How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit?

It depends on the state. Most states set between 14 and 45 days, a few allow up to 60, and Louisiana says one month. For example: New York, Hawaii, Nebraska and Vermont 14 days; California, Minnesota and South Dakota 21 days; Texas, Washington, Ohio and Pennsylvania 30 days; Virginia, Maryland and Indiana 45 days; Arkansas and West Virginia 60 days. Laws change, so check the current law cited for your state.

When does the deposit clock start?

Usually when the lease ends and you hand back the home and keys, not when you move your things out. Some states start it only once the landlord has your forwarding address in writing (for example Texas, Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota), and a few only once you ask for the deposit (for example Arizona, Kansas and Oklahoma).

What if my landlord misses the deadline?

In many states a landlord who misses the deadline loses the right to keep any of the deposit, and a landlord who keeps it in bad faith can owe two or three times the amount wrongly kept. Send a short letter asking for the deposit or the itemized list, keep a copy, and if that doesn't work, small claims court is the usual next step.

Do I have to give my landlord a forwarding address?

Give it in writing either way, and keep a copy. In several states the deadline or your right to extra damages depends on it, including Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Wyoming.

When is my security deposit due back?

Every state sets a deadline for your landlord to return the deposit, or tell you in writing what they kept. Pick yours and see the date.

Which state is the rental in? The day you moved out and gave back the keysIf the lease ended later than that, use the later date.

Keep move-out photos in the app

The app keeps dated move-out photos of every room, the landlord's address and the deposit deadline together, on your phone. No account, and it works with no signal.

How this works

The date. We add your state's deadline to the day you moved out and handed back the keys. In most states the clock starts when the lease ends and you give back the home. Some start only once the landlord has your forwarding address, or once you ask for the deposit, so check "What starts the clock" for your state.

Money or a list. By the deadline, the landlord has to send your deposit back, or send a written list of what they kept and why, with the rest of the money. In many states a landlord who misses the deadline loses the right to keep any of it.

Before you go. Take dated photos of every room, give your forwarding address in writing, and keep a copy of both. Put the due date in your calendar.

If it's late. Send the letter above. If that doesn't work, small claims court is the usual next step, and many states let you recover more than the deposit when it was kept in bad faith. A local legal aid office can help for free if you qualify.

Not legal advice. Laws change, and some cities add their own rules. Each state below links to the official source we used. Check the current law before you count on a date.

More on this: how to get your deposit back, what photos to take when you move out, and what counts as normal wear and tear.

Every state at a glance

State	Deadline and law
Alabama	Not confirmed on an official pageAla. Code § 35-9A-201
Alaska	14 days if nothing is kept, 30 to send a listAS 34.03.070
Arizona	14 business daysA.R.S. § 33-1321
Arkansas	60 daysArk. Code § 18-16-305
California	21 daysCal. Civ. Code § 1950.5
Colorado	30 daysC.R.S. § 38-12-103
Connecticut	21 daysConn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21
Delaware	20 days25 Del. C. § 5514
District of Columbia	45 daysD.C. Code § 42-3502.17
Florida	15 days if nothing is kept, 30 to send a listFla. Stat. § 83.49(3)
Georgia	30 daysO.C.G.A. § 44-7-34
Hawaii	14 daysHRS § 521-44
Idaho	21 daysIdaho Code § 6-321
Illinois	30 days to send a list, 45 to return the rest765 ILCS 710/1
Indiana	45 daysInd. Code § 32-31-3-12
Iowa	30 daysIowa Code § 562A.12
Kansas	30 daysK.S.A. 58-2550
Kentucky	No single dateKRS 383.580
Louisiana	One monthLa. R.S. 9:3251
Maine	30 days14 M.R.S. § 6033
Maryland	45 daysMd. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203
Massachusetts	30 daysMass. Gen. Laws c. 186, § 15B
Michigan	30 daysMCL 554.609
Minnesota	21 daysMinn. Stat. § 504B.178
Mississippi	45 daysMiss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21
Missouri	30 daysMo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300
Montana	10 days if nothing is kept, 30 to send a listMont. Code Ann. § 70-25-202
Nebraska	14 daysNeb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416
Nevada	30 daysNRS 118A.242
New Hampshire	30 daysRSA 540-A:7
New Jersey	30 daysN.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1
New Mexico	30 daysNMSA 1978, § 47-8-18
New York	14 daysN.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108
North Carolina	30 daysN.C.G.S. § 42-52
North Dakota	30 daysN.D.C.C. § 47-16-07.1
Ohio	30 daysOhio Rev. Code § 5321.16
Oklahoma	45 days41 O.S. § 115
Oregon	31 daysORS 90.300
Pennsylvania	30 days68 P.S. § 250.512
Rhode Island	20 daysR.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19
South Carolina	30 daysS.C. Code § 27-40-410
South Dakota	21 daysSDCL 43-32-24
Tennessee	Not confirmed on an official pageTenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301
Texas	30 daysTex. Prop. Code § 92.103
Utah	30 daysUtah Code § 57-17-3
Vermont	14 days9 V.S.A. § 4461
Virginia	45 daysVa. Code § 55.1-1226
Washington	30 daysRCW 59.18.280
West Virginia	60 daysW. Va. Code § 37-6A-2
Wisconsin	21 daysWis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06
Wyoming	30 daysWyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208

Sources: each state's own statute, read on the official legislature or code site where it could be opened, or else on the state attorney general's, state agency's or city government's page named in the table. Alabama and Tennessee could not be confirmed on an official page, so no date is shown for them. Checked October 2026. Not legal advice.

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