Landlord security deposit compliance by state
Statutory duties for landlords across all 50 states and D.C.: when you must return or account for a
security deposit, what notice / itemization the corpus records, deposit caps, and penalties for missing
the window. Neutral compliance summaries — not a guide for retaining deposits improperly, and not legal advice.
All jurisdictions (landlord side)
- Alabama — return within 60 days
- Alaska — return within 14d (proper notice) / 30d (else)
- Arizona — return within 14 days excluding Sat/Sun/holidays
- Arkansas — return within 60 days
- California — return within 21 days
- Colorado — return within 30 days (lease may extend to max 60)
- Connecticut — return within 21d after termination, OR 15d after written fwd addr — later
- Delaware — return within 20 days
- District of Columbia — return within 45 days return (+ interest); 30d notice of intent to withhold (regs)
- Florida — return within 15d (no claim) / 30d notice of claim + 15d tenant object + 30d remit
- Georgia — return within 30 days
- Hawaii — return within 14 days
- Idaho — return within 21d (up to 30 by written agreement)
- Illinois — return within 30d itemize / 45d full return if no proper statement
- Indiana — return within 45 days
- Iowa — return within 30 days
- Kansas — return within 14d after damages determined, max 30d after end
- Kentucky — return within 30–60d (dispute-dependent)
- Louisiana — return within 1 month
- Maine — return within 30d written lease / 21d tenancy-at-will
- Maryland — return within 45 days
- Massachusetts — return within 30 days
- Michigan — return within 30d itemize (then tenant 7d to respond; 45d to sue path)
- Minnesota — return within 21 days (3 weeks); 5 days if condemnation
- Mississippi — return within 45 days
- Missouri — return within 30 days
- Montana — return within 10d (no deduct) / 30d (deduct)
- Nebraska — return within 14 days
- Nevada — return within 30 days
- New Hampshire — return within 30 days
- New Jersey — return within 30 days (5 business if displaced)
- New Mexico — return within 30 days
- New York — return within 14 days
- North Carolina — return within 30d interim / final acct 60d
- North Dakota — return within 30 days
- Ohio — return within 30 days
- Oklahoma — return within 45 days after tenant written demand
- Oregon — return within 31 days
- Pennsylvania — return within 30 days
- Rhode Island — return within 20 days
- South Carolina — return within 30 days
- South Dakota — return within 21 days (official code)
- Tennessee — return within URLTA counties only: discovery/accounting windows (not a clean "return by day 30" duty)
- Texas — return within 30 days
- Utah — return within 30 days
- Vermont — return within 14 days (60 seasonal / non-primary)
- Virginia — return within 45 days
- Washington — return within 30 days
- West Virginia — return within 60d after termination+move-out, OR 45d after new tenant, whichever first
- Wisconsin — return within 21 days
- Wyoming — return within later of 30d after surrender OR 15d after receiving fwd address; +30 if damage deductions
Wherewithal is an organizational tool only. Not legal advice. Consider consulting a licensed attorney. This page is compliance information for landlords summarizing statutory duties — not legal advice.
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