Letter to Landlord Asking for Your Deposit Back

When to use this letter

Use it after you’ve moved out when your state’s deadline has passed and you haven’t received your deposit or a list of deductions, or when you got part of it back and disagree with some of the charges. Check the deadline for your state first: in California the landlord has 21 days after you move out, in New York 14 days and in Texas 30 days.

A polite, specific letter often settles it. If it doesn’t, it’s also the record you’ll want if you go to small claims court. Still packing? The move-out checklist covers the steps that protect your deposit before you leave.

How to use the generator

1. Add your details, with your forwarding address: that’s where the deposit should go.
2. Describe the rental and your move-out date, and enter the deposit you paid.
3. Say what you got back. If you received part of it, list each deduction you disagree with, its amount and why. If you accept some of the charges, enter the total you’re asking for, so the letter demands only what you dispute.
4. Add the deadline and the law that sets it, if you know them. The state examples below can help.
5. Pick a date to pay by, then download the PDF or copy the text.

Your answers stay in your browser. A draft is saved on this device until you press Clear.

Sample letter

Here’s a finished letter made with the generator. The names, addresses and amounts are made up.

What to include

• The basics: the rental’s address, your move-out date and the deposit amount.
• What happened since: nothing at all, or a partial refund with a list of deductions.
• Each deduction you dispute, with the amount and a short reason: normal wear and tear, damage that was there at move-in, or a charge you can’t find in the lease.
• Your evidence: move-in and move-out photos, your move-in checklist and receipts for cleaning or repairs.
• The deadline, if your state has one and it has passed.
• What you want and by when: the amount you’re asking for and a reasonable date to pay. Ask only for the deductions you dispute: a letter that demands charges you accept is weaker if it ends up in front of a judge.
• Your forwarding address in writing. In Texas, for example, the landlord doesn’t have to return the deposit until you give it.

Keep the tone calm and factual. Your landlord may share the letter with someone else, and a judge may read it later.

Deposit deadlines in a few states

How long a landlord has to return the deposit, or send an itemized list of deductions:

• California: 21 days after you move out. Since Jan 1, 2026, if you paid the deposit or your rent electronically, the landlord generally has to return the deposit electronically, to an account you name in writing, unless you both agreed in writing on another way. (Civil Code 1950.5(h))
• Florida: 15 days after the lease ends, or 30 days to send you written notice of a claim on the deposit. (Statutes 83.49(3))
• Georgia: 30 days after the landlord gets the unit back. (O.C.G.A. 44-7-34)
• Maryland: 45 days after the tenancy ends. (Real Property 8-203)
• Massachusetts: 30 days after the tenancy ends. (General Laws c. 186, §15B)
• New York: 14 days after you move out. (General Obligations Law 7-108(1-a)(e))
• Texas: 30 days after you move out. (Property Code 92.103)
• Virginia: 45 days after the tenancy ends. (Code of Virginia 55.1-1226)
• Washington: 30 days after the lease ends and you move out. (RCW 59.18.280)
• Wisconsin: 21 days after you move out. (Wisconsin DATCP, tenant rights (ATCP 134.06))

Some states also add a penalty when a landlord keeps a deposit in bad faith:

• California: keeping a deposit in bad faith can cost the landlord up to twice the deposit, on top of actual damages. (Civil Code 1950.5(m))
• Texas: a landlord who keeps a deposit in bad faith owes $100, three times the amount wrongly kept, and your reasonable attorney's fees. (Property Code 92.109)
• New York: a landlord who misses the deadline for the itemized statement loses the right to keep any part of the deposit. (General Obligations Law 7-108(1-a)(e))

These are examples, not a complete list. Your state’s law decides the deadline, what counts as a fair deduction and what happens if the landlord misses it. The security deposit calculator gives the deadline date for every state and your move-out, with the law to cite in the letter.

How to send it and keep a record

• Follow your lease. Some leases say where and how notices must go.
• Mail with proof shows when you sent it. Certified Mail costs $5.55 on top of postage, plus $4.65 for a paper return receipt that shows who signed for it (USPS prices from Oct 4, 2026).
• Email also leaves a dated record. Save the reply.
• Keep copies of the letter, your lease, photos, the move-out checklist and anything the landlord sends you.

If you still don’t get it back

Give your landlord until the date in your letter. If the money doesn’t come, small claims court is usually the next step: it handles smaller claims, and people often file without a lawyer. In California, for example, individuals can generally sue for up to $12,500. Your county court’s website explains how to file.

If you’re not sure about your rights, USAGov explains how to find free or low-cost legal aid.