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Landlord guides

Security deposit laws, state by state

How much you may hold, how long you have to give it back, and the statute that says so — for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Written for landlords with a handful of units.

Jurisdictions that cap the deposit
28 of 51
No statutory cap
23 jurisdictions
Return deadline
14–60 days (median 30)
StateMaximum depositReturn deadlineStatute
Alabama1 month's rent35 daysAla. Code § 35-9A-201
Alaska2 months' rent14 daysAlaska Stat. § 34.03.070
Arizona1.5 months' rent14 daysAriz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321
Arkansas2 months' rent60 daysArk. Code § 18-16-305
California1 month's rent21 daysCal. Civ. Code § 1950.5
ColoradoNo statutory cap30 daysColo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103
Connecticut2 months' rent30 daysConn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21
Delaware1 month's rent20 daysDel. Code tit. 25 § 5514
District of Columbia1 month's rent45 daysD.C. Code § 42-3502.17
FloridaNo statutory cap15 daysFla. Stat. § 83.49
GeorgiaNo statutory cap30 daysGa. Code § 44-7-30 et seq.
Hawaii1 month's rent14 daysHaw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
IdahoNo statutory cap21 daysIdaho Code § 6-321
IllinoisNo statutory cap45 days765 ILCS 710
IndianaNo statutory cap45 daysInd. Code § 32-31-3
Iowa2 months' rent30 daysIowa Code § 562A.12
Kansas1 month's rent30 daysKan. Stat. § 58-2550
KentuckyNo statutory cap30 daysKy. Rev. Stat. § 383.580
LouisianaNo statutory cap30 daysLa. Rev. Stat. § 9:3251
Maine2 months' rent30 daysMe. Rev. Stat. tit. 14 § 6032
Maryland2 months' rent45 daysMd. Real Prop. § 8-203
Massachusetts1 month's rent30 daysMass. Gen. Laws ch. 186 § 15B
Michigan1.5 months' rent30 daysMich. Comp. Laws § 554.602
MinnesotaNo statutory cap21 daysMinn. Stat. § 504B.178
MississippiNo statutory cap45 daysMiss. Code § 89-8-21
Missouri2 months' rent30 daysMo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300
MontanaNo statutory cap30 daysMont. Code § 70-25-101 et seq.
Nebraska1 month's rent14 daysNeb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416
Nevada3 months' rent30 daysNev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242
New Hampshire1 month's rent30 daysN.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:6
New Jersey1.5 months' rent30 daysN.J. Stat. § 46:8-21.2
New Mexico1 month's rent30 daysN.M. Stat. § 47-8-18
New York1 month's rent14 daysN.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108
North Carolina2 months' rent30 daysN.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-51
North Dakota1 month's rent30 daysN.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.1
OhioNo statutory cap30 daysOhio Rev. Code § 5321.16
OklahomaNo statutory cap45 daysOkla. Stat. tit. 41 § 115
OregonNo statutory cap31 daysOr. Rev. Stat. § 90.300
Pennsylvania2 months' rent30 days68 Pa. Stat. § 250.511a
Rhode Island1 month's rent20 daysR.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19
South CarolinaNo statutory cap30 daysS.C. Code § 27-40-410
South Dakota1 month's rent14 daysS.D. Codified Laws § 43-32-6.1
TennesseeNo statutory cap30 daysTenn. Code § 66-28-301
TexasNo statutory cap30 daysTex. Prop. Code § 92.101 et seq.
UtahNo statutory cap30 daysUtah Code § 57-17
VermontNo statutory cap14 daysVt. Stat. tit. 9 § 4461
Virginia2 months' rent45 daysVa. Code § 55.1-1226
WashingtonNo statutory cap30 daysWash. Rev. Code § 59.18.260
West VirginiaNo statutory cap60 daysW. Va. Code § 37-6A-1 et seq.
WisconsinNo statutory cap21 daysWis. Stat. § 134.06 / ATCP 134
WyomingNo statutory cap30 daysWyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208
This is not legal advice. Landlord–tenant law changes, and many cities add rules on top of their state. Each state page links to the statute — read it before you rely on a figure here.
Lease agreements by stateWhat the document must contain, and the clauses templates omitDeposit limit checkerThe cap and deadline computed against your own rentFree lease auditCheck an existing lease against your state’s rulesHow Rentmark handles thisInspections, deadlines and the itemized statement

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