Security Deposit Return Deadlines by State (2026 Guide)

Most states require landlords to return a tenant's security deposit — or an itemized list of deductions — within 14 to 45 days after move-out, though the exact number varies significantly by state and can range from as little as 10 days to as long as 60 days.

There's no single national rule. Every state sets its own deadline, and several states also require the landlord to explain in writing why any money was withheld. Missing that deadline can carry real consequences for a landlord — in many states it means paying the tenant double or triple the deposit back, not just the deposit itself (more on that below).

Find your state in the list below for the exact deadline and a direct link to the official law.

In roughly 42 of 51 U.S. jurisdictions, a landlord who misses the deadline or acts in bad faith can owe the tenant more than the original deposit — commonly double (2x) or triple (3x) the amount, though the exact penalty and trigger vary by state.

A few examples of how differently this plays out:

• Colorado, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Texas — treble (3x) damages apply, in some cases even for simple missed deadlines, not just intentional bad faith.
• Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, New Jersey — double (2x) damages apply automatically once the deadline is missed, no proof of bad faith required.
• Florida, Montana, North Carolina, Virginia, Wyoming — no multiplier at all; the tenant can only recover the actual deposit (plus possibly attorney's fees).

This means the same missed deadline can cost a landlord nothing extra in one state, and triple the deposit in another — so it's worth knowing your specific state's rule, not just assuming a national standard.

The fastest deposit-return deadlines are 10–14 days (Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Nebraska, New York, Vermont), while the slowest allow landlords up to 45–60 days (Alabama, Arkansas, DC, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, West Virginia).

Two states — Kentucky and Tennessee — don't set a single statewide deadline at all: Kentucky's law is local-option (only about 30 cities/counties have adopted a deposit-return rule), and Tennessee uses a different escrow-and-response structure instead of a flat number of days.

(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))