Security deposit laws by state (2026)
The deposit limit, the deadline to return it and the penalty for keeping it wrongly, in every state. Click a state for the full rules.
Deadlines count from the event each state names, usually move-out; some states run the clock from a written request or a forwarding address. Penalties usually need a court to find the conditions the rule names.
| State | Deposit limit | Deadline to return | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 month's rent One month's rent. | 60 days Within 60 days after the tenancy ends and you give back possession, the landlord must refund the deposit and, if anything is kept, send an itemized list of what was withheld. | If the landlord does not mail a refund or itemized accounting within 60 days, it must pay you double the amount of your original deposit. |
| Alaska | 2 months' rent (with exceptions) Two months' rent (deposit and prepaid rent combined), except for units renting for more than $2,000 a month, which have no cap. | 14 days If you gave proper notice of moving out, the landlord must give you an itemized list and any refund within 14 days after the tenancy ends and you hand back the unit. | If the landlord willfully fails to follow the return rules, you can recover up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld. |
| Arizona | 1.5 months' rent One and a half months' rent (all security and prepaid rent combined). | 14 business days Within 14 days, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after the tenancy ends, you give back possession, AND you ask for the deposit. | If the landlord does not follow the return rules, you can recover the money due plus damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld. |
| Arkansas | 2 months' rent (with exceptions) Two months' rent, but only if the landlord owns six or more rental units or uses a manager or rent collector. | 60 days For covered landlords: within 60 days after the lease ends, the landlord must return the deposit or give you a written, itemized list of what was kept for damages or unpaid rent. | If a covered landlord wrongfully keeps all or part of the deposit, or does not send the itemized list, you can sue for it, usually in small claims court. |
| California | 1 month's rent (with exceptions) One month's rent, furnished or unfurnished (since July 1, 2024). | 21 days Within 21 days after you move out, the landlord must return the full deposit, or mail or hand you an itemized statement of deductions together with the rest of the money. | You can sue (small claims up to $12,500) for the deposit wrongly kept. |
| Colorado | 2 months' rent Two months' rent (since August 7, 2023). | 30 days Within 30 days after the lease ends or you surrender the unit, whichever is later (this has been '30 days' instead of 'one month' since January 1, 2026). | If the landlord wrongfully keeps the deposit (since 2026 this includes missing the deadline, not listing exact reasons, not returning the balance on time, or keeping it in bad faith), you can recover three times the amount wrongly withheld, plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs. |
| Connecticut | 2 months' rent (with exceptions) Two months' rent. | 21 days Within 21 days after your tenancy ends, or within 15 days after the landlord gets your forwarding address in writing, whichever is later. | A landlord who does not return the deposit and itemized list on time owes you twice the deposit. |
| Delaware | 1 month's rent (with exceptions) One month's rent if the lease is for 1 year or more, or for a month-to-month tenancy that has lasted 1 year or more (the landlord must then credit back anything over one month). | 20 days Within 20 days after the lease ends, the landlord must return the deposit, or send an itemized list of damages with estimated repair costs and pay you the difference. | Double the amount wrongfully withheld. |
| District of Columbia | 1 month's rent One month's rent (the first full month's rent), charged only once. | 45 days Within 45 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must either return the deposit with interest (no request needed), or notify you in writing (in person, by certified mail or e-mail at your forwarding address) of the amounts it intends to keep. | The landlord must pay back the amount wrongly withheld; in bad faith, three times that amount. |
| Florida | No statewide limit | 15 days If the landlord makes no claim on the deposit, it must be returned (with any interest owed) within 15 days after the lease ends and you move out. | If the landlord misses the 30-day notice, the landlord loses the right to keep any of the deposit (but can still sue you separately for damages). |
| Georgia | 2 months' rent Two months' rent, for leases signed or renewed on or after July 1, 2024 (Safe at Home Act, HB 404, Act 392 of 2024; O.C.G.A. § 44-7-30.1). | 30 days Within 30 days after the lease ends or you move out, whichever is later, all landlords must return the deposit, or send a written statement of the damage, its estimated cost, and a refund of the difference. | You can sue for the deposit wrongly kept, interest, attorney fees and court costs. |
| Hawaii | 1 month's rent (with exceptions) One month's rent. | 14 days Within 14 days after the rental agreement ends. | If the landlord wrongfully and willfully kept the deposit, the small claims court may award you three times the amount wrongfully kept, plus costs. |
| Idaho | No statewide limit | 21 days Within 21 days after you end the lease and give back the unit, unless your lease sets a different time; in no case later than 30 days after you surrender the unit. | You can sue for the deposit under Idaho Code § 6-320(a)(4). |
| Illinois | No statewide limit | 45 days If the landlord keeps nothing, the full deposit must be returned within 45 days after you move out, in person or by mail to your last known address or another address you give. | If a court finds the landlord refused to give the itemized statement, or gave it in bad faith, and did not return the deposit on time, the landlord owes twice the deposit due, plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees. |
| Indiana | No statewide limit | 45 days The statute says the landlord must return the deposit, minus allowed deductions listed in a written itemized notice, no more than 45 days after the lease ends and you give back possession (IC 32-31-3-12, -14). | If the landlord does not follow the rules, you can recover the deposit withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees and court costs. |
| Iowa | 2 months' rent Two months' rent. | 30 days Within 30 days after your tenancy ends AND the landlord has your mailing address or delivery instructions. | If the landlord keeps the deposit in bad faith, you can recover your actual damages plus punitive damages of up to twice the monthly rent. |
| Kansas | 1 month's rent One month's rent for an unfurnished unit; 1.5 months' rent if furnished. | 30 days If the landlord keeps part of the deposit, the rest must be returned within 14 days after the landlord figures the deductions, and never later than 30 days after the tenancy ends, you give back possession and you ask for it. | If the landlord does not follow the return rules, you can recover the amount wrongly withheld plus damages of 1.5 times that amount. |
| Kentucky | No statewide limit | No fixed deadline URLTA areas only. | URLTA areas: if the landlord did not keep the deposit in a separate account and did not give you the move-in and move-out damage lists, the landlord may not keep any part of the deposit. |
| Louisiana | No statewide limit | 30 days The landlord must return the deposit within one month after the lease ends. | If the landlord willfully fails to follow the law, you can recover the amount wrongly kept plus $300 or twice the amount wrongly kept, whichever is greater. |
| Maine | 2 months' rent two months' rent. | 30 days With a written lease: within the time the lease says, but no more than 30 days. | If the landlord misses the deadline for the statement or refund, it loses the right to keep any part of the deposit. |
| Maryland | 1 month's rent (with exceptions) one month's rent per unit (up to two months only if you qualify for state utility assistance, the lease has you pay utilities to the landlord, and you agree in writing). | 45 days Within 45 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit plus interest, minus proper deductions, by first-class mail to your last known address. | If the landlord, without a reasonable basis, fails to return any part of the deposit plus interest within 45 days, you can sue for up to three times the amount withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees. |
| Massachusetts | 1 month's rent one month's rent. | 30 days Within 30 days after your tenancy ends (end of a tenancy at will, or the end date of a written lease), the landlord must return the deposit, or the balance after allowed deductions, plus interest. | Three times the deposit (or the balance owed) plus 5% interest, court costs and reasonable attorney's fees if the landlord did not keep the deposit in a proper account, used a lease clause that conflicts with the law, or failed to return what was owed within 30 days. |
| Michigan | 1.5 months' rent | 30 days Within 4 days after you move out, give the landlord your forwarding address in writing. | If the landlord does not follow the rules (notice of damages within 30 days of move-out; then, for any amount you dispute, a lawsuit within 45 days of move-out), it waives all claimed damages and owes you double the amount of the deposit it kept (MCL 554.613). |
| Minnesota | No statewide limit | 21 days Within 3 weeks after your tenancy ends (or within 5 days if you had to leave because the building was condemned, not through your fault), and after you give a mailing address or delivery instructions, the landlord must return the deposit with interest or give you a written statement of why it kept any part. | If the landlord misses the 3-week (or 5-day) deadline, or fails to offer/complete the required inspections, it owes the wrongly withheld amount plus interest and a penalty equal to that amount (in effect, double). |
| Mississippi | No statewide limit | 45 days The landlord must return what is left of the deposit no later than 45 days after all of these happen: your tenancy ends, you give back possession, and you ask for the deposit. | If the landlord keeps the deposit in violation of the law and without good faith, you can recover your actual damages plus up to $200 more (Miss. |
| Missouri | 2 months' rent two months' rent (pet deposits are not counted as security deposits) | 30 days Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the full deposit, or send a written itemized list of damages along with the rest of the deposit. | Twice the amount wrongfully withheld (RSMo 535.300.6). |
| Montana | No statewide limit | 30 days Within 30 days after the tenancy ends or you hand back the unit (whichever comes first), the landlord must give you a written list of rent due and damage and cleaning charges, together with the rest of the deposit. | The landlord owes you the amount wrongfully withheld; the court may award attorney's fees to the winner. |
| Nebraska | 1 month's rent One month's rent. | 14 days Within 14 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must deliver or mail you the balance of the deposit and a written itemization of anything kept. | If the landlord does not return the deposit and itemization on time, you can recover the money due plus court costs and reasonable attorney's fees. |
| Nevada | 3 months' rent Three months' rent in total, counting the security deposit, any surety bond and last month's rent together. | 30 days No later than 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must return what is left of the deposit with a written itemized accounting, either by handing it to you where you pay rent or by mailing it to your present address (or last known address). | If the landlord fails or refuses to return the rest of the deposit within 30 days, you can recover the entire deposit plus an extra amount set by the court of up to the entire deposit again (up to double in total). |
| New Hampshire | 1 month's rent One month's rent or $100, whichever is larger. | 30 days Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the full deposit with any interest owed, or the rest after allowed deductions. | You may sue for twice the amount of the deposit if the landlord fails to return it on time, fails to pay interest owed, or fails to follow the other deposit rules (per New Hampshire legal aid). |
| New Jersey | 1.5 months' rent (with exceptions) One and a half months' rent, including any pet deposit and any prepaid 'last month's rent.' At move-in the landlord may collect no more than 2.5 months' rent in total (deposit plus first month). | 30 days Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit plus interest, minus allowed deductions, by personal delivery or registered or certified mail. | If the landlord does not return the deposit within 30 days or wrongly keeps part of it, the court must award you double the amount owed, plus full court costs and, in the judge's discretion, reasonable attorney's fees. |
| New Mexico | 1 month's rent (with exceptions) One month's rent if your lease is for less than one year. | 30 days Within 30 days after the rental agreement ends or you move out, whichever is later, the landlord must send you the rest of your deposit and an itemized written list of deductions. | If the landlord misses the 30-day deadline for the itemized list, the landlord loses the right to keep any of the deposit, to counterclaim in your deposit case, and to sue you separately for damage to the unit, and must pay your court costs and reasonable attorney fees. |
| New York | 1 month's rent (with exceptions) One month's rent. | 14 days Within 14 days after you move out, the landlord must return your deposit or give you an itemized statement of what is kept and return the rest. | Actual damages. |
| North Carolina | 2 months' rent (with exceptions) Week-to-week: 2 weeks' rent. | 30 days Within 30 days after the tenancy ends and you hand over possession, the landlord must mail or deliver the rest of your deposit with a written itemized list of damages. | You can sue for an accounting and the balance of your deposit plus damages. |
| North Dakota | 1 month's rent (with exceptions) One month's rent. | 30 days Within 30 days after the lease ends and you give back possession, the landlord must deliver or mail the refund and a written notice to the last address you gave. | Three times the amount wrongly kept (treble damages) if the landlord withholds deposit money without reasonable justification. |
| Ohio | No statewide limit | 30 days Within 30 days after the lease ends and you give back possession, the landlord must deliver the refund and a written list of any deductions. | The money wrongly kept, plus damages equal to the amount wrongfully withheld (so up to twice that amount in total), plus reasonable attorney fees. |
| Oklahoma | No statewide limit | 45 days You must ask for your deposit back in writing. | You can sue to recover the deposit and any prepaid rent, plus other damages the Act allows. |
| Oregon | No statewide limit No statewide limit on the amount. | 31 days Within 31 days after the tenancy ends and you move out, the landlord must return your deposit (and any unused prepaid rent), or give you a written accounting of what is kept and return the rest. | Twice the amount withheld without a written accounting, or withheld in bad faith. |
| Pennsylvania | 2 months' rent (with exceptions) Two months' rent during the first year of the lease. | 30 days Within 30 days after the lease ends or after you move out and the landlord accepts the keys, whichever comes first, the landlord must send a written list of damages and the rest of the deposit. | Double the amount wrongly withheld (twice the amount by which the deposit plus interest exceeds the actual damages). |
| Rhode Island | 1 month's rent (with exceptions) One month's rent. | 20 days Within 20 days after the latest of: the tenancy ends, you give back possession, or you give the landlord a forwarding address for the deposit. | The amount owed plus damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney fees. |
| South Carolina | No statewide limit | 30 days Within 30 days after the later of: the tenancy ends and you give back possession, or you ask for the deposit. | Three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney fees. |
| South Dakota | 1 month's rent (with exceptions) One month's rent. | 21 days Within 21 days after the tenancy ends and the landlord receives your mailing address or delivery instructions, the landlord must return the deposit or give you a written statement of the specific reasons for keeping any of it. | The landlord forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit if the rules aren't followed. |
| Tennessee | No statewide limit | No fixed deadline No fixed number of days. | A landlord who neither kept the deposit in the required separate account nor gave the damage listing may not keep any part of the deposit. |
| Texas | No statewide limit | 30 days On or before the 30th day after you surrender (move out of) the unit. | Bad-faith withholding: $100 plus three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney fees. |
| Utah | No statewide limit | 30 days No later than 30 days after you move out and return possession, the landlord must mail or deliver to your last known address (or send electronically by a method you provided) the rest of your deposit, any prepaid rent, and a written list explaining each deduction. | If the landlord still doesn't comply within 5 business days after you serve the statutory notice: the full deposit (and full prepaid rent) plus a $100 civil penalty. |
| Vermont | No statewide limit | 14 days Within 14 days after you move out (if you told the landlord your move-out date), or 14 days after the landlord discovers you moved out or abandoned the unit, the landlord must hand-deliver or mail to your last known address the deposit and a written statement itemizing any deductions. | If the landlord misses the 14-day deadline, the landlord forfeits the right to keep any of the deposit. |
| Virginia | 2 months' rent Two months' rent. | 45 days Within 45 days after the tenancy ends or you move out (whichever is later), the landlord must give you a written itemized list of deductions and any money owed to you. | If the landlord willfully fails to follow the deposit law, the court orders return of the deposit plus your actual damages and reasonable attorney fees (if you owe rent, the deposit is credited against it). |
| Washington | No statewide limit No statewide dollar limit. | 30 days Within 30 days after the rental agreement ends and you move out (or 30 days after the landlord learns you abandoned the unit), the landlord must give you a full and specific written statement of the reasons for keeping any part of the deposit, with supporting documents, plus any refund. | If the landlord misses the 30-day deadline, the landlord owes you the full deposit and can't raise any reason to keep it (unless circumstances were beyond the landlord's control). |
| West Virginia | No statewide limit | 60 days The landlord must return the deposit, minus deductions, with a written itemization within 60 days after the tenancy ends, or within 45 days after a new tenant moves in, whichever comes first. | If the landlord's violation was willful or not in good faith: the unreturned deposit plus damages equal to one and a half times the amount wrongfully withheld (credited against any rent you owe). |
| Wisconsin | No statewide limit | 21 days Within 21 days after the rental agreement ends, the landlord must deliver or mail the deposit (minus proper deductions) to your last known address. | You can sue (usually in small claims) for twice your money loss plus costs and reasonable attorney fees for a violation of the deposit rules (Wis. |
| Wyoming | No statewide limit | 30 days The landlord must deliver or mail the rest of your deposit and any prepaid rent, with a written itemized list of deductions and reasons, within 30 days after the rental agreement ends or within 15 days after getting your new mailing address, whichever is later. | If the landlord unreasonably fails to follow the deposit rules, you can recover the full deposit and court costs. |
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