How Long Does Your Landlord Have to Return Your Deposit? A State-by-State Guide

Once you move out and return your keys, your landlord has a legal countdown clock — typically 14 to 45 days depending on your state — to either return your full deposit or send you a written, itemized list of what they're keeping and why.

Most renters don't know this deadline exists until they're already waiting, wondering if the money is coming back at all. It almost always is — the deposit isn't gone, it's just sitting in a legal window your landlord hasn't closed yet. Below, find your exact state deadline and what to do if that window closes without a check in hand.

A missed deadline isn't just a delay — in most states, it shifts real legal leverage to the tenant, and in many cases it means the landlord now owes double or triple the deposit, not just a refund.

This is the part landlords sometimes hope you don't know. Once the clock runs out:

1. In "automatic" states (like Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, New Jersey), the penalty applies the moment the deadline passes — no proof of bad faith needed.
2. In "bad faith" states (like California, Colorado, New York), you may need to show the landlord acted willfully or without a reasonable basis, which is a slightly higher bar but still very achievable with a clear paper trail.
3. In a handful of states (Florida, Montana, North Carolina, Virginia, Wyoming), there's no extra penalty — but you can typically still recover the deposit itself plus attorney's fees.

(Deadline · Statute · Official source)

Alabama — 60 days (Ala. Code § 35-9A-201)

Alaska — 14 days (proper notice) or 30 days (Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070(g))

Arizona — 14 days, excluding weekends/holidays (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321(D))

Arkansas — 60 days, landlords with 6+ units (Ark. Code § 18-16-305)

California — 21 calendar days (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(h))

Colorado — 30 days, extendable to 60 by lease (C.R.S. § 38-12-103(1))

Connecticut — 21 days after termination, or 15 days after forwarding address, whichever is later (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21(d)(2))

Delaware — 20 days (25 Del. C. § 5514(e)-(f))

District of Columbia — 45 days, +30 for itemized statement (14 DCMR § 309)

Florida — 15 days if no deductions, 30 days if claiming deductions (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(a))

Georgia — 30 days after landlord regains possession (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34)

Hawaii — 14 days (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44)

Idaho — 21 days if no time fixed by lease, max 30 days (Idaho Code § 6-321)

Illinois — 30 days for itemized statement, 45 days for full refund (5+ unit properties) (765 ILCS 710/1)

Indiana — 45 days (Ind. Code § 32-31-3-12)

Iowa — 30 days after forwarding address received (Iowa Code § 562A.12)

Kansas — 14 days after determining deductions, max 30 days (K.S.A. 58-2550(b))

Kentucky — No statewide deadline; local-option (URLTA) law in ~30 cities/counties only (KRS 383.580)

Louisiana — 1 month after lease termination (La. R.S. 9:3251(A))

Maine — 30 days (written lease) or 21 days (tenancy at will) (14 M.R.S. § 6033(2))

Maryland — 45 days (Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203)

Massachusetts — 30 days (M.G.L. c.186 § 15B)

Michigan — 30 days to itemize if withholding, else full refund due (MCL 554.609)

Minnesota — 21 days (Minn. Stat. § 504B.178)

Mississippi — 45 days (Miss. Code § 89-8-21(3) — no free official statute URL; MS code is LexisNexis-only)

Missouri — 30 days (RSMo § 535.300(3))

Montana — 30 days (10 days if no deductions) (MCA § 70-25-202)

Nebraska — 14 days (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416(2))

Nevada — 30 days (NRS § 118A.242(4))

New Hampshire — 30 days (RSA § 540-A:7)

New Jersey — 30 days (N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1)

New Mexico — 30 days (NMSA 1978 § 47-8-18(C)-(D))

New York — 14 days (N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108)

North Carolina — 30 days (interim in 30, final within 60 if amount undetermined) (N.C.G.S. § 42-52)

North Dakota — 30 days (N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.1)

Ohio — 30 days (Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16(B))

Oklahoma — 45 days after move-out and written demand (41 Okla. Stat. § 115(B))

Oregon — 31 days (ORS 90.300(12)-(13))

Pennsylvania — 30 days (68 P.S. § 250.512)

Rhode Island — 20 days (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(b))

South Carolina — 30 days (S.C. Code § 27-40-410(a))

South Dakota — 21 days, changed from 14 days effective 2026 (SDCL § 43-32-24)

Tennessee — No single fixed deadline; separate escrow account and 60-day tenant-response window apply instead (Tenn. Code § 66-28-301 — no free official statute URL; TN code is LexisNexis-only)

Texas — 30 days after tenant surrenders premises (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.103-.104)

Utah — 30 days (Utah Code § 57-17-3(2))

Vermont — 14 days (60 for seasonal rentals) (9 V.S.A. § 4461(c))

Virginia — 45 days (Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A))

Washington — 30 days, raised from 21 in 2023 (RCW 59.18.280)

West Virginia — Shorter of 60 days after tenancy ends or 45 days after a new tenant moves in, capped at 60 (W. Va. Code § 37-6A-2)

Wisconsin — 21 days (Wis. Stat. § 704.28(4))

Wyoming — 30 days, or 15 days after receiving new address, whichever is later (+30 if damage) (Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208(a))

1. Check your state's deadline above and confirm it's actually passed — count from the date you returned keys/possession, not the date your lease technically ended.
2. Send a written demand letter citing the specific statute above, sent by certified mail so you have proof of delivery.
3. Reference the penalty, if your state has one — mentioning that you're aware a landlord who ignores a proper demand may owe more than the deposit itself often resolves things at this stage alone.
4. File in small claims court if the letter doesn't work. Most security deposit disputes are well within small claims limits and don't require a lawyer.