Wisconsin Security Deposit Demand Letter

In Wisconsin, a landlord has 21 days after move-out to return the deposit or send an itemized list of deductions (as of 2026; source: Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06). 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.

Reflects current Wisconsin rules · 2026 Official source linked Free PDF · no signup · nothing uploaded

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.

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Wisconsin deposit rules at a glance

Return deadline: 21 days after move-out
Deposit cap: No statutory limit

As of 2026. Source: Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06 ↗. Want the exact due date? Use the deposit return calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a Wisconsin landlord have to return the deposit?

21 days after you move out, as of 2026 (source: Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06). 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 Wisconsin landlord can charge?

Wisconsin sets no statutory cap on the security deposit (as of 2026; source: Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06), so the amount is whatever the lease says. The return deadline still applies to the full amount.

How much can I sue for in Wisconsin if the landlord ignores this?

$10,000 general cap for money-judgment and garnishment claims; only $5,000 for third-party complaints, personal injury claims, and actions based in tort (Wis. Stat. 799.01(1)(cr)); evictions have NO dollar limit regardless of rent claimed; replevin up to $10,000 (consumer-credit replevin regardless of value). 2025 Wis. Act 105 raises the general and replevin caps to $15,000 effective Jan. 1, 2027 (the $5,000 tort cap is unchanged). The court is the Circuit Court (small claims procedure under Wis. Stat. ch. 799), and the filing fee is $94.50 total to commence a small claims action per the official wicourts.gov circuit court fee schedule ($22 clerk fee under Wis. Stat. § 814.62(3)(a) + $51 court support services surcharge + $21.50 justice information surcharge); base fee rises to $39 on Nov. 1, 2026 (2025 Wis. Act 179).. As of 2026; source: Wis. Stat. § 799.01.

Do I need a lawyer in Wisconsin small claims?

Attorneys are Yes — attorneys are allowed but not required; small claims procedure is designed for self-represented parties.. Source: Wis. Stat. § 799.01 (as of 2026).

Deposit rules in every state, cited to statute: security deposit limits by state.

How Wisconsin compares

Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Wisconsin: Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06 ↗.

Deposit return deadline

Deposit return deadline: 21 days — below the national median of 30 days across the 51 states with a statutory rule.

Ranked #39 of 51 states (tied with 3) — higher means more time for the landlord to return the deposit.

3 other states use the same figure.

Deposit return deadline in neighboring states — Illinois (45 days), Iowa (30 days), Michigan (30 days), Minnesota (21 days).

The rest of what Wisconsin requires

The figures below are Wisconsin'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 Wisconsin page for that document.

Security deposit cap · as of 2026: No statutory limit Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06 ↗
Deposit return deadline · as of 2026: 21 days after move-out Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06 ↗
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy · as of 2026: 28 days Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06 ↗
Notice for unpaid rent · as of 2026: 5 days to pay or quit Wis. Stat. § 704.17(1p)/(2) (leases under 1 yr); § 704.19 ↗
Notice to cure a lease violation · as of 2026: 5 days Wis. Stat. § 704.17(1p)/(2) (leases under 1 yr); § 704.19 ↗
Small claims limit · as of 2026: $10,000 Wis. Stat. § 799.01 ↗
Where you file · as of 2026: Circuit Court (small claims procedure under Wis. Stat. ch. 799) · filing fee $94.50 total to commence a small claims action per the official wicourts.gov circuit court fee schedule ($22 clerk fee under Wis. Stat. § 814.62(3)(a) + $51 court support services surcharge + $21.50 justice information surcharge); base fee rises to $39 on Nov. 1, 2026 (2025 Wis. Act 179). Wis. Stat. § 799.01 ↗
Rental application fee · as of July 2026: Capped at $25 (credit report cost) Wisconsin Administrative Code ↗
Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026: Not required Wisconsin DOT / DMV.ORG ↗
Power of attorney signing · as of 2026: Notarization recommended Wis. Stat. §244.05 (form §244.61) ↗
LLC operating agreement · as of 2026: Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules Wis. Stat. §§ 183.0102(13), 183.0105 ↗
Recording a deed · as of 2026: County Register of Deeds (Wis. Stat. §§ 706.05(1), 59.43) · no witnesses Wis. Stat. § 706.02 ↗

Security deposit demand letter in other states

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