Texas Security Deposit Demand Letter
In Texas, a landlord has 30 days after move-out to return the deposit or send an itemized list of deductions (as of 2026; source: Tex. Prop. Code §92.103). This letter cites that deadline, states the amount and your forwarding address, and gives the landlord a date to respond before you file. Free, no signup.
Maintained by Rapi Stack · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
Need the document itself?
Fill in a Texas security deposit demand letter and download a print-ready PDF — free, no signup, and it runs entirely in your browser.
Open the generator →The generator opens with Texas already selected.
Texas deposit rules at a glance
- Return deadline
- 30 days after move-out
- Deposit cap
- No statutory limit
As of 2026. Source: Tex. Prop. Code §92.103 ↗. Want the exact due date? Use the deposit return calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Texas landlord have to return the deposit?
30 days after you move out, as of 2026 (source: Tex. Prop. Code §92.103). Counted in calendar days; check the statute for whether the clock starts at move-out, lease end, or receipt of your forwarding address, and whether a weekend deadline rolls over. Use the deposit return calculator to get the exact date.
Is there a limit on how much deposit a Texas landlord can charge?
Texas sets no statutory cap on the security deposit (as of 2026; source: Tex. Prop. Code §92.103), so the amount is whatever the lease says. The return deadline still applies to the full amount.
How much can I sue for in Texas if the landlord ignores this?
$20,000 exclusive of interest (Tex. Gov't Code §27.031(a)(1)), raised from $10,000 effective Sept. 1, 2020 (SB 2342) and still current in 2026. The cap applies to the amount demanded; among the highest small-claims limits in the U.S. (now matched by Utah's $20,000 and West Virginia's $20,000). The court is the Justice Court (Justice of the Peace Court), and the filing fee is Set per county: $54 base filing fee under Tex. Loc. Gov't Code §118.121, plus service of citation (typically ~$75-$85 per defendant, set locally), so total upfront cost is commonly $130-$160. Confirm with the county's JP precinct clerk.. As of 2026; source: Tex. Gov't Code § 27.031; Tex. R. Civ. P. 500-507.
Do I need a lawyer in Texas small claims?
Attorneys are Yes — Tex. R. Civ. P. 500.4 lets parties appear pro se, through an attorney, or (for entities) through an authorized agent; the court is designed for self-represented litigants and no attorney is required.. Source: Tex. Gov't Code § 27.031; Tex. R. Civ. P. 500-507 (as of 2026).
Deposit rules in every state, cited to statute: security deposit limits by state.
How Texas compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Texas: Tex. Prop. Code §92.103 ↗.
- Deposit return deadline
Deposit return deadline: 30 days, exactly the national median.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 26 other states.
Deposit return deadline in neighboring states — Arkansas (60 days), Louisiana (30 days), New Mexico (30 days), Oklahoma (45 days).
The rest of what Texas requires
The figures below are Texas's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full Texas page for that document.
- Security deposit cap · as of 2026
- No statutory limit Tex. Prop. Code §92.103 ↗
- Deposit return deadline · as of 2026
- 30 days after move-out Tex. Prop. Code §92.103 ↗
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy · as of 2026
- 30 days Tex. Prop. Code §92.103 ↗
- Notice for unpaid rent · as of 2026
- 3 days to pay or quit Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005; § 91.001 ↗
- Small claims limit · as of 2026
- $20,000 Tex. Gov't Code § 27.031; Tex. R. Civ. P. 500-507 ↗
- Where you file · as of 2026
- Justice Court (Justice of the Peace Court) · filing fee Set per county: $54 base filing fee under Tex. Loc. Gov't Code §118.121, plus service of citation (typically ~$75-$85 per defendant, set locally), so total upfront cost is commonly $130-$160. Confirm with the county's JP precinct clerk. Tex. Gov't Code § 27.031; Tex. R. Civ. P. 500-507 ↗
- Rental application fee · as of July 2026
- No statutory limit Texas Statutes ↗
- Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026
- Not required Texas DMV / DMV.ORG ↗
- Power of attorney signing · as of 2026
- Notarization required Tex. Est. Code §751.0021 (form §752.051) ↗
- LLC operating agreement · as of 2026
- Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code §§ 101.001(1), 101.052 ↗
- Recording a deed · as of 2026
- County Clerk (Tex. Prop. Code § 12.001(b)(2); recording in the county where the land lies) · no witnesses Tex. Prop. Code § 12.001; § 5.021 (conveyance must be in writing, subscribed and delivered); § 13.006 (quitclaim/BFP rule) ↗
Security deposit demand letter in other states
More Texas legal forms
Different state? See security deposit demand letters by state →