Security deposit laws by state
Deposit limits, return deadlines and interest rules for 32 reviewed jurisdictions. Summaries with incomplete research or unresolved currency checks are omitted. Each state page gives its own research date and source. General information, not legal advice; city rules can be stricter.
| State | Maximum deposit | Return deadline | Interest | Research date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | One month's rent, except extra amounts for pets, changes to the premises, or increased liability risk. | 60 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant gives up possession. | Not required by state law | |
| Alaska | Two months' rent (limit does not apply if rent is over $2,000 a month); an extra one month's rent is allowed for a pet. | 14 days after the tenancy ends if the tenant gave proper notice (30 days if the landlord deducts for damage); 30 days if the tenant gave no proper notice. | Not required by state law | |
| Arizona | One and one-half months' rent, including prepaid rent. | 14 days (not counting weekends and legal holidays) after the tenancy ends, possession is delivered, and the tenant demands it. | Not required by state law | |
| Delaware | One month's rent for leases of a year or more, and for month-to-month tenancies after the first year; no cap for shorter leases or furnished units. | 20 days after the lease ends. | Not required by state law | |
| Florida | No statutory limit | 15 days after the tenancy ends if no claim is made; if a claim is made, written notice is due within 30 days and the balance is due within 30 days after that notice. | Only if the landlord holds it in an interest-bearing account or bond: at least 75% of the account's interest or 5% simple interest, landlord's choice. | |
| Illinois | No statutory limit | 45 days after the tenant moves out if nothing is deducted; deductions must be itemized within 30 days (buildings of five or more units). | Only for buildings of 25 or more units, on deposits held six months or more; paid or credited every 12 months at a rate set yearly. | |
| Indiana | No statutory limit | 45 days after the rental agreement ends and the tenant delivers possession. | Not required by state law | |
| Iowa | Two months' rent. | 30 days after the tenancy ends and the landlord receives the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions. | Not required; interest earned in the first five years of a tenancy belongs to the landlord. | |
| Kansas | One month's rent for unfurnished units, 1.5 months if furnished, plus half a month's rent more if pets are allowed. | 14 days after the landlord determines the deductions, and no later than 30 days after the tenancy ends, possession is delivered and the tenant demands it. | Not required by state law | |
| Kentucky | No statutory limit in KRS 383.580. | No fixed deadline: the landlord must notify the tenant of any refund due, and may keep it if the tenant does not respond within 60 days. | Not required by state law | |
| Louisiana | No statutory limit. | Within one month after the lease ends. | Not required by state law | |
| Maine | Two months' rent. | Within the time stated in the written lease, up to 30 days; 21 days after a tenancy at will ends. | Not required by state law | |
| Maryland | One month's rent (two months only in a narrow utility-assistance case). | Within 45 days after the tenancy ends. | Yes: simple interest at the greater of the 1-year U.S. Treasury rate or 1.5% a year, only if held 6 months or more and the deposit is $50 or more. | |
| Massachusetts | One month's rent (separate from first month, last month and lock-and-key cost). | Within 30 days after the tenancy ends. | Yes: 5% a year, or the lower rate the bank actually paid, paid yearly; deposit must be in a separate Massachusetts bank account. | |
| Minnesota | No statutory limit. | Within 3 weeks after the tenancy ends (5 days after condemnation). | Yes: simple interest at 1% a year. | |
| Missouri | Two months' rent. | Within 30 days after the tenancy ends. | Not required; any interest belongs to the landlord. | |
| Montana | No statutory limit found in the chapter. | Within 30 days after the tenancy ends (10 days if there is nothing to deduct). | Not required by state law | |
| North Dakota | One month's rent, or up to two months' rent for a tenant with a felony conviction or a prior rental judgment; pet deposit up to the greater of $2,500 or two months' rent. | 30 days after the lease ends and the tenant gives up possession. | Yes: deposit must be held in a federally insured interest-bearing account and the interest goes to the tenant, except when occupancy was under nine months. | |
| Ohio | No statutory limit. | 30 days after the rental agreement ends and the tenant delivers possession. | Yes: 5% a year on the part of the deposit above $50 or one month's rent (whichever is greater), if the tenant stays six months or more, paid annually. | |
| Oklahoma | No statutory limit. | 45 days after the tenancy ends, possession is delivered and the tenant makes a written demand. | Not required by state law (the balance is returned without interest). | |
| Oregon | No statutory limit. | 31 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant delivers possession. | Not required by state law. | |
| Pennsylvania | Two months' rent in the first year of the lease; one month's rent in later years. | 30 days after the lease ends or the tenant surrenders the premises, whichever comes first. | Yes: deposits over $100 go in an escrow account; after the second year the tenant gets the interest, less 1% a year the landlord may keep. | |
| Rhode Island | One month's periodic rent (plus a separate furniture deposit of up to one month's rent for furnished units with $5,000 or more of furniture). | 20 days after the latest of lease end, delivery of possession, or the tenant giving a forwarding address. | Not required by state law. | |
| South Carolina | No statutory limit. | 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant delivers possession and demands the deposit, whichever is later. | Not required by state law. | |
| South Dakota | One month's rent, unless the parties agree to more because special conditions endanger the premises. | 21 days after the tenancy ends and the landlord has the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions. | Not required by state law. | |
| Texas | No statutory limit. | 30 days after the tenant surrenders the premises. | Not required by state law. | |
| Vermont | No statutory limit. | 14 days after the landlord discovers the tenant left or the tenant leaves (60 days for seasonal rentals). | Not required by state law (towns may allow it by ordinance). | |
| Virginia | Two months' periodic rent. | 45 days after the tenancy ends or the tenant vacates, whichever is later. | Not required by state law. | |
| Washington | No statutory limit. | 30 days after the rental agreement ends and the tenant moves out (or 30 days after the landlord learns of abandonment). | Not required by state law (landlord keeps bank interest unless the parties agree otherwise in writing). | |
| West Virginia | No statutory limit. | Within 60 days after the tenancy ends, or 45 days after a new tenant moves in, whichever is shorter. | Not required by state law. | |
| Wisconsin | No limit in ATCP 134 (prepaid rent over one month is treated as a security deposit). | 21 days after the tenancy ends (or the date the landlord learns the tenant left, or the new tenant's start date if re-rented sooner). | Not required by state law. | |
| Wyoming | No statutory limit. | 30 days after the rental agreement ends, or 15 days after getting the renter's new mailing address, whichever is later; plus 30 days if there is damage. | Not required by state law (balance is returned without interest). |
Research dates refer to each summary's recorded source review, not a guarantee that the law remains unchanged. Sources may be statutes, official agency guides or archived official text. Confirm the current statute linked on each state page before you act.
Good practice in every state
- Put the deposit amount and the conditions for keeping any of it in the lease.
- Do a move-in inspection with dated photos, signed by you and the tenant.
- Keep the deposit separate from your own money; some states require a separate or interest-bearing account.
- Send any itemized list of deductions, with receipts, before the state deadline, to the forwarding address the tenant gave you.
Questions
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit?
It depends on the state. Some cap it at one or two months of rent, and many set no limit at all. Some cities add their own rules. Open your state for the rule and the statute it comes from.
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit?
State deadlines usually range from about two weeks to two months after the tenant moves out. Many states also require an itemized list of any deductions within that time.
What can a landlord deduct from a deposit?
Generally unpaid rent and the cost of damage beyond normal wear and tear. Each state defines the details; normal wear, such as faded paint or light carpet wear, usually cannot be charged.