Security deposit return deadline, by state

How long your landlord has to return your security deposit (or itemize deductions) after you move out — and the penalty if they don't. Find your state. General information, not legal advice.

State	Deadline	Penalty for withholding
Alabama	60 days	Up to double the deposit wrongfully withheld
Alaska	14 days	Up to 2x the amount wrongfully withheld (bad faith)
Arizona	14 days	Up to 2x the amount wrongfully withheld
Arkansas	60 days	Up to 2x the deposit + attorney's fees
California	21 days	Up to 2x the deposit (bad faith) on top of actual damages
Colorado	30 days	Up to 3x the wrongfully withheld amount + attorney's fees
Connecticut	21 days	Up to 2x the deposit + attorney's fees
Delaware	20 days	Up to 2x the amount wrongfully withheld
District of Columbia	45 days	Up to 3x the deposit (bad faith)
Florida	30 days	Forfeits the right to deduct; tenant may recover deposit + attorney's fees
Georgia	30 days	Up to 3x the wrongfully withheld amount + attorney's fees
Hawaii	14 days	Up to 3x the wrongfully withheld amount + attorney's fees
Idaho	21 days	Up to 3x the deposit + court costs and fees
Illinois	45 days	Up to 2x the deposit + court costs and attorney's fees
Indiana	45 days	Full deposit + attorney's fees
Iowa	30 days	Up to 2x the amount wrongfully withheld (bad faith)
Kansas	30 days	1.5x the amount wrongfully withheld
Kentucky	30 days	Double damages + attorney's fees
Louisiana	30 days	Amount due + fees; $300 or more if willful
Maine	30 days	Up to 2x the deposit + attorney's fees
Maryland	45 days	Up to 3x the deposit + reasonable attorney's fees
Massachusetts	30 days	3x the deposit + interest + court costs and attorney's fees
Michigan	30 days	Double the deposit + attorney's fees
Minnesota	21 days	Double the withheld amount + interest; up to $500 punitive
Mississippi	45 days	Amount wrongfully withheld + a $200 statutory penalty
Missouri	30 days	Up to 2x the amount wrongfully withheld
Montana	30 days	Forfeits retention rights; tenant recovers deposit
Nebraska	14 days	Forfeits rights; bad-faith damages available
Nevada	30 days	Up to 2x the deposit in damages
New Hampshire	30 days	Double the deposit + attorney's fees
New Jersey	30 days	Double the amount due + court costs and attorney's fees
New Mexico	30 days	$250 civil penalty + costs and attorney's fees
New York	14 days	Forfeits the right to retain; up to 2x for willful violation
North Carolina	30 days	Up to 2x (bad faith) + attorney's fees
North Dakota	30 days	Up to 3x the deposit + attorney's fees
Ohio	30 days	Double the wrongfully withheld amount + attorney's fees
Oklahoma	45 days	Up to 2x; misappropriation can be criminal
Oregon	31 days	Up to 2x the amount wrongfully withheld
Pennsylvania	30 days	Double the amount wrongfully withheld
Rhode Island	20 days	Up to 2x the deposit + attorney's fees
South Carolina	30 days	Up to 3x the withheld amount (willful) + attorney's fees
South Dakota	14 days	Forfeits rights; up to $200 punitive (bad faith)
Tennessee	30 days	Actual damages + attorney's fees
Texas	30 days	$100 + 3x the wrongfully withheld amount + attorney's fees
Utah	30 days	Full deposit + a $100 civil penalty
Vermont	14 days	Up to 2x the deposit (willful) + attorney's fees
Virginia	45 days	Actual damages + attorney's fees
Washington	30 days	Up to 2x the deposit (intentional refusal) + attorney's fees
West Virginia	60 days	1.5x the wrongfully withheld amount in damages
Wisconsin	21 days	Double damages + attorney's fees and court costs
Wyoming	30 days	Forfeits retention; tenant recovers deposit + court costs

True for every renter

• Send your forwarding address to the landlord IN WRITING — in many states the return clock doesn't even start until the landlord has your written forwarding address — no address, no deadline, no penalty.
• Take dated photos (and video) at move-in AND move-out — deposit disputes are won on evidence; timestamped photos defeat fabricated 'damage' deductions, the most common deposit scam.
• Normal wear and tear cannot be deducted — faded paint, minor scuffs, worn carpet from ordinary use are the landlord's cost — only actual damage beyond normal use is deductible.
• Most states require an itemized statement of deductions — a landlord who just keeps the money without an itemized list (within the deadline) usually forfeits the right to deduct at all.
• Missing the deadline often forfeits ALL deductions — in many states a late landlord must return the entire deposit — even for legitimate damage — so the deadline is your leverage.
• Small-claims court is the remedy — and often pays multiples — deposit disputes fit small claims (no lawyer needed), and wrongful withholding can win 2x-3x the deposit plus fees in many states.
• Watch for the classic deposit scams — never returning it and ignoring you, inventing 'cleaning/damage' fees, or charging for pre-existing issues — all beatable with photos, a written demand, and the statute.