Returning a Security Deposit Without Getting Sued

Deadlines, allowed deductions, and itemization rules for returning a deposit.

Deposit return deadlines by state

Every state sets a deadline to return the deposit after move-out — commonly 14 to 60 days. Miss it and you can forfeit the right to keep any of it, and in many states owe the tenant two or three times the amount plus their attorney's fees. The clock usually starts at the end of the tenancy or when the tenant gives a forwarding address, so calendar it immediately.

Here is every state's return deadline (and the deadline when you're itemizing deductions, where it differs), with the governing statute. Tap a state to build an itemized statement. Not legal advice.

State	Return deadline	If deducting	Statute
Alabama	60 days	60 days	Ala. Code § 35-9A-201
Alaska	14 days	30 days	Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070
Arizona	14 days	14 days	Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321
Arkansas	60 days	60 days	Ark. Code § 18-16-305
California	21 days	21 days	Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5
Colorado	30 days	60 days	Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103
Connecticut	30 days	30 days	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21
Delaware	20 days	20 days	25 Del. C. § 5514
District of Columbia	45 days	45 days	D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 § 309
Florida	15 days	30 days	Fla. Stat. § 83.49
Georgia	30 days	30 days	Ga. Code § 44-7-34
Hawaii	14 days	14 days	Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Idaho	21 days	30 days	Idaho Code § 6-321
Illinois	45 days	30 days	765 ILCS 710
Indiana	45 days	45 days	Ind. Code § 32-31-3-12
Iowa	30 days	30 days	Iowa Code § 562A.12
Kansas	30 days	30 days	Kan. Stat. § 58-2550
Kentucky	30 days	30 days	Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580
Louisiana	30 days	30 days	La. Rev. Stat. § 9:3251
Maine	30 days	30 days	14 M.R.S. § 6033
Maryland	45 days	45 days	Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203
Massachusetts	30 days	30 days	Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186 § 15B
Michigan	30 days	30 days	Mich. Comp. Laws § 554.609
Minnesota	21 days	21 days	Minn. Stat. § 504B.178
Mississippi	45 days	45 days	Miss. Code § 89-8-21
Missouri	30 days	30 days	Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300
Montana	30 days	30 days	Mont. Code § 70-25-202
Nebraska	14 days	14 days	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416
Nevada	30 days	30 days	Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242
New Hampshire	30 days	30 days	N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:7
New Jersey	30 days	30 days	N.J. Stat. § 46:8-21.1
New Mexico	30 days	30 days	N.M. Stat. § 47-8-18
New York	14 days	14 days	N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108
North Carolina	30 days	30 days	N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-52
North Dakota	30 days	30 days	N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.1
Ohio	30 days	30 days	Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16
Oklahoma	45 days	45 days	Okla. Stat. tit. 41 § 115
Oregon	31 days	31 days	Or. Rev. Stat. § 90.300
Pennsylvania	30 days	30 days	68 Pa. Stat. § 250.512
Rhode Island	20 days	20 days	R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19
South Carolina	30 days	30 days	S.C. Code § 27-40-410
South Dakota	14 days	45 days	S.D. Codified Laws § 43-32-24
Tennessee	30 days	30 days	Tenn. Code § 66-28-301
Texas	30 days	30 days	Tex. Prop. Code § 92.103
Utah	30 days	30 days	Utah Code § 57-17-3
Vermont	14 days	14 days	9 V.S.A. § 4461
Virginia	45 days	45 days	Va. Code § 55.1-1226
Washington	30 days	30 days	Rev. Code Wash. § 59.18.280
West Virginia	60 days	45 days	W. Va. Code § 37-6A-2
Wisconsin	21 days	21 days	Wis. Stat. § 134.06
Wyoming	30 days	60 days	Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208

Deduct only what you can document

You can deduct unpaid rent and the cost of repairing damage beyond normal wear and tear — but not ordinary wear (faded paint, minor carpet wear). Most states require an itemized statement listing each deduction with amounts, and many expect receipts or estimates. Photos at move-in and move-out are your best evidence.

Don't forget interest

If you're in one of the states that requires interest on the deposit, you must include it in the return. Use the deposit return tracker to find your deadline and build an itemized statement, and the security deposit interest calculator to compute any interest owed.

Try the tool

Security Deposit Return Tracker

See your state's deposit return deadline and itemization rules, and generate an itemized deductions statement.

Security Deposit Interest Calculator

Calculate the interest you owe a tenant on their security deposit, with your state's exact rule and statute.

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Not legal advice. LandlordKit provides general informational tools, not legal advice. Landlord-tenant laws change and vary by city and county. Verify the cited statute and consult a licensed attorney before acting on any result.