What counts as 'normal wear and tear'?

Normal wear and tear includes minor scuffs on walls, small nail holes from hanging pictures, carpet worn from normal foot traffic, and faded paint after 2+ years of tenancy. Landlords cannot legally deduct for these in most states. DepositHawk checks each item against your state's legal standard.

What if my landlord already sent me a deduction list?

That's exactly what the Demand Letter plan is for. Enter each deduction, and we generate a letter challenging each one individually with the specific statute or case law that makes it impermissible.

What if the deadline has already passed?

You may still recover your deposit even after the deadline, but you likely lose the penalty multiplier (2x or 3x damages) in most states. DepositHawk will tell you exactly what you can still recover.

No. Small claims court is designed for self-represented parties. Most security deposit cases settle after a demand letter — landlords often comply rather than appear in court.

Is this legal advice?

DepositHawk provides legal information — the actual statutes, deadlines, and penalty structures for your state — not legal advice. For complex situations or large amounts, consulting an attorney is always an option.

How much can I recover?

In Texas: up to 3x the withheld amount plus $100. In California: up to 2x the deposit amount. In New York: actual damages. The amount varies significantly by state — DepositHawk calculates your maximum recoverable amount before you decide to proceed.

Security Deposit Laws by State: The Complete U.S. Guide (2026)

This table compiles security deposit return deadlines, penalty multipliers, and statute citations for all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. It is maintained by the DepositHawk Research Team and updated as state legislatures amend tenant protection laws. Journalists, legal aid organizations, tenant advocacy groups, and property managers are welcome to cite this resource.

Last updated: April 2026Researched by DepositHawk Research Team

Cite as: DepositHawk Research Team, Security Deposit Laws by State (2026). https://deposithawk.com/data/security-deposit-laws-by-state · Download CSV · Licensed CC BY 4.0

Security deposit laws for all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia as of 2026. Data sourced from state statutes. Always verify with current statute before legal proceedings.
State	Max Deposit	Return Deadline	Penalty	Penalty Type	Statute	Itemized Required	Details
Alabama	1 month's rent	35 days	2x	Automatic	Ala. Code § 35-9A-201	Yes	View details
Alaska	2 months' rent	14 days	2x	Automatic	Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070	Yes	View details
Arizona	1.5 months' rent	14 days	2x	Automatic	A.R.S. § 33-1321	Yes	View details
Arkansas	2 months' rent	60 days	2x	Automatic	Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-304	Yes	View details
California	2 months' rent	21 days	2x	Automatic	Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5	Yes	View details
Colorado	No limit	30 days	3x	Automatic	C.R.S. § 38-12-103	Yes	View details
Connecticut	2 months' rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21	Yes	View details
Delaware	1 month's rent	20 days	2x	Automatic	Del. Code Ann. tit. 25, § 5514	Yes	View details
District of Columbia	1 month's rent	45 days	3x	Automatic	D.C. Code § 42-3502.17	Yes	View details
Florida	No limit	15 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Fla. Stat. § 83.49	Yes	View details
Georgia	No limit	30 days	3x	Automatic	O.C.G.A. § 44-7-33	Yes	View details
Hawaii	1 month's rent	14 days	3x	Automatic	Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44	Yes	View details
Idaho	No limit	21 days	3x	Automatic	Idaho Code § 6-321	Yes	View details
Illinois	No limit	45 days	2x	Automatic	765 ILCS 710/1	Yes	View details
Indiana	No limit	45 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Ind. Code § 32-31-3-12	Yes	View details
Iowa	2 months' rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	Iowa Code § 562A.12	Yes	View details
Kansas	1 month's rent	30 days	1.5x	Automatic	K.S.A. § 58-2550	Yes	View details
Kentucky	No limit	30 days	2x	Automatic	KRS § 383.580	Yes	View details
Louisiana	No limit	30 days	2x	Automatic	La. R.S. § 9:3251	Yes	View details
Maine	2 months' rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	14 M.R.S.A. § 6033	Yes	View details
Maryland	2 months' rent	45 days	3x	Automatic	Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 8-203	Yes	View details
Massachusetts	1 month's rent	30 days	3x	Automatic	Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B	Yes	View details
Michigan	1.5 months' rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	M.C.L. § 554.602	Yes	View details
Minnesota	No limit	21 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Minn. Stat. § 504B.178	Yes	View details
Mississippi	No limit	45 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21	Yes	View details
Missouri	2 months' rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300	Yes	View details
Montana	No limit	30 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Mont. Code Ann. § 70-25-202	Yes	View details
Nebraska	1.25 months' rent	14 days	2x	Automatic	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416	Yes	View details
Nevada	3 months' rent	30 days	3x	Automatic	Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242	Yes	View details
New Hampshire	1 month's rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-B:9	Yes	View details
New Jersey	1.5 months' rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	N.J.S.A. § 46:8-21.1	Yes	View details
New Mexico	1 month's rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	N.M. Stat. Ann. § 47-8-18	Yes	View details
New York	1 month's rent	14 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108	Yes	View details
North Carolina	2 months' rent	30 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-52	Yes	View details
North Dakota	1 month's rent	30 days	3x	Automatic	N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.1	Yes	View details
Ohio	No limit	30 days	2x	Automatic	Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16	Yes	View details
Oklahoma	No limit	45 days	2x	Automatic	Okla. Stat. tit. 41, § 115	Yes	View details
Oregon	No limit	31 days	2x	Automatic	Or. Rev. Stat. § 90.300	Yes	View details
Pennsylvania	2 months' rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	68 P.S. § 250.512	Yes	View details
Rhode Island	1 month's rent	20 days	2x	Automatic	R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19	Yes	View details
South Carolina	No limit	30 days	3x	Automatic	S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410	Yes	View details
South Dakota	1 month's rent	14 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	S.D. Codified Laws § 43-32-24	Yes	View details
Tennessee	No limit	30 days	2x	Automatic	Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301	Yes	View details
Texas	No limit	30 days	Actual + $100	Actual + penalty	Tex. Prop. Code § 92.109	Yes	View details
Utah	No limit	30 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Utah Code Ann. § 57-17-3	Yes	View details
Vermont	No limit	14 days	2x	Automatic	9 V.S.A. § 4461	Yes	View details
Virginia	2 months' rent	45 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Va. Code Ann. § 55.1-1226	Yes	View details
Washington	No limit	21 days	2x	Automatic	RCW § 59.18.280	Yes	View details
West Virginia	No limit	60 days	1.5x	Automatic	W. Va. Code § 37-6A-2	Yes	View details
Wisconsin	No limit	21 days	2x	Automatic	Wis. Admin. Code ATCP § 134.06	Yes	View details
Wyoming	No limit	30 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1207	Yes	View details

Interactive Comparison Table

Sort by any column or filter by penalty type and itemized statement requirement.

Showing 51 of 51 states

State ↑	Max Deposit	Return Deadline ↕	Penalty ↕	Penalty Type ↕	Statute	Itemized ↕	Details
Alabama	1 month's rent	35 days	2x	Automatic	Ala. Code § 35-9A-201	Yes	View details
Alaska	2 months' rent	14 days	2x	Automatic	Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070	Yes	View details
Arizona	1.5 months' rent	14 days	2x	Automatic	A.R.S. § 33-1321	Yes	View details
Arkansas	2 months' rent	60 days	2x	Automatic	Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-304	Yes	View details
California	2 months' rent	21 days	2x	Automatic	Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5	Yes	View details
Colorado	No limit	30 days	3x	Automatic	C.R.S. § 38-12-103	Yes	View details
Connecticut	2 months' rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21	Yes	View details
Delaware	1 month's rent	20 days	2x	Automatic	Del. Code Ann. tit. 25, § 5514	Yes	View details
District of Columbia	1 month's rent	45 days	3x	Automatic	D.C. Code § 42-3502.17	Yes	View details
Florida	No limit	15 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Fla. Stat. § 83.49	Yes	View details
Georgia	No limit	30 days	3x	Automatic	O.C.G.A. § 44-7-33	Yes	View details
Hawaii	1 month's rent	14 days	3x	Automatic	Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44	Yes	View details
Idaho	No limit	21 days	3x	Automatic	Idaho Code § 6-321	Yes	View details
Illinois	No limit	45 days	2x	Automatic	765 ILCS 710/1	Yes	View details
Indiana	No limit	45 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Ind. Code § 32-31-3-12	Yes	View details
Iowa	2 months' rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	Iowa Code § 562A.12	Yes	View details
Kansas	1 month's rent	30 days	1.5x	Automatic	K.S.A. § 58-2550	Yes	View details
Kentucky	No limit	30 days	2x	Automatic	KRS § 383.580	Yes	View details
Louisiana	No limit	30 days	2x	Automatic	La. R.S. § 9:3251	Yes	View details
Maine	2 months' rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	14 M.R.S.A. § 6033	Yes	View details
Maryland	2 months' rent	45 days	3x	Automatic	Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 8-203	Yes	View details
Massachusetts	1 month's rent	30 days	3x	Automatic	Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B	Yes	View details
Michigan	1.5 months' rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	M.C.L. § 554.602	Yes	View details
Minnesota	No limit	21 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Minn. Stat. § 504B.178	Yes	View details
Mississippi	No limit	45 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21	Yes	View details
Missouri	2 months' rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300	Yes	View details
Montana	No limit	30 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Mont. Code Ann. § 70-25-202	Yes	View details
Nebraska	1.25 months' rent	14 days	2x	Automatic	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416	Yes	View details
Nevada	3 months' rent	30 days	3x	Automatic	Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242	Yes	View details
New Hampshire	1 month's rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-B:9	Yes	View details
New Jersey	1.5 months' rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	N.J.S.A. § 46:8-21.1	Yes	View details
New Mexico	1 month's rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	N.M. Stat. Ann. § 47-8-18	Yes	View details
New York	1 month's rent	14 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108	Yes	View details
North Carolina	2 months' rent	30 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-52	Yes	View details
North Dakota	1 month's rent	30 days	3x	Automatic	N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.1	Yes	View details
Ohio	No limit	30 days	2x	Automatic	Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16	Yes	View details
Oklahoma	No limit	45 days	2x	Automatic	Okla. Stat. tit. 41, § 115	Yes	View details
Oregon	No limit	31 days	2x	Automatic	Or. Rev. Stat. § 90.300	Yes	View details
Pennsylvania	2 months' rent	30 days	2x	Automatic	68 P.S. § 250.512	Yes	View details
Rhode Island	1 month's rent	20 days	2x	Automatic	R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19	Yes	View details
South Carolina	No limit	30 days	3x	Automatic	S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410	Yes	View details
South Dakota	1 month's rent	14 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	S.D. Codified Laws § 43-32-24	Yes	View details
Tennessee	No limit	30 days	2x	Automatic	Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301	Yes	View details
Texas	No limit	30 days	Actual + $100	Actual + penalty	Tex. Prop. Code § 92.109	Yes	View details
Utah	No limit	30 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Utah Code Ann. § 57-17-3	Yes	View details
Vermont	No limit	14 days	2x	Automatic	9 V.S.A. § 4461	Yes	View details
Virginia	2 months' rent	45 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Va. Code Ann. § 55.1-1226	Yes	View details
Washington	No limit	21 days	2x	Automatic	RCW § 59.18.280	Yes	View details
West Virginia	No limit	60 days	1.5x	Automatic	W. Va. Code § 37-6A-2	Yes	View details
Wisconsin	No limit	21 days	2x	Automatic	Wis. Admin. Code ATCP § 134.06	Yes	View details
Wyoming	No limit	30 days	Actual damages	Actual + penalty	Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1207	Yes	View details

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long does my landlord have to return my deposit?

It depends on your state. Return deadlines range from 14 days (Alaska, Arizona, Nebraska, South Dakota, Vermont) to 60 days (Arkansas, West Virginia). The national average is approximately 30 days. Always count from the date you vacate and return the keys — not from the end of the lease. Check the table above for your specific state.

Can I get double my deposit back?

Yes, in many states. States that award 2x include California, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Washington. States that award 3x include Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Dakota, and South Carolina. Texas awards actual damages plus $100. The penalty applies when the landlord wrongfully withholds the deposit or fails to return it by the deadline.

What states have the best tenant protections for security deposits?

States with the strongest protections include Massachusetts (3x penalty, 1-month cap, interest required), Hawaii (3x, 14-day deadline), Nevada (3x, 3-month cap), Maryland (3x, interest required), Colorado (3x), and California (2x, walk-through required, landlord bears burden of proof). New York caps deposits at 1 month and requires return within 14 days.

Do landlords have to give an itemized list of deductions?

In most states, yes. The vast majority of states require landlords to provide a written itemized statement of any deductions within the same deadline as the deposit return — typically 14 to 45 days. Failure to provide the itemized statement is independently actionable in many states and can result in forfeiture of the right to any deductions. Check the "Itemized Required" column in the table above for your state.

Download the Full Dataset

The full dataset is available as a CSV file containing all 51 jurisdictions, all fields including small claims limits, filing fees, walk-through requirements, and interest rules.

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Cite as: DepositHawk Research Team, Security Deposit Laws by State (2026). https://deposithawk.com/data/security-deposit-laws-by-state · Licensed CC BY 4.0

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