Calculator · statute-sourced · 2026
Security Deposit Return Calculator
Every state gives the landlord a fixed number of days to return your deposit after you move out. Pick your state and your move-out date to see the day it is due, with the statute that says so.
Deposit cap in :
Counted in calendar days from the move-out date. Whether the clock starts at move-out, lease end, or receipt of your forwarding address, and whether a weekend or holiday deadline rolls to the next business day, depends on the statute linked above — read it before relying on the date.
Write the demand letterWhat to do while you wait
- Give a forwarding address in writing. In several states the return clock does not start, or the landlord's duty is suspended, until they have an address to send the refund to. A dated email or letter is enough.
- Document the condition. Date-stamped photos or video of every room on the day you hand back the keys are the evidence that decides most deposit disputes.
- Calendar the deadline. If the date passes with no refund and no itemized statement of deductions, send the security deposit demand letter for your state; it cites the same deadline and gives the landlord a date to respond.
Deposit return deadlines in all 50 states + DC
Built from our landlord-tenant dataset (as of 2026; each row cited to the statute). Deadlines run from14 days (Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Nebraska, New York, South Dakota, Vermont) to 60 days (Alabama, Arkansas, West Virginia), with a median of 30 days.22 jurisdictions set no statutory cap on the deposit amount (Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming).
Each state name links to the demand letter for that state. For the deposit rules in more depth, see thesecurity deposit limits studyor your state's lease agreement page.
Frequently asked questions
How does the calculator work out the deadline?
It adds the statutory number of days for your state (from our landlord-tenant dataset, as of 2026, each state cited to its statute) to the move-out date you enter, counting calendar days. Example: moved out August 3 in a 21-day state gives August 24. The statute linked in the result is the authority; a few states count from the date the landlord receives your forwarding address or the end of the lease rather than the day you leave.
Does the deadline count weekends and holidays?
The calculator counts plain calendar days because that is how most deposit statutes read. Some statutes or court rules move a deadline that lands on a weekend or holiday to the next business day, and some start the clock from a different event (lease termination, delivery of keys, receipt of your forwarding address). Check the linked statute for your state before treating the date as final.
What if my landlord misses the deadline?
Send a written demand. Most states let a tenant recover the deposit, and many add a statutory penalty (often double or triple the amount withheld) when the landlord ignores the deadline or withholds in bad faith. The demand letter generator linked from your result cites your state’s deadline and gives the landlord a date to respond; if that passes, the small claims court is the usual next step.
Can the landlord keep part of the deposit?
Usually yes, for unpaid rent and damage beyond normal wear and tear, but in most states only with a written itemized statement of deductions delivered within the same deadline. Ordinary wear (faded paint, worn carpet, small nail holes) is not a valid deduction. Read your state statute for what must be in the itemization.
Is the deposit cap the maximum I could have been charged?
The cap shown is the statutory maximum a landlord may collect as a security deposit, from the same dataset. 22 of the 51 jurisdictions set no statutory cap at all, so the amount there is whatever the lease says. Where a cap exists and you paid more, the excess is itself recoverable in most states.
Is this legal advice?
No. It organizes what each state statute says and shows you the citation so you can verify it. Deposit rules change often and cities sometimes add their own; for a contested deposit, a local tenant-rights organization or attorney is the right call.
General information, not legal advice. Day counts and caps come from our 2026 dataset and can change; verify with the cited statute before acting on a date.