Security deposit return deadlines, by state
Every state puts a clock on returning a tenant's security deposit — most run 14 to 30 days, some longer — and missing it can cost a landlord two or three times the deposit. Each page below gives the day count, the itemized-statement rules, and the penalty, with the statute linked so you can check the source yourself.
- California
- Texas
- Illinois
- Florida
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Ohio
- Georgia
- North Carolina
- Arizona
- Michigan
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Washington
- Colorado
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Wisconsin
- Indiana
More states are added as we verify each statute — a state doesn't ship here until the day count is checked against the law itself.
The two habits that make deadlines easy
First: know the date. When a tenant gives notice, the return clock is already predictable — a free RentChime account can remind you before it runs out. Second: have the paperwork ready. The deposit return letter with an itemized deduction list takes minutes when the ledger is current, and hours of reconstruction when it isn't — which is what the rent ledger is for.
Not legal advice. These pages summarize state statutes for general information and link the law itself. Cities can add stricter rules, statutes change, and edge cases are real — when the deposit is contested, read the statute and talk to a local attorney.