Security Deposit Calculator
Pick your state and enter your move-out date, rent and deposit to see the date your landlord must return the deposit by, whether it was within the legal limit, and what your state's law says.
By Tess Mullins · Updated
Your deposit
Your landlord's deadline in California
Dec 21, 2026
California gives your landlord 21 days: Dec 21, 2026, counting from your move-out on Nov 30, 2026.
| Moved out | Nov 30, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | Dec 21, 2026 (21 days) |
| Deposit limit | Within it |
California limits the deposit to 1 month's rent: $2,000 at $2,000 a month. Your $2,000 deposit is within it.
The deadline
21 days after you move out. Your landlord sends an itemized statement of any deductions and returns the rest. (Civil Code 1950.5(h))
The limit
Up to 1 month's rent on top of the first month's rent, for deposits taken from July 1, 2024. A small landlord (a natural person, or an LLC whose members are all natural persons, owning no more than 2 rental properties with no more than 4 units in all) can ask for up to 2 months' rent, but not from a service member. (Civil Code 1950.5(c))
If your landlord breaks the rules
If your landlord keeps the deposit in bad faith, a court can award up to twice the amount of the deposit as statutory damages, on top of your actual damages. (Civil Code 1950.5(m))
Interest
State law doesn't require interest.
Good to know
- Give your landlord your new address. Mailings go to the address you provide, or to the unit you left if you give none (Civil Code 1950.5(h)(6)).
- If you paid the deposit or rent electronically, the refund comes back electronically to an account you name in writing, unless you both agreed in writing on another method (Civil Code 1950.5(h)(1)(A)(ii), from Jan 1, 2026).
- Repair and cleaning deductions come with receipts or invoices and photos, unless they total $125 or less; even then you can ask for the documents within 14 days after you get the statement (Civil Code 1950.5(h)(2), (h)(4), (h)(5)).
- You can ask for an initial inspection up to 2 weeks before you move out, so you can fix problems before deductions (Civil Code 1950.5(f)).
Deadline passed? Ask for your deposit in writing
From California's statutes, checked Oct 24, 2026. General information, not legal advice: your lease, your city and the courts can change how a rule applies. How we calculate
General information, not legal or financial advice.
The short answer
Most states give your landlord 14 to 45 days after you move out to return your security deposit, or to send a written list of what it keeps and why. The most common deadline is 30 days, in 21 states. 29 of the 50 states and DC also limit how much the deposit can be, most often to 1 or 2 months’ rent; the other 22 set no limit.
In California, for example, the landlord has 21 days and the deposit can be at most 1 month's rent for most rentals. The calculator above gives the date for your state and move-out, checks your deposit against the limit, and shows the law it comes from.
How to use the calculator
- Pick your state.
- Enter your move-out date: the day you moved out and handed back the keys.
- Enter your monthly rent and your deposit, to check the deposit against your state’s limit.
The result gives the date your landlord must return the deposit by, and a second date where your state sets a separate deadline for keeping part of it. Below it are your state’s rules with a link to each law: the deadline, the limit, the penalty for breaking them, interest and anything else that changes how they work. Use Copy link to keep the result with your move-out paperwork.
Deadlines by state
About how long a landlord has to return a security deposit, by state (postal codes). Each state’s exact deadline is in the table after this one.
| Deadline | States |
|---|---|
| 10 to 15 days | AK, FL, HI, MT, NE, NY, VT |
| 14 business days | AZ |
| 20 to 21 days | CA, CT, DE, ID, MN, RI, SD, WI |
| 30 to 31 days, or 1 month | CO, GA, IA, KS, LA, ME, MA, MI, MO, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, SC, TX, UT, WA, WY |
| 45 days | DC, IL, IN, MD, MS, OK, VA |
| 60 days | AL, AR, WV |
| No set number | KY, TN |
Where a state sets a separate deadline for keeping part of the deposit, this table shows the one for returning it in full; the calculator shows both.
Limits, deadlines and interest in every state
| State | Deposit limit | Deadline | Interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 month | 60 days | No |
| Alaska | 2 months | 14 days (30 days to keep part) | No |
| Arizona | 1.5 months | 14 business days | No |
| Arkansas | 2 months | 60 days | No |
| California | 1 month | 21 days | No |
| Colorado | 2 months | 30 days | No |
| Connecticut | 2 months | 21 days | Yes |
| Delaware | 1 month | 20 days | No |
| District of Columbia | 1 month | 45 days (75 days to keep part) | Yes |
| Florida | No limit | 15 days (30 days to keep part) | No |
| Georgia | 2 months | 30 days | No |
| Hawaii | 1 month | 14 days | No |
| Idaho | No limit | 21 days | No |
| Illinois | No limit | 45 days (30 days to keep part) | Yes |
| Indiana | No limit | 45 days | No |
| Iowa | 2 months | 30 days | No |
| Kansas | 1 month | 30 days | No |
| Kentucky | No limit | No set number | No |
| Louisiana | No limit | 1 month | No |
| Maine | 2 months | 30 days | No |
| Maryland | 1 month | 45 days | Yes |
| Massachusetts | 1 month | 30 days | Yes |
| Michigan | 1.5 months | 30 days | No |
| Minnesota | No limit | 21 days | Yes |
| Mississippi | No limit | 45 days | No |
| Missouri | 2 months | 30 days | No |
| Montana | No limit | 10 days (30 days to keep part) | No |
| Nebraska | 1 month | 14 days | No |
| Nevada | 3 months | 30 days | No |
| New Hampshire | 1 month | 30 days | Yes |
| New Jersey | 1.5 months | 30 days | Yes |
| New Mexico | No limit | 30 days | Yes |
| New York | 1 month | 14 days | Yes |
| North Carolina | 2 months | 30 days | No |
| North Dakota | 1 month | 30 days | Yes |
| Ohio | No limit | 30 days | Yes |
| Oklahoma | No limit | 45 days | No |
| Oregon | No limit | 31 days | No |
| Pennsylvania | 2 months | 30 days | Yes |
| Rhode Island | 1 month | 20 days | No |
| South Carolina | No limit | 30 days | No |
| South Dakota | 1 month | 21 days | No |
| Tennessee | No limit | No set number | No |
| Texas | No limit | 30 days | No |
| Utah | No limit | 30 days | No |
| Vermont | No limit | 14 days | No |
| Virginia | 2 months | 45 days | No |
| Washington | No limit | 30 days | No |
| West Virginia | No limit | 60 days | No |
| Wisconsin | No limit | 21 days | No |
| Wyoming | No limit | 30 days (60 days to keep part) | No |
How we calculate
- The rules. Each state’s limit, deadline, penalty and interest rule comes from the statute itself, read on the state legislature’s site or, where that site couldn’t be read, from a full-text copy of the law, and checked on Oct 24, 2026. The result links the law behind each rule.
- The deadline. Your move-out date plus your state’s period: calendar days, business days (weekends skipped; a legal holiday adds a day) or months (the same day of the month, or the month’s last day when it’s shorter). Where a state sets a separate period for keeping part of the deposit, you get both dates.
- When the clock starts. The calculator counts from your move-out. Some states count from the end of the lease, from the day the landlord gets your forwarding address, or from your written request for the deposit. The result shows your state’s rule, so you can adjust the date.
- The limit. Your state’s limit in months of rent, times your monthly rent, for a standard lease. Exceptions, such as furnished units, pets, older tenants or the length of the lease, are in the rule shown with the result.
- Penalties and interest. Shown as the law states them, not calculated: they depend on what a court finds, and interest rates and conditions vary.
This is general information, not legal advice. Your lease, your city and court decisions can change how a rule applies to you.
Worked examples
Example: Moving out in California
What we know
- California, moved out Nov 30, 2026
- Rent: $2,000 a month, deposit: $2,000
How it works out
- California gives your landlord 21 days: Dec 21, 2026, counting from your move-out on Nov 30, 2026.
- California limits the deposit to 1 month's rent: $2,000 at $2,000 a month. Your $2,000 deposit is within it.
Your landlord's deadline: Dec 21, 2026.
Example: Moving out in Florida, with a claim on the deposit
What we know
- Florida, moved out Nov 30, 2026
- Rent: $1,800 a month, deposit: $3,600
How it works out
- Florida gives your landlord 15 days if it keeps nothing: Dec 15, 2026, counting from your move-out on Nov 30, 2026. Written notice of a claim: 30 days, Dec 30, 2026.
- Florida sets no limit on the deposit.
Your landlord's deadline: Dec 15, 2026.
Example: An Arizona deposit above the limit, counted in business days
What we know
- Arizona, moved out Nov 30, 2026
- Rent: $1,500 a month, deposit: $2,500
How it works out
- Arizona gives your landlord 14 business days: Dec 18, 2026, counting from your move-out on Nov 30, 2026. Weekends don't count, and a legal holiday adds a day.
- Arizona limits the deposit to 1.5 months' rent: $2,250 at $1,500 a month. Your $2,500 deposit is $250 over it.
Your landlord's deadline: Dec 18, 2026.
Get your deposit back
- Record the condition. A dated, room-by-room record at move-in and move-out is your best evidence. The move-in checklist and the move-out checklist walk you through it.
- Give your new address in writing. In several states the deadline waits for it, and the landlord mails the deposit or the list of deductions to it.
- Keep copies of your lease, receipts for the deposit, photos and everything you send or receive.
- Ask in writing if the deadline passes. The security deposit demand letter names your state’s law and a date to pay by.
- Budget for the gap. The new place’s deposit is often due before the old one comes back. The moving cost calculator adds it to the cost of your move.
Put your landlord’s deadline in your calendar on move-out day. If it passes with no deposit and no list, you’ll know right away, while your records are fresh.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit?
It depends on the state: from 10 days in Montana, when nothing is deducted, to 60 days in Alabama, Arkansas and West Virginia. 21 states give 30 days, and Kentucky and Tennessee set no number of days. The calculator gives the date for your state and your move-out.
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit?
29 of the 50 states and DC set a limit, most often 1 or 2 months' rent, and Nevada allows up to 3 months' rent. The other 22 set none. Many limits have exceptions, such as furnished units, pets or the length of the lease, so check your state's rule in the calculator.
When does my landlord have to send a list of deductions?
Usually with the rest of the deposit, by the same deadline. A few states set a separate date: Florida gives 15 days to return the deposit in full, or 30 days to send a written notice of a claim. The calculator shows both dates where your state has two.
Does the deadline start when I move out?
The calculator counts from the day you move out. Some states start the clock when the lease ends, when you give a forwarding address, or when you ask for the deposit in writing, as Arizona, Oklahoma and South Carolina do. The result shows your state's rule, so give your new address in writing either way.
What happens if my landlord misses the deadline?
Many states let you recover more than the deposit, often twice or three times what was wrongly kept, especially when the landlord acted in bad faith. Some say the landlord loses the right to keep any of it. The calculator shows your state's penalty. Start by asking in writing.
Does my landlord have to pay interest on my deposit?
In 13 of the 50 states and DC, state law requires interest in some cases, often depending on the building's size or how long the deposit is held. The calculator says whether yours does and links the law. Your city may have its own rules too.
Next step
Letter to Landlord Asking for Your Deposit BackFill in your deposit, what you got back and the deductions you disagree with to write a clear, dated request for your money. Copy it or download a PDF.
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