess plus court costs, not treble damages. |
No segregated account, trust account, or bond required |
| Connecticut verified 2026-08-24 | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21 |
21 days after the tenancy terminates, or 15 days after the tenant gives written notice of a forwarding address, whichever is LATER |
Yes, if the landlord keeps any part of the deposit — a written statement itemizing the nature and amount of the damages, delivered with the balance and any accrued interest by the same deadline |
The value of damages from the tenant's failure to meet the tenant's obligations under the lease and the landlord-tenant act — including unpaid rent or utilities and an unpaid lock-change cost. The statute never uses the phrase 'normal wear and tear' |
2 months' rent for a tenant under 62; 1 month's rent for a tenant 62 or older. A landlord who already collected more than one month's rent from a tenant who later turns 62 must refund the excess on request |
Yes — mandatory annual interest at a rate set each year by the state Banking Commissioner's published 'deposit index,' paid on the tenancy's anniversary or credited toward rent. A tenant forfeits that month's interest for paying rent more than 10 days late unless the lease instead imposes a separate late fee |
Missing the 21-/15-day deadline makes the landlord liable for twice the deposit amount; if the ONLY violation is failing to pay the accrued interest, the penalty drops to $10 or twice the unpaid interest, whichever is greater. Separately, a landlord who knowingly and willfully withholds a deposit can face a state fine of up to $250 — a different penalty track, not money paid to the tenant |
Yes — the entire deposit must go into an escrow account at a financial institution located in Connecticut immediately upon receipt, used only for disbursing deposits/interest, retaining lawful deductions, or transferring to a successor landlord |
| Delaware verified 2026-09-30 | 25 Del. C. § 5514 (security deposits); § 5514A (optional surety-bond alternative) |
20 days after the expiration or termination of the rental agreement — a single trigger tied to the lease ending, not gated on delivery of possession |
Yes — within the same 20 days, the landlord must give the tenant a written itemized list of damages to the premises and the estimated cost to repair each one; skipping it is treated as the landlord admitting no damages are owed. A tenant who doesn't object in writing within 10 days of receiving an itemized payment is deemed to agree with it. |
Actual damage beyond normal wear and tear that painting and ordinary cleaning can't fix; rent arrearage (including late charges and rent due for premature termination or abandonment); and reasonable renovating/re-renting expenses caused by the tenant's premature termination (capped at 1 month's rent for a termination under § 5314). |
1 month's rent once the rental agreement is for 1 year or more. For an undefined-term or month-to-month tenancy, no cap applies until the tenancy has actually lasted 1 year — at that point the landlord must immediately credit back any amount (deposit plus any surety bond) above 1 month's rent. Neither cap applies at all to a FURNISHED rental unit. A separate pet deposit, also capped at 1 month's rent, is allowed on top. |
Section 5514(b) requires escrow but states no interest-payment term |
Two independent tracks. Missing the 20-day remit deadline entitles the tenant to double the amount wrongfully withheld. Separately, failing to disclose the escrow account's location within 20 days of the tenant's written request, or failing to actually hold the deposit in a proper federally-insured account, forfeits the ENTIRE deposit to the tenant outright — and if the landlord then doesn't pay that forfeited amount within 20 days, the tenant is owed DOUBLE the full deposit. |
Yes — each deposit must sit in a dedicated escrow bank account at a federally-insured institution accepting deposits in Delaware, disclosed to the tenant, held for the tenant's benefit with priority over the landlord's other creditors even if commingled. Section 5514A permits a tenant to offer a surety bond instead, but the landlord need not accept it. |
| District of Columbia verified 2026-08-25 | D.C. Code § 42-3502.17; 14 DCMR §§ 308-311; D.C. Law 26-156 adds a separate post-tenancy debt-notice track |
Two-step: within 45 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must either (1) return the deposit plus any interest due, or (2) notify the tenant in writing (personally or by certified mail) of intent to withhold. If the landlord chooses (2), it then has 30 more days after that notice to send the remaining balance plus interest and the itemized statement. |
Deposit: itemized repairs/uses and costs due in the 30-day second step if withholding. Separate debt notice: supporting photos/documents and dispute instructions due within 45 days |
Amounts 'properly incurred under the terms and conditions of the security deposit agreement' — i.e., whatever the lease's deposit terms specify, typically unpaid rent and damage. Expressly FORBIDDEN: withholding for the replacement value of items damaged by ordinary wear and tear, defined by statute as deterioration from a unit's intended use, including age-related breakage or malfunction (not negligence, carelessness, accident, or abuse). |
One month's rent, charged only once per tenancy |
Yes, but only for a tenancy of 12 months or longer — interest accrues from the date paid at the 'passbook rate' then prevailing at the escrow-holding D.C. financial institution, reset every January 1 and July 1, and is due and payable at termination unless deducted under the withholding procedure |
A landlord who fails to meet the 45-day/30-day deadlines faces a rebuttable presumption (prima facie evidence) that the tenant is entitled to the FULL deposit back, including interest — the landlord can still contest this in a dispute. Separately, if the withholding itself was in bad faith, the tenant can recover treble the amount withheld (not just the presumption). |
Yes — the deposit must go into an interest-bearing escrow account held in trust at a financial institution located in D.C. and insured by a federal or state agency, used solely for holding tenant deposits. A landlord with more than one building may use a single escrow account for all of them. |
| Florida verified 2026-09-23 | Fla. Stat. § 83.49 |
No claim: return within 15 days after agreement termination. Claim: notice within 30 days by certified mail or qualifying § 83.505 email; tenant has 15 days after receipt to object; absent objection, remit balance within 30 days after notice (§ 83.49(3)); see early-vacate exception (§ 83.49(5)) |
Claim notice must substantially follow the statutory form stating amount and reason; § 83.49 adds no separate itemized-statement step (§ 83.49(3)(a)) |
The statute doesn't list specific categories — the landlord states 'the reason' in the claim notice and the tenant can object; a court resolves disputes. (Florida's separate fee-in-lieu-of-deposit statute, § 83.491, expressly limits liability to damage 'beyond normal wear and tear,' but that phrase is not written into § 83.49 itself.) |
§ 83.49 states no maximum deposit amount |
Only if the landlord elects to hold the deposit in an interest-bearing account or a bond: at least 75% of the account's own rate or 5% simple interest (landlord's choice), or a flat 5% simple interest if bonded. No interest is owed if held in a non-interest-bearing account. |
Absent the § 83.49(5) early-vacate exception, missing the 30-day claim-notice deadline forfeits a claim against the deposit; landlord may sue separately after returning it. Prevailing party in a deposit action receives costs and reasonable attorney's fees (§ 83.49(3)(a), (c)). |
Yes — the landlord must choose one of three options: a separate non-interest-bearing account, a separate interest-bearing account, or a surety bond (capped at $50,000 per county, or $250,000 for a multi-county bond filed with the Secretary of State) |
| Georgia verified 2026-10-07 | O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-30.1, 44-7-31–36; 2024 HB 404 § 6 applies the cap to leases entered or renewed July 1, 2024 or later |
30 days after landlord obtains possession (§ 44-7-34(a)); § 44-7-33(b) separately sets the move-out inspection deadline |
If retaining any amount, exact written reasons and, for property damage, the § 44-7-33 list; send with any balance (§ 44-7-34(a)) |
Unpaid rent/late fees, abandonment, utilities, tenant-contracted repairs/cleaning, pet fees, and mitigated actual lease-breach damages; no ordinary wear absent tenant fault (§ 44-7-34(a)) |
Two months' rent for residential leases entered or renewed on or after July 1, 2024 (§ 44-7-30.1; 2024 HB 404 § 6) |
No interest duty in the state security-deposit article (§§ 44-7-30.1–37) |
3× improperly withheld plus reasonable fees, subject to bona fide-error defense; missed list/statement deadlines forfeit withholding rights (§ 44-7-35(b)–(c)) |
Escrow or bond up to $50,000; qualifying natural-person owners of 10 or fewer units without paid third-party management exempt (§§ 44-7-31–32, 44-7-36) |
| Hawaii verified 2026-08-13 | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Code) |
14 days after the rental agreement terminates — not gated on a separate forwarding-address or damages-determination step. Mailed delivery is presumptively timely if postmarked before midnight of the 14th day. Any action to recover a wrongfully withheld deposit must be filed within 1 year of termination. |
Yes — written notice of any amount retained, with the particulars and supporting evidence (estimates, invoices, receipts), due by the same 14-day deadline unless the tenant is deemed to have wrongfully quit. Missing the deadline forfeits the landlord's right to keep ANY portion of the deposit. |
Unpaid rent; damage from the tenant's failure to keep up statutory tenant duties, or unreturned keys/fobs/openers/mailbox keys; cleaning needed to return the unit to its move-in condition; damage caused by a tenant who wrongfully quits; pet-caused damage if a pet deposit was collected; and unpaid utility charges the landlord billed and paid on the tenant's behalf. The statute never uses the phrase 'normal wear and tear' — deductions are simply limited to this closed list of purposes. |
One month's rent for the security deposit itself, plus a separate pet deposit of up to another month's rent if the tenant actually has a pet on the premises (not required, and not chargeable, for a disability assistance animal). No other money may be collected at lease signing besides first month's rent and these deposits. |
No interest required |
Two independent remedies. (1) Missing the 14-day notice/return deadline is an automatic, no-fault forfeiture of the landlord's entire right to retain any part of the deposit. (2) In a small-claims dispute over a retained deposit: wrongful AND willful retention lets the court award triple the amount wrongfully withheld plus cost of suit; wrongful but not willful retention gets just the amount plus cost of suit; a landlord who was entitled to retain the money gets that amount plus cost of suit. Neither side may be represented by an attorney in that action. |
No separate-account or bond requirement in the statute's text. The deposit must simply be 'held by the landlord for the tenant,' with the tenant's claim to it ranking ahead of the landlord's OTHER creditors — including a bankruptcy trustee — even if the deposit is commingled with the landlord's own funds. |
| Idaho verified 2026-08-13 | Idaho Code § 6-321 (deposits); § 6-320 (tenant's civil action for a landlord's noncompliance) |
21 days after surrender of the premises if the lease sets no other time; in any event, no later than 30 days after surrender — the lease may shorten or extend the default 21 days but never past the 30-day outer cap |
Yes, whenever any refund is for less than the full deposit — a signed statement itemizing the amounts retained, the purpose, and a detailed list of expenditures |
Only amounts necessary to cover the contingencies specified in the deposit arrangement (i.e., what the lease itself says the deposit is for); never normal wear and tear, which the statute defines as deterioration from intended use without negligence, carelessness, accident, misuse, or abuse |
No statutory cap |
No interest required |
No deposit-specific damages multiplier in the statute itself. A tenant may sue for the amount due under the general landlord-noncompliance statute after giving the landlord 3 days' written notice; Idaho's general punitive-damages statute additionally allows up to 3 times compensatory damages (or $250,000, whichever is greater) only on clear-and-convincing proof of oppressive, fraudulent, malicious, or outrageous conduct |
Only if a THIRD-PARTY manager (not the owner) handles the property — the deposit must then sit in a separate account at a federally insured institution, apart from the manager's operating account; owners, common-member managers, real estate licensees, and certain nonprofits are exempt from this requirement |
| Illinois verified 2026-10-07 | 765 ILCS 710/1 (Security Deposit Return Act); interest via 765 ILCS 715 (Security Deposit Interest Act, buildings with 25+ units) |
If withholding for property damage: itemized statement + receipts due within 30 days of vacating (or of when possession ends, if later). If no statement is furnished, the full deposit is due within 45 days of vacating instead. |
Yes, for property-damage deductions — itemized statement with paid receipts (or estimates, followed by receipts within 30 more days) within 30 days; skipping it means the full deposit is due within 45 days instead |
The statute's itemization procedure covers property-damage deductions only; a written lease may also pre-set a dollar deduction for a specific component's repair/replacement, but that amount must cover damage beyond normal wear and tear. The statute doesn't set a parallel itemization procedure for withholding to cover unpaid rent. |
The statewide residential deposit acts set no maximum deposit amount; local rules are outside this state-law comparison |
For a building or contiguous-parcel complex of 25+ units, on deposits held more than 6 months — prior-December-31 passbook rate at the largest Illinois commercial bank; pay interest of $5+ within 30 days after each 12-month period, and all unpaid interest at tenancy end |
2x the deposit due plus court costs and reasonable attorney's fees, on a court finding the landlord refused to give the itemized statement (or gave it in bad faith) and missed the return deadline. Separately, willfully failing to pay required interest makes the landlord liable for an amount equal to the full deposit plus court costs and attorney's fees (no doubling). |
Neither statewide residential deposit act requires a separate account or bond; local rules are outside this survey |
| Indiana verified 2026-08-20 | Ind. Code § 32-31-3-12 through § 32-31-3-16 (Security Deposits chapter) |
45 days after both the rental agreement terminates AND the tenant delivers possession — but the landlord isn't liable under the chapter until the tenant supplies a written mailing address for the notice |
Yes — a written, itemized list mailed within the 45 days, showing the estimated repair cost for each damaged item and the amounts/lease provision the landlord relies on, with a check or money order for any remaining balance enclosed |
Rent in arrearage and rent due for early termination; actual damage beyond ordinary wear and tear; unpaid utility or sewer charges the tenant owed under the lease; the last month's rent only if a written agreement says the deposit serves that purpose |
No statewide statutory cap; current Chapter 3 defines and regulates deposits without a dollar or rent-multiple ceiling |
No statewide interest requirement in current Chapter 3 |
No statutory multiplier. Missing the 45-day itemized-notice deadline is treated as an agreement that no damages are due, forfeiting the right to any deduction — the landlord then owes the tenant the full deposit plus reasonable attorney's fees and court costs. |
No statewide separate-account or bond requirement in current Chapter 3 |
| Iowa verified 2026-10-06 | Iowa Code § 562A.12 (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Law) |
30 days after BOTH tenancy termination AND the landlord's receipt of the tenant's mailing address/delivery instructions; if the tenant never provides an address, the deposit reverts to the landlord after 1 year |
Yes — written statement of the specific reason for withholding, due within the same 30-day window; must specify the nature of any damage claimed. Landlord bears the burden of proof. |
Unpaid rent or other funds due under the rental agreement; restoring the unit to its move-in condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted; expenses to recover possession from a bad-faith holdover tenant |
2 months' rent |
Not required to be interest-bearing. If held in an interest-bearing account, interest earned during the tenancy's first 5 years belongs to the landlord, not the tenant; the statute is silent on interest after year 5. |
Missing the 30-day written-statement deadline forfeits the landlord's right to withhold any portion, regardless of fault. Bad-faith retention separately exposes the landlord to punitive damages up to 2x the monthly rent (not the deposit) plus actual damages. A court may award attorney fees to the prevailing party in an action on the rental agreement. |
Yes — deposits must be held in a federally insured bank, savings and loan association, or credit union account, not commingled with the landlord's personal funds; may be a common trust account and may be interest-bearing |
| Kansas verified 2026-10-07 | K.S.A. § 58-2550 (Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, K.S.A. § 58-2540 et seq.) |
If retaining for nonrent charges: 14 days after determining them, no later than 30 days after termination, delivery of possession, and tenant demand; if no demand within 30 days of termination, mail amount due to last known address (§ 58-2550(b)) |
Written notice delivered to tenant itemizing deductions for accrued rent or damages; return balance on the statutory schedule (§ 58-2550(b)) |
Accrued rent and damages from tenant noncompliance with statutory duties or rental agreement; expenses and other legally allowable agreement charges (§§ 58-2550(b), 58-2555) |
Unfurnished: 1 month’s rent; landlord-furnished: 1½ months; pets permitted: another ½ month; qualifying subsidized municipal housing authorities may use an income-based schedule (§ 58-2550(a)) |
No interest duty stated in the residential security-deposit section (§ 58-2550) |
Deposit portion due plus damages of 1½ times the amount wrongfully withheld for failure to comply with subsection (b) (§ 58-2550(c)) |
No separate-account or bond duty stated in the residential security-deposit section (§ 58-2550) |
| Kentucky verified 2026-10-07 | KRS 383.500 authorizes local adoption of the full act; KRS 383.580 supplies deposit rules where adopted |
No universal landlord return deadline in § 383.580; landlord notifies tenant of refund due; 60 days after that notice without response permits retention; 30-day rule addresses unpaid last month’s rent when tenant makes no demand (§ 383.580(6)-(7)) |
Signed listings of existing damage and estimated repair cost before deposit, and of chargeable damage and estimated repair cost at move-out (§ 383.580(2)-(3)) |
Damage documented in move-out listing; unpaid final rent may be applied after 30 days if tenant makes no deposit demand (§ 383.580(3), (6)) |
No numeric deposit cap stated in § 383.580 |
No interest duty stated in § 383.580 |
Landlord forfeits withholding right if both separate-account and damage-listing duties fail; tenant’s disputed-list claim is limited by § 383.580(5) |
Separate bank or regulated lending-institution account used only for tenants’ deposits; prospective tenant told location and account number (§ 383.580(1)) |
| Louisiana verified 2026-10-07 | La. R.S. §§ 9:3251–9:3253; § 9:3251(A) amended by 2026 Act 63 |
Return within one month after lease termination, subject to permitted retention and abandonment exception (§ 9:3251(A), (C)) |
If retaining any amount, itemize within one month or 15 days after that one-month date (§ 9:3251(A)) |
Amounts reasonably necessary for tenant default or unreasonable wear (§ 9:3251(A)) |
No statewide amount cap in §§ 9:3251–3253 |
No interest duty in §§ 9:3251–3253 |
Willful failure: retained amount plus greater of $300 or twice that amount; discretionary costs and fees (§§ 9:3252–3253) |
No separate-account or bond duty in §§ 9:3251–3253 |
| Maine verified 2026-10-07 | 14 M.R.S. §§ 6031-6034, 6037-6038; chapter does not cover a landlord-occupied building of 5 or fewer units (§ 6037(2)) |
Written lease: period stated in lease, at most 30 days; tenancy at will: 21 days after later of termination or surrender and acceptance (§ 6033(2)) |
If retaining any portion, written reasons with payment of the balance; mailing to tenant’s last known address suffices (§ 6033(2)) |
Actual cause; examples include unclaimed-property costs, unpaid rent, and utilities payable directly to landlord; never normal wear and tear (§§ 6031(1), 6033(1)-(2)) |
Two months’ rent (§ 6032) |
No tenant interest entitlement stated in the security-deposit chapter (§§ 6031-6039) |
Late return or statement forfeits withholding right (§ 6033(3)); wrongful retention brings double the wrongfully withheld amount plus fees and costs (§ 6034); account violation has separate minimum recovery (§ 6038(2)) |
Yes: financial institution account protected from landlord’s creditors; no commingling with landlord assets; pooled tenant escrow permitted (§ 6038(1)) |
| Maryland verified 2026-10-07 | Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203; receipt provision § 8-203.1 |
45 days after tenancy ends; earlier eviction, ejection or abandonment invokes written-demand path (§ 8-203(e)(1), (h)) |
If retaining money, first-class-mail damage list and itemized costs within 45 days; support or estimate, then final invoice (§ 8-203(g), (j)–(k)) |
Unpaid rent, lease-breach loss, and damage beyond ordinary wear; re-rental income offsets lost future rent (§ 8-203(f)) |
Usually one month's rent; up to two with utility-assistance qualification, direct utility payments and written agreement (§ 8-203(b)); 2024 Act effective Oct. 1, 2024 |
Simple interest at greater of one-year Treasury yield or 1.5%, after six months, for deposits of at least $50 (§ 8-203(e)(1)–(3)) |
Up to 3× wrongfully withheld plus fees without reasonable basis; missed list or inspection notice forfeits damage deductions (§ 8-203(e)(4), (f)(1), (g)(2)) |
Insured Maryland account devoted to deposits within 30 days, or allowed insured CDs/government securities (§ 8-203(d)) |
| Massachusetts verified 2026-08-13 | M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B |
30 days after the termination of a tenancy-at-will, or after the end of the tenancy specified in a valid written lease (in practice, once the tenant has also delivered possession) |
Yes, if any deduction is taken. Within the 30 days, the landlord must give the tenant an itemized list of damages, sworn to under pains and penalties of perjury, describing the nature of the damage and needed repairs in precise detail, plus written evidence (estimates, bills, invoices, or receipts) of the actual or estimated cost. Separately, at the START of the tenancy, the landlord must give a signed Statement of Condition within 10 days of receiving the deposit or the start of the tenancy (whichever is later); the tenant then has 15 days to sign it or attach a list of disagreements. |
Only three categories, and the statute says no others are allowed: (1) unpaid rent or water charges not validly withheld; (2) an unpaid real estate tax increase the tenant is obligated to pay under a conforming tax-escalation clause; and (3) a reasonable amount to repair damage the tenant (or someone under the tenant's control, or on the premises with the tenant's consent) caused, reasonable wear and tear excluded. No deduction is allowed for damage that was already listed on the move-in Statement of Condition, unless the landlord later repaired that exact damage and can prove any new damage is unrelated. A landlord can still sue separately (beyond the deposit) for willful or malicious property destruction that costs more to fix than the whole deposit. |
One month's rent. (A 2025 amendment, effective August 1, 2025, also lets the state's executive office of housing and livable communities create an optional fee-in-lieu-of-deposit program, capped at the same one month's rent total, but that program isn't usable until implementing regulations are issued.) |
Yes, but only once the deposit has been held for a year or longer: 5% per year (or the bank's own lower passbook rate, if lower), running from day one of the tenancy, paid to the tenant at the end of each year held (or within 30 days of an earlier termination). This interest is separate from — but calculated the same way as — interest MA also requires on any last month's rent collected in advance. |
A landlord forfeits the right to retain ANY portion of the deposit, or to counterclaim for damage, if the landlord: (a) doesn't hold the deposit in the required separate account; (b) doesn't furnish the sworn itemized list within 30 days when a deduction is taken; (c) uses a lease provision that conflicts with this law or tries to make the tenant waive it; (d) doesn't properly transfer the deposit to a new owner; or (e) doesn't return the deposit or balance owed within 30 days of termination. For violations (a), (d), or (e) specifically, the tenant is also awarded damages equal to three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus 5% interest from the date payment became due, plus court costs and reasonable attorney's fees. |
Yes. The deposit must sit in a separate, interest-bearing account at a Massachusetts bank, structured to be beyond the reach of the landlord's own creditors (including a bankruptcy trustee or foreclosing mortgagee) and to transfer automatically to a new owner. The landlord must give the tenant a receipt within 30 days naming the bank, its location, and the account number. Skipping the separate-account requirement entitles the tenant to the deposit's immediate return. |
| Michigan verified 2026-09-24 | MCL §§ 554.601 to 554.616 (Landlord and Tenant Relationships Act, 1972 PA 348) |
30 days after termination of occupancy to mail an itemized notice of damages; pay the undeducted balance with the notice by check/money order, or by qualifying electronic transfer into the tenant’s account within 10 days after mailing (§ 554.609, as amended effective Sept. 21, 2026). Missing the notice deadline requires immediate full return (§ 554.610); disputed claims face the separate 45-day judgment/exception process (§ 554.613). |
Yes. Mail the itemized notice within 30 days after occupancy ends, listing each damage item, estimated repair cost, and basis for assessment. Include the balance by check/money order unless using the new qualifying electronic-transfer route; the notice must carry the statutory bold 7-day mailed-response warning (§ 554.609). |
Actual damage to the unit that's the direct result of conduct not reasonably expected in the normal course of habitation (i.e., beyond normal wear and tear), rent in arrears, rent due from the tenant's premature termination, and unpaid utility bills. No other category is authorized. |
One and one-half months' rent, regardless of the tenancy's length or type |
No — nothing in the Act requires a landlord to pay interest on a held deposit |
Missing the 30-day itemized-notice deadline forfeits any damages claim and the full deposit is due immediately. Separately, if the landlord doesn't fully comply with the 45-day judgment/exception process for a disputed claim, the landlord waives all claimed damages and owes the tenant double the amount of the deposit actually retained. |
Yes, by default — deposited in a regulated financial institution. As an alternative, a landlord may use the deposit funds for any purpose if it posts a cash or surety bond with the Secretary of State covering the deposits held, up to $50,000 plus 25% of any amount over that. |
| Minnesota verified 2026-10-07 | Minn. Stat. § 504B.178; § 504B.182 governs the related move-in/move-out inspection option |
3 weeks after tenancy ends, or 5 days after departure for qualifying legal condemnation, and after receipt of the tenant’s mailing address or delivery instructions; timely first-class mailing suffices (Minn. Stat. § 504B.178, subd. 3(a)-(b)) |
Written statement stating the specific reason for any withholding within the applicable 3-week or 5-day period (§ 504B.178, subd. 3(a)) |
Amounts reasonably necessary to remedy the tenant's default in rent or other funds owed under the lease, or to restore the premises to their condition at the start of the tenancy, ordinary wear and tear excepted. The landlord has the burden of proving the withholding was justified. |
No numerical cap in the residential security-deposit section, § 504B.178 |
1% simple annual interest from the first day of the month after full payment until the earlier statutory endpoint; interest under $1 excluded (§ 504B.178, subd. 2) |
An amount equal to the portion withheld plus interest as a penalty for listed failures, in addition to wrongfully withheld deposit and interest; bad-faith retention can add up to $500 per deposit (§ 504B.178, subds. 4, 7) |
Section 504B.178, subd. 2 says the deposit is held by the landlord for the tenant and bears interest; it states no separate-account or bond requirement |
| Mississippi verified 2026-10-07 | Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21 (residential deposit) |
Remaining balance within 45 days after termination, delivery of possession and tenant demand (§ 89-8-21(3)) |
Written delivered notice itemizing any amount claimed; § 89-8-21(3) states no separate notice deadline |
Reasonable unpaid rent, tenant-caused damage beyond ordinary wear, cleaning, or other necessary default expense, if the deposit secured that purpose (§ 89-8-21(3)) |
No deposit amount cap in the residential deposit section (§ 89-8-21) |
No tenant-interest duty in § 89-8-21 |
Actual damages plus up to $200 if retained in violation of § 89-8-21 without good faith; no statutory multiplier (§ 89-8-21(4)) |
No account or bond duty in § 89-8-21; tenant claim ranks before landlord creditors (§ 89-8-21(2)) |
| Missouri verified 2026-10-07 | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300; housing authorities and other government landlords are excepted from subsection 2’s account and interest rules |
30 days after tenancy termination to return full deposit or send itemized damages list with balance; mailing to last known address suffices (§ 535.300.3) |
Written itemized damages list within 30 days if withholding; carpet-cleaning receipt within 30 days when that cost is charged (§ 535.300.3-.4) |
Unpaid rent; restoration beyond ordinary wear; actual permitted carpet-cleaning costs; actual damages for inadequate termination notice with mitigation (§ 535.300.4) |
Two months’ rent (§ 535.300.1); pet deposits are outside § 535.300’s definition (§ 535.300.8) |
Interest earned belongs to landlord under § 535.300.2; subsection 2 excludes housing authorities and other government landlords |
Twice the amount wrongfully withheld (§ 535.300.6) |
Federally insured bank, credit union, or depository institution for ordinary landlords; subsection 2 excepts government landlords |
| Montana verified 2026-10-07 | Mont. Code Ann. §§ 70-25-201 to -205 (2025 code); § 70-25-202(2) excludes certain terminations with a pending court claim |
Generally 30 days after earlier of tenancy termination or surrender and acceptance; 10 days if inspection and payment conditions in § 70-25-202(1)(b)(i) are met |
Written list of rent due and damage and cleaning charges, with balance paid; notice under §§ 70-24-108 or 70-33-106 (§ 70-25-202(1)(a)) |
Tenant damage, unpaid rent/late charges/utilities/lease penalties/other money owed, and actual cleaning; cleaning notice and 24-hour cure subject to statutory exceptions (§ 70-25-201) |
No numerical cap stated in the residential deposit chapter, Title 70, chapter 25 |
No interest duty stated in the residential deposit chapter, Title 70, chapter 25 |
Missing required written list forfeits damage and cleaning deductions (§ 70-25-203); wrongful withholding yields amount wrongfully withheld, with discretionary fees to prevailing party (§ 70-25-204) |
No separate-account or bond duty stated in the residential deposit chapter, Title 70, chapter 25 |
| Nebraska verified 2026-08-13 | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) |
14 days after the date the tenancy terminates — not gated on a tenant demand or a separate delivery-of-possession date, per Nebraska case law construing this subsection |
Yes, whenever any amount is withheld — a written itemization delivered or mailed to the tenant within the same 14 days |
Rent and damages from the tenant's noncompliance with the rental agreement or the tenant's statutory duty to maintain the unit (which itself excepts ordinary wear and tear) |
1 month's periodic rent, plus an optional pet deposit up to 1/4 of one month's rent; the cap doesn't apply to Nebraska Housing Agency Act housing agencies |
No interest required |
Recovery of the money due, court costs, and reasonable attorney's fees as a matter of right; if the landlord's noncompliance was willful and not in good faith, the tenant may also recover liquidated damages equal to the LESSER of one month's rent or 2 times the security deposit |
None — no separate account, interest-bearing account, or bond required |
| Nevada verified 2026-08-12 | NRS 118A.240, 118A.242 |
30 days after termination of the tenancy |
Yes — an itemized written accounting of any deductions, delivered with the deposit balance within the same 30 days |
Unpaid rent; damage to the premises beyond normal wear caused by the tenant; reasonable cleaning costs. 'Normal wear' is separately defined as deterioration without negligence, carelessness, or abuse by the tenant, a household member, or a consented guest. |
3 months' periodic rent, combining any security deposit, surety bond, and last month's rent — a flat cap with no furnished/unfurnished distinction in the statute's own text |
No interest required |
If the landlord fails or refuses to return the balance within 30 days: liable for (a) the entire security deposit, plus (b) a court-fixed sum of up to another full deposit, considering the landlord's good faith, the parties' course of conduct, and the degree of harm to the tenant — up to 2x the deposit total, but the extra amount is discretionary, not automatic |
No segregated or interest-bearing account, or bond, is required of the landlord (a tenant may elect to substitute a surety bond for part of the deposit only with the landlord's consent). The tenant's claim to the deposit outranks any claim of the landlord's creditors. |
| New Hampshire verified 2026-08-13 | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 540-A:5 through 540-A:8 (Prohibited Practices and Security Deposits) |
30 days from the termination of the tenancy — the statute's own text does not add a separate delivery-of-possession trigger on top of that |
Yes — a written, itemized list is required whenever the landlord deducts for damage (stating the repair needed 'with particularity' and providing satisfactory evidence like receipts, estimates, bills, or invoices) or for unpaid rent, real estate taxes, or other lawful charges |
Unpaid rent; the cost to repair damage to the premises, excluding reasonable wear and tear; the tenant's share of a real estate tax increase during the lease term, but only if the lease requires the tenant to pay it; and other lawful charges due under the lease that remain unpaid |
One month's rent or $100, whichever is greater — and the statute defines 'security deposit' broadly as all funds beyond the monthly rent transferred to the landlord for any purpose, so pet fees and other charges count toward this same cap |
Yes, if the landlord holds the deposit for one year or longer — at the interest rate paid on regular savings accounts at the New Hampshire bank, savings and loan, or credit union holding it (or the actual interest earned, split proportionately, if multiple tenants' deposits are commingled in one account). A tenant can request payout of accrued interest every 3 years. |
Failing to return the deposit on time or pay interest due (violating § 540-A:6, IV or § 540-A:7) makes the landlord liable for twice the sum of the deposit plus interest due, minus any lawful deductions. Separately, failing to give the required receipt, hold the deposit in trust, or transfer it properly on a sale (violating § 540-A:6, I, II, or III) is itself deemed a violation of New Hampshire's Consumer Protection Act, opening a second remedy track (actual damages or $1,000, whichever is greater; not less than double, up to triple, for a willful violation; mandatory attorney's fees for a prevailing tenant). No liability at all if the landlord's noncompliance was caused by the tenant's own failure to give a forwarding address; an unclaimed deposit becomes the landlord's property after 6 months in that situation. |
Yes — the deposit must be held in trust, never mixed with the landlord's own money, at a bank, savings and loan, or credit union organized under New Hampshire law (multiple tenants' deposits may be commingled together in one such trust account). A landlord may substitute a New Hampshire-based surety bond, filed with the city or town clerk, instead of holding the money in trust. |
| New Jersey verified 2026-08-09 | N.J.S.A. §§ 46:8-19 to 46:8-26 (the Security Deposit Law) |
30 days after the tenant's lease terminates for the standard case; shortened to 5 business days if the tenant was displaced by fire, flood, condemnation, or an evacuation order, or extended to 15 business days for certain domestic-violence lease terminations. The itemized statement of deductions is due on this same deadline, not a separate one. |
Yes — the interest/earnings and any deductions must be itemized and the tenant notified by personal delivery or registered/certified mail, on the same deadline as the return of the balance itself |
The statute itself doesn't enumerate specific damage categories — it lets a landlord withhold only 'any charges expended in accordance with the terms of a contract, lease, or agreement,' i.e. whatever the lease itself specifies (commonly unpaid rent and damage beyond normal use). No deduction of any kind is allowed from the deposit of a tenant who remains in possession of the unit. |
One and one-half times one month's rent; if a landlord later collects an additional deposit increase from a continuing tenant, that increase can't exceed 10% of the current deposit in any year |
Yes — the deposit has to be invested in a qualifying interest- or dividend-yielding vehicle (a New Jersey-based insured money-market fund for landlords with 10+ rental units, or an interest-bearing account at a bank or savings institution for smaller landlords), with the tenant's portion of the interest or earnings paid or credited to the tenant at least annually |
In a tenant's action for return of the deposit, a court that finds for the tenant must award double the amount of money due, plus the full costs of the action, and may award reasonable attorney's fees in the court's discretion |
Yes — the deposit is held in trust for the tenant, must not be mingled with the landlord's own property or become the landlord's asset, and must be deposited or invested as described above rather than simply held as cash |
| New Mexico verified 2026-10-07 | NMSA 1978 § 47-8-18 (residential deposits) |
If retaining part, itemized list and balance within 30 days after later of lease termination or departure (§ 47-8-18(C)) |
Written itemized list when any amount is retained; same later-of-termination-or-departure 30-day period (§ 47-8-18(C)) |
Rent, noncompliance damages, utilities, repairs and other legitimate damages; no normal wear and tear (§ 47-8-18(C)) |
Reasonable deposit; at most one month's rent if lease is under one year; no fixed dollar cap stated for annual agreement (§ 47-8-18(A)) |
Annual passbook-rate interest if an annual agreement's deposit exceeds one month's rent (§ 47-8-18(A)(1)) |
For missed statement/balance duty, forfeiture of withholding and property-damage claims plus costs/fees; $250 for bad faith (§ 47-8-18(D), (E)) |
No separate-account or bond duty stated in § 47-8-18 |
| New York verified 2026-10-07 | N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law §§ 7-103, 7-108 |
14 days after the tenant vacates the premises |
Yes — a written itemized statement of the basis for any amount retained, due within the same 14 days; missing it forfeits the landlord's right to keep any of the deposit |
Unpaid rent, damage caused by the tenant beyond normal wear and tear, unpaid utility charges payable directly to the landlord, and moving/storage of the tenant's belongings. Ordinary wear and tear and damage caused by a PRIOR tenant may never be deducted. |
1 month's rent for most units (exceptions for seasonal-use dwellings and owner-occupied cooperative apartments) |
Required only for buildings with 6 or more residential units, at the prevailing rate paid on such deposits in the area; the landlord may keep 1%/year as an administration fee |
Actual damages for any violation; a WILLFUL violation adds punitive damages of up to 2x the deposit. Missing the 14-day statement/return deadline is a separate, automatic forfeiture of the right to retain any amount. The landlord bears the burden of proving any retained amount was reasonable. |
Yes — the deposit is held in trust and may not be commingled with the landlord's own funds; a 6+ unit building must additionally use an interest-bearing account |
| North Carolina verified 2026-10-07 | N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-50 to -56 (Tenant Security Deposit Act); excludes single rooms (§ 42-56) |
30 days after tenancy termination and delivery of possession; if claim cannot then be determined, interim account by 30 days and final by 60 days (§ 42-52) |
Written itemization of damage with deposit balance; if tenant address unknown, apply allowed deductions after 30 days and hold balance for at least 6 months (§ 42-52) |
Only § 42-51(a) categories, including unpaid rent, specified utilities, damage, covered early-termination loss, liens, re-renting and removal costs, court costs, and § 42-46 fees; never normal wear or more than actual damage (§ 42-52) |
2 weeks’ rent (week to week); 1½ months (month to month); 2 months (longer); a reasonable nonrefundable pet fee is separately allowed (§§ 42-51(b), 42-53) |
No tenant interest duty stated in the Tenant Security Deposit Act, §§ 42-50 to -56 |
Willful breach of deposit, bond, or notice duties forfeits retention right; tenant may sue for resulting damages, with discretionary fees for willful noncompliance (§ 42-55) |
Approved NC trust account or licensed-insurer bond; out-of-state trust account requires adequate bond; institution or insurer disclosed within 30 days after lease begins (§ 42-50) |
| North Dakota verified 2026-08-13 | N.D.C.C. § 47-16-07.1 (Real property and dwelling security deposits — Limitations and requirements) |
30 days after BOTH the termination of the lease AND the tenant's delivery of possession — a conjunctive two-part trigger, not either event alone |
Yes — any portion of the deposit not returned must be itemized by the landlord, delivered or mailed to the tenant's last furnished address along with a written notice, within the same 30-day window; the notice must state either the amount still due the landlord or the refund due the tenant |
Damages the landlord suffered from deterioration or injury to the property caused by the tenant's pet or the tenant's (or the tenant's guest's) negligence; unpaid rent; and the costs of cleaning or other repairs needed to return the dwelling to its original condition, reasonable wear and tear excepted |
One month's rent generally. Two exceptions raise the ceiling to two months' rent: (1) a landlord MAY accept up to two months' rent as an incentive to rent to an individual with a felony conviction; (2) a landlord MAY demand up to two months' rent from an individual with a prior judgment against them for violating a previous rental agreement. A separate pet deposit (for a non-service, non-companion animal) is capped at the greater of $2,500 or two months' rent. |
Yes — the deposit must sit in a federally insured interest-bearing account, and the deposit plus any accrued interest must be paid to the tenant at lease termination. Exception: no interest is required if the tenant's occupancy lasted less than nine months. |
The landlord is liable for TREBLE damages for any security deposit money withheld without reasonable justification — a 3x multiplier tied to an unjustified-withholding standard, not a flat forfeiture-on-missed-deadline rule |
Yes — the deposit must be held in a federally insured interest-bearing savings or checking account for the tenant's benefit; on a sale of the property, the deposit and accrued interest transfer to the new owner, and the seller isn't released from liability until that transfer actually happens |
| Ohio verified 2026-08-13 | Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16 (Procedures for security deposits, part of the Ohio Landlord-Tenant Act) |
30 days after both the rental agreement terminates and the tenant delivers possession |
Yes, for any deduction — a written, itemized notice within the same 30 days, delivered together with the amount due; the tenant must give a forwarding address for the notice/payment to be sent to |
Past-due rent and damages from the tenant's noncompliance with the tenant's statutory duties (§ 5321.05) or the rental agreement itself. Neither section uses the phrase 'normal wear and tear.' |
None under state law |
Yes, but only on the portion of the deposit exceeding $50 or one month's rent (whichever is greater), and only if the tenant stays 6+ months — a flat 5% per year, computed and paid annually |
Missing the 30-day itemized-notice-and-payment requirement makes the landlord liable for the amount wrongfully withheld again as damages, plus reasonable attorney's fees — but only if the tenant gave the landlord a forwarding address |
No — the statute doesn't require a separate account or bond |
| Oklahoma verified 2026-10-07 | 41 O.S. §§ 105(B), 115 (residential deposits and enforcement) |
If retaining part, balance within 45 days after termination, possession and written demand; demand due within 6 months (§ 115(B)) |
Written itemization for rent/damages claimed, delivered by return-receipt mail or in person; no separate express date (§ 115(B)) |
Accrued rent; damages from tenant noncompliance with the Act and lease; other legally allowable charges (§ 115(B)) |
No maximum stated in § 115 |
Balance returned without interest (§ 115(B)) |
Deposit/prepaid-rent recovery; other Act damages preserved; prevailing-party fees (§§ 115(E), (G), 105(B)); criminal misappropriation penalty (§ 115(A)) |
Oklahoma escrow account at federally insured institution (§ 115(A)) |
| Oregon verified 2026-08-13 | ORS 90.300 (Oregon Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) |
31 days after BOTH the tenancy terminates and the tenant delivers possession — whichever of the two happens last starts the clock |
Yes — a written accounting stating specifically the basis of any amount claimed, due within the same 31 days, delivered in person, by first-class mail, or by email if the tenant agreed to electronic delivery |
Unpaid rent or other rental-agreement defaults, and the cost to repair tenant-caused damage, not including ordinary wear and tear. The landlord doesn't have to actually perform the repair to deduct for it, and may charge a reasonable hourly rate for the landlord's own labor |
No cap on the initial amount. A landlord generally can't require a new or increased deposit during the first year of a tenancy, except for an added deposit the parties later agree to (for example, to allow a pet) |
No — the statute doesn't require or mention interest on a held deposit |
Two separate double-damages triggers: missing the 31-day written-accounting deadline entitles the tenant to twice whatever was withheld without an accounting, no bad-faith showing needed; separately, any amount withheld in bad faith is doubled too |
No — the statute doesn't require a separate account, an interest-bearing account, or a bond |
| Pennsylvania verified 2026-10-07 | Landlord and Tenant Act §§ 511.1–511.3, 512 (68 P.S. §§ 250.511a–250.512) |
30 days after lease termination or surrender and acceptance, whichever first occurs (§ 250.512(a)) |
Yes; written damage list within the same 30 days (§ 250.512(a)) |
Tenant-caused damage, unpaid rent, or breach of another lease condition (§ 250.512(a)) |
Two months' rent in year one; one month thereafter; no increase after five years (§ 250.511a) |
After the second anniversary of funds held in escrow; tenant receives interest less 1% annual administration (§§ 250.511a(c), 250.511b(b)–(c)) |
Late damage list forfeits withholding; late balance payment can mean double the improper withholding (§ 250.512(b)–(c)) |
For deposits over $100 after the second anniversary: regulated-institution escrow or surety bond (§§ 250.511b(a), (c), 250.511c) |
| Rhode Island verified 2026-10-07 | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19 (residential and furniture deposits) |
Notice and balance within 20 days after latest of termination, possession or forwarding address; same for furniture deposit (§ 34-18-19(b), (f)) |
Written itemization of ordinary deposit deductions with balance; furniture deposit requires notice with balance (§ 34-18-19(b), (f)) |
Ordinary: accrued rent, reasonable cleaning/trash and non-wear physical damage tied to § 34-18-24; furniture: cleaning, repair, non-wear damage (§ 34-18-19(b), (f)) |
One month's periodic rent; qualifying furniture worth at least $5,000 permits separate one-month furniture deposit (§ 34-18-19(a), (e)) |
No interest duty stated in § 34-18-19 |
Amount due plus twice amount wrongfully withheld and reasonable attorney fees for failure under subsection (b) (§ 34-18-19(c)) |
No separate-account or bond duty stated in § 34-18-19 |
| South Carolina verified 2026-10-07 | S.C. Code Ann. §§ 27-40-40(18), 27-40-410, 27-40-510 |
30 days after termination, possession delivery, and tenant demand, whichever is later (§ 27-40-410(a)) |
Yes; written deductions notice with amount due within the 30-day period (§ 27-40-410(a)) |
Accrued rent and damage from breach of statutory tenant duties (§§ 27-40-410(a), 27-40-510) |
No statewide amount cap in § 27-40-410; disclosure rule for differing standards at larger adjoining properties (§ 27-40-410(c)) |
No statewide interest duty in § 27-40-410 |
Three times the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees (§ 27-40-410(b)) |
Deposit described as held in trust; no specific separate-account or bond procedure (§ 27-40-40(18)) |
| South Dakota verified 2026-10-07 | S.D. Codified Laws §§ 43-32-6.1, 43-32-24 |
21 days after termination and receipt of mailing address or delivery instructions (§ 43-32-24) |
Specific written withholding reason within 21 days; full itemized accounting within 45 days after termination if requested (§ 43-32-24) |
Unpaid rent or agreement amounts; restoration beyond ordinary wear and tear (§ 43-32-24) |
One month's rent unless both parties agree to more for special conditions threatening the premises (§ 43-32-6.1) |
No interest duty in the residential deposit sections (§§ 43-32-6.1, 43-32-24) |
Forfeiture of withholding for noncompliance; bad faith can add up to $200 punitive damages (§ 43-32-24) |
No separate-account or bond duty in the residential deposit sections (§§ 43-32-6.1, 43-32-24) |
| Tennessee verified 2026-08-24 | Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301 (URLTA) — applies only in counties over 75,000 population per the 2010 census (§ 66-28-102(a)); no statewide deposit statute for smaller counties |
No fixed day-count deadline to return the money. If a refund is owed, the landlord must send written notice of the amount due; if the tenant doesn't respond within 60 days, the landlord may keep the balance. Additional damage discovered after the move-out inspection can still be charged if found within 30 days of vacating (or 7 days after a new tenant takes possession). |
No separate mailed itemized statement — instead a signed damage 'listing' from a move-out inspection (mandatory only if the tenant requests it); if the landlord skips the account requirement AND never provides a listing, it forfeits the whole deposit |
Unpaid rent and other amounts due; documented physical damage found at the move-out inspection (or discovered later within the 30-day/7-day window). The statute doesn't use the phrase "normal wear and tear" at all — it limits deductions to damage the landlord actually documents, not a defined wear-and-tear carve-out. |
No statutory cap |
No state-mandated interest |
No statutory multiplier. Full forfeiture of the right to retain ANY part of the deposit if the landlord both failed to hold it in a segregated account and failed to provide a damage listing. Otherwise, a tenant can sue only over the specific items they disputed in writing at the inspection. |
Yes — deposit must be held in its own account at a bank or other lending institution regulated by the state or federal government, not commingled with other funds |
| Texas verified 2026-10-07 | Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.101-92.109 |
30 days after surrender; no refund or accounting obligation until the tenant gives a written forwarding address. Advance-notice conditions in a lease are effective only if underlined or conspicuously bold. |
Yes, if any portion is withheld — unless the tenant owed rent at move-out and the amount owed isn't disputed |
Damages and charges the tenant is legally liable for under the lease or from breaching it. Normal wear and tear may never be deducted. |
None — Texas sets no statutory maximum |
No state-mandated interest |
Bad-faith retention: $100 plus 3x the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees. Bad-faith failure to itemize: forfeits the right to withhold any amount or sue for damages, plus attorney's fees. Missing the 30-day deadline is a rebuttable presumption of bad faith. |
No separate account or bond required; the landlord must keep accurate deposit records, and the tenant's claim takes priority over creditors' claims |
| Utah verified 2026-08-23 | Utah Code §§ 57-17-1 to -5 (Residential Renters' Deposits) |
30 days after vacating and returning possession for the balance and itemized notice, sent by mail, delivery, or a renter-provided electronic means; if missed, tenant must serve statutory notice, then landlord gets 5 business days |
Yes — written notice itemizing and explaining each deduction, due with the balance inside the same 30-day window |
Unpaid rent; damage to the premises beyond reasonable wear and tear; other costs/fees provided for in the rental contract; cleaning of the unit |
No statutory cap |
No interest required |
Full deposit + full prepaid rent + a $100 civil penalty once the landlord fails to comply within 5 business days of a properly served tenant notice; court costs and attorney fees added if the court finds bad faith. No relief under this remedy unless the tenant actually served that notice. |
None — no separate account, interest-bearing account, or bond required |
| Vermont verified 2026-10-07 | 9 V.S.A. §§ 4451(5), 4461 |
14 days from discovered vacancy or noticed move-out; 60 days for seasonal, non-primary residence (§ 4461(c)) |
Yes; written deductions statement with refund within the applicable return period (§ 4461(c)–(d)) |
Unpaid rent, qualifying damage beyond wear or tenant control, unpaid utilities or charges, abandoned-property removal (§ 4461(b)) |
No statewide amount cap stated in § 4461 |
No statewide duty; municipal ordinance may authorize interest (§ 4461(g)) |
Missed 14-day return and statement forfeits withholding; willful failure adds double wrongfully withheld plus fees and costs (§ 4461(e)) |
No state account or bond duty; municipality may not limit how a deposit is held (§ 4461(g)) |
| Virginia verified 2026-09-09 | Va. Code § 55.1-1226 (Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) |
45 days after the termination of the tenancy or the date the tenant vacates and delivers possession, whichever occurs LAST; extendable to 60 days total if damage exceeds the deposit and needs a third-party contractor, as long as the landlord gives written notice of that fact within the original 45-day period |
Yes — a written, itemized notice of all deductions delivered with any balance due, on the same 45-day (or extended 60-day) deadline as the return itself. A deduction made mid-tenancy (not at move-out) instead gets its own separate notice within 30 days of when the landlord determines the deduction. |
Accrued rent (including reasonable, lease-specified late charges), damages the landlord suffered from the tenant's noncompliance with the unit-maintenance statute (§ 55.1-1227), minus reasonable wear and tear, any other damages or charges the rental agreement itself authorizes, and actual damages for breach of the rental agreement. With advance written notice to the tenant, a reasonable portion may also be withheld to cover an unpaid water, sewer, or other third-party utility obligation that was the tenant's under the lease. |
Two months' periodic rent |
No — nothing in the current text of § 55.1-1226 requires a landlord to pay interest on a held deposit |
If the landlord willfully fails to comply, the court shall order the security deposit returned to the tenant together with actual damages and reasonable attorney's fees — unless the tenant owes rent, in which case the court instead orders an amount equal to the deposit credited against the rent due. No damages multiplier. |
No dedicated escrow or trust-account requirement in the statute's text. A landlord may instead let a tenant carry qualifying damage insurance in place of paying a cash deposit at all. |
| Washington verified 2026-08-23 | RCW 59.18.260, .270, .280 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Act) |
30 days after the termination of the rental agreement and the tenant vacates the premises, whichever is later in practice (or 30 days after the landlord learns of an abandonment under RCW 59.18.310) |
Yes — a full and specific written statement of the basis for retaining any of the deposit, delivered with any refund due within the 30-day deadline, personally or by first-class mail to the tenant's last known address. For deductions tied to property damage, the landlord must also attach copies of estimates, invoices, or receipts substantiating the charge. This documentation duty doesn't apply when the deposit is withheld for reasons unrelated to property damage, such as unpaid rent or other charges owing. |
Unpaid rent or other charges owing under the lease (no receipts required for these). For property damage: repair or cleaning costs for damage beyond wear resulting from ordinary use, but only for conditions that were reasonably documented on the signed move-in checklist, and only up to the actual cost of repair or replacement of the damaged portion. Forbidden: any amount for wear resulting from ordinary use; carpet-cleaning charges unless the landlord documents wear beyond ordinary use; repair or replacement costs for fixtures, equipment, appliances, or furnishings whose condition wasn't documented on the move-in checklist; and any amount exceeding the actual repair/replacement cost of the damaged portion when the item isn't a total loss. |
No statewide cap — a landlord may charge any deposit amount as long as the rental agreement is in writing and states the amount and the conditions under which it may be withheld. (Individual cities, such as Seattle's one-month-rent cap, may impose a stricter local limit outside this survey's scope.) |
No. The deposit must sit in an interest-bearing-eligible trust account, but the statute gives the interest to the landlord by default: "the landlord shall be entitled to receipt of interest paid on such trust account deposits," unless the landlord and tenant agree otherwise in writing. |
If the landlord misses the 30-day deadline or the required documentation, the landlord is liable to the tenant for the full deposit amount and is barred from raising any claim or defense for keeping any of it, unless circumstances beyond the landlord's control prevented compliance or the tenant abandoned the unit. On top of the deposit itself, a court may in its discretion award up to two times the deposit for an intentional refusal to provide the statement, documentation, or refund. The prevailing party in any deposit lawsuit also recovers costs of suit or arbitration and reasonable attorney's fees. |
Yes. The deposit must be placed in a trust account at a Washington financial institution or with a Washington-licensed escrow agent, kept for the purpose of holding tenant deposits. The landlord must give the tenant a written receipt for the deposit and written notice of the depository's name, address, and location (and of any change). The tenant's claim to the money has priority over the landlord's other creditors even if the funds are commingled. |
| West Virginia verified 2026-10-07 | W. Va. Code §§ 37-6A-1 through -5 (residential rental security deposits) |
Shorter of 60 days from termination or 45 days from new tenant occupancy (§§ 37-6A-1(7), -2(a)) |
Written deductions itemization with balance; 15 extra days for qualifying contractor repairs after timely notice (§ 37-6A-2(a), (c)) |
Rent/late charges, non-wear lease damage, qualifying unpaid utilities, removal/storage and agreed charges (§ 37-6A-2(b)) |
No amount ceiling stated in Article 6A |
No interest duty stated in Article 6A |
For willful or non-good-faith breach, unreturned deposit plus 1.5× wrongfully withheld, subject to rent credit (§ 37-6A-5(a)) |
No separate-account or bond duty stated in Article 6A |
| Wisconsin verified 2026-10-07 | Wis. Stat. §§ 704.28, 100.20(5); Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06 |
21 days from termination if vacating on time; termination or earlier rerental if leaving early; landlord learns of late vacancy if leaving late (§ 704.28(4)) |
Written item-by-item statement for withheld amount, delivered or mailed within return period (ATCP 134.06(4)) |
Damage beyond normal wear, unpaid rent, specified utility/municipal charges, and agreed nonstandard provisions (§ 704.28(1)-(3)) |
No statewide maximum stated for ordinary residential deposit in § 704.28 or ATCP 134.06 |
No state interest duty stated in § 704.28 or ATCP 134.06 |
For pecuniary loss from ATCP order violation, twice loss plus costs and reasonable attorney fee (§ 100.20(5)) |
No separate-account or bond duty stated in § 704.28 or ATCP 134.06 |
| Wyoming verified 2026-08-13 | Wyo. Stat. §§ 1-21-1207 to 1-21-1209 (Residential Rental Property article) |
30 days after termination of the rental agreement, OR 15 days after the owner receives the renter's new mailing address, whichever is LATER. If there is damage to the unit, this period is extended by an additional 30 days. The renter must notify the owner within 30 days of termination where payment/notice can be sent. |
Yes — a written itemization of any deductions, together with the reasons for them, must be delivered or mailed along with the deposit balance, within the same deadline described above |
Accrued (unpaid) rent; damage to the unit beyond reasonable wear and tear; the cost to clean the unit back to its condition at the start of the rental agreement; and any other costs the rental agreement itself provides for. Wyoming's statute does not define 'reasonable wear and tear' anywhere in this article. |
No statutory cap of any kind on the deposit amount |
No — the statute expressly requires the balance to be returned 'without interest' |
A comparatively thin remedy: if the owner UNREASONABLY fails to comply with the return/itemization duty, the renter may recover the full deposit and court costs — no doubling or trebling. This cuts both ways: if the renter is the one who sues unreasonably and the owner prevails, the court may award the owner court costs instead. |
No — Wyoming's Residential Rental Property article imposes no separate-account, trust, or bonding requirement for a security deposit |
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