How Long Does a Landlord Have to Return a Security Deposit? All 50 States (2026)
Deadlines run from 14 to 60 days after move-out, and in 37 states a landlord who breaks the rules can owe 2× or more. Every state's deadline, penalty and law, plus what to do if yours is late.
By the MoneyBackKit team · Updated October 27, 2026 · 7 min read
When you move out, your landlord has a fixed number of days to give back your security deposit or send you a written list of what they kept and why. The deadline is set by state law, and it ranges from 14 days in Alaska to 60 days in West Virginia. In 37 states, a landlord who breaks the rules can owe you two or more times the money. Here is every state in one table, then what to do if your deposit is late.
Deadlines and penalties in every state
| State | Deadline (from move-out) | If the landlord breaks the rules | Law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 60 days | Double the original deposit | Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 |
| Alaska | 14 days * | Up to 2× the amount wrongfully withheld | Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070 |
| Arizona | 14 business days * | Up to 2× the amount wrongfully withheld, and the landlord loses the right to keep any of it | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321 |
| Arkansas | 60 days * | Up to 2× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney's fees | Ark. Code § 18-16-305 |
| California | 21 days * | Bad faith: up to 2× the deposit, plus actual damages | Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 |
| Colorado | 30 days * | Willful: up to 3× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus fees and costs | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103 |
| Connecticut | 21 days * | Up to 2× the deposit, plus attorney's fees | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21 |
| Delaware | 20 days | Up to 2× the amount wrongfully withheld; the landlord loses the right to keep any of it | Del. Code tit. 25, § 5514 |
| District of Columbia | 45 days | Bad faith: up to 3× the amount wrongfully withheld | D.C. Code § 42-3502.17 |
| Florida | 15 days * | The landlord loses the right to make any deductions (must return the full deposit) | Fla. Stat. § 83.49 |
| Georgia | 30 days | Bad faith: up to 3× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney's fees | Ga. Code § 44-7-34 |
| Hawaii | 14 days | Bad faith: up to 3× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus fees and costs | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44 |
| Idaho | 21 days * | Up to 3× damages, plus costs and fees; the landlord loses the right to keep any of it | Idaho Code § 6-321 |
| Illinois | 45 days * | 2× the deposit, plus court costs and attorney's fees (buildings with 5+ units) | 765 ILCS 710/1 |
| Indiana | 45 days * | Full deposit plus reasonable attorney's fees if no itemized list was sent | Ind. Code § 32-31-3-12 |
| Iowa | 30 days | Bad faith: up to 2× the amount wrongfully withheld; the landlord loses the right to keep any of it | Iowa Code § 562A.12 |
| Kansas | 30 days * | 1.5× the amount wrongfully withheld | Kan. Stat. § 58-2550 |
| Kentucky | 30 days | The landlord loses the right to keep any of it; bad faith may bring double damages plus fees | Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580 |
| Louisiana | 30 days * | Willful failure: the greater of $300 or 2× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus fees | La. Rev. Stat. § 9:3251 |
| Maine | 30 days * | Up to 2× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus fees and costs | Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6033 |
| Maryland | 45 days | Up to 3× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney's fees | Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203 |
| Massachusetts | 30 days | 3× the deposit (no bad faith needed), plus interest, costs and fees | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B |
| Michigan | 30 days * | 2× the amount retained, plus attorney's fees and costs | Mich. Comp. Laws § 554.613 |
| Minnesota | 21 days * | 2× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus interest; bad faith adds up to $500 | Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 |
| Mississippi | 45 days | The amount wrongfully withheld plus up to $200 for bad faith | Miss. Code § 89-8-21 |
| Missouri | 30 days | Up to 2× the amount wrongfully withheld | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300 |
| Montana | 30 days * | The landlord loses the right to keep any part of the deposit | Mont. Code § 70-25-202 |
| Nebraska | 14 days | Loses the right to keep any of it; willful bad faith adds up to the lesser of one month's rent or 2× the deposit | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 |
| Nevada | 30 days | Bad faith: the deposit plus up to one more deposit amount | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242 |
| New Hampshire | 30 days | 2× the deposit, plus attorney's fees | N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:7 |
| New Jersey | 30 days | 2× the amount due (mandatory), plus costs and attorney's fees | N.J. Stat. § 46:8-21.1 |
| New Mexico | 30 days | Loses the right to keep any of it; bad faith adds a $250 penalty, plus costs and fees | N.M. Stat. § 47-8-18 |
| New York | 14 days * | The landlord loses the right to keep any of it; willful violation up to 2× the deposit | N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108 |
| North Carolina | 30 days * | Willful failure: the landlord loses the right to keep any of it, plus attorney's fees | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-52 |
| North Dakota | 30 days | Up to 3× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney's fees | N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.1 |
| Ohio | 30 days * | The amount withheld plus an equal amount in damages (2×), plus attorney's fees | Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16 |
| Oklahoma | 45 days * | Loses the right to keep any of it; up to 2× the amount wrongfully withheld | Okla. Stat. tit. 41, § 115 |
| Oregon | 31 days | Up to 2× the amount wrongfully withheld | Or. Rev. Stat. § 90.300 |
| Pennsylvania | 30 days * | Loses the right to keep any of it; 2× the amount due | 68 Pa. Stat. § 250.512 |
| Rhode Island | 20 days | Up to 2× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney's fees | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19 |
| South Carolina | 30 days | Willful: up to 3× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney's fees | S.C. Code § 27-40-410 |
| South Dakota | 14 days * | Loses the right to keep any of it; bad faith adds up to $200 | S.D. Codified Laws § 43-32-24 |
| Tennessee | 30 days * | Actual damages plus attorney's fees | Tenn. Code § 66-28-301 |
| Texas | 30 days * | Bad faith: $100 plus 3× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney's fees | Tex. Prop. Code § 92.103 |
| Utah | 30 days * | Full deposit plus a $100 civil penalty, plus costs and fees | Utah Code § 57-17-3 |
| Vermont | 14 days | Willful: 2× the deposit, plus attorney's fees | Vt. Stat. tit. 9, § 4461 |
| Virginia | 45 days | Actual damages plus reasonable attorney's fees | Va. Code § 55.1-1226 |
| Washington | 30 days | Intentional refusal: up to 2× the deposit, plus attorney's fees | Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.280 |
| West Virginia | 60 days * | The deposit plus 1.5× the amount wrongfully withheld | W. Va. Code § 37-6A-2 |
| Wisconsin | 21 days | 2× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus fees and costs | Wis. Stat. § 704.28 |
| Wyoming | 30 days * | The landlord loses the right to keep any part, plus court costs | Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208 |
The biggest states at a glance
- California: 21 days. Bad faith: up to 2× the deposit, plus actual damages. The landlord must send an itemized statement with receipts for repairs over $125.
- Texas: 30 days. Bad faith: $100 plus 3× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney's fees. You must give your forwarding address in writing. Withholding without an itemized list is presumed bad faith.
- Florida: 15 days. The landlord loses the right to make any deductions (must return the full deposit). 15 days if nothing is deducted. To keep any amount, the landlord must send a certified-mail notice within 30 days; you then have 15 days to object in writing.
- New York: 14 days. The landlord loses the right to keep any of it; willful violation up to 2× the deposit. The landlord must give an itemized statement within 14 days, or must return the whole deposit.
- Pennsylvania: 30 days. Loses the right to keep any of it; 2× the amount due. You must give your forwarding address in writing.
- Illinois: 45 days. 2× the deposit, plus court costs and attorney's fees (buildings with 5+ units). Itemized list of deductions within 30 days; refund within 45 days. Applies to buildings with 5 or more units.
- Ohio: 30 days. The amount withheld plus an equal amount in damages (2×), plus attorney's fees. You must give your forwarding address in writing.
- Georgia: 30 days. Bad faith: up to 3× the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney's fees.
What a landlord may and may not keep
- In general, deductions are for unpaid rent and for damage beyond normal wear and tear, and they must be listed in writing.
- Normal wear and tear means the slow, expected aging of a home: faded paint, small nail holes, worn carpet in walkways. Landlords generally can't charge you for it.
- Cleaning to return the home to how you received it can usually be charged; routine cleaning between tenants often can't. State rules differ on the details.
If your deposit is late or too small
- Give your forwarding address in writing (text or email is fine, keep a copy). In several states the clock only starts when you do.
- Wait until your state's deadline has passed. Then send a written demand letter: the amount you want back, the law, the deadline you're giving, and that you'll file in small claims court if needed.
- Keep your proof: lease, move-in and move-out photos or video, the checklist, and every message.
- If they still don't pay, file in small claims court. You usually don't need a lawyer, filing fees are modest, and the penalty in your state can be more than the deposit itself.