Free tool

Security deposit deadline calculator

Find out when your landlord generally has to return your deposit or explain deductions, and whether that date has already passed.

Where was the rental?Move-out dateKeys or possession returned (if different)

California rule: California generally requires the remaining deposit and an itemized statement no later than 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates, subject to the statute’s details.

A planning estimate from the dates you enter and the state's general rule. Lease terms, how the tenancy ended, delivery, and holidays can change the real date. Check the official California statute. Not legal advice. The dates you enter stay on this device.

Deadlines by state

Arizona14 business days after possession and tenant demand
California21 calendar days after the tenant vacates
Chicago45 days after move-out; damage statement within 30 days
Colorado30 days after lease end or surrender, whichever is later (lease may allow up to 60)
ConnecticutLater of 21 days after tenancy ends or 15 days after address received
Florida15 days (no claim) or 30 days to send a notice of claim
Georgia30 days after the landlord obtains possession
Illinois30 days for an itemized statement; otherwise full return within 45 days of move-out
Indiana45 days after lease ends and possession delivered (address rule)
Maryland45 days after the tenancy ends (other rules if evicted or abandoned)
Massachusetts30 days after occupancy ends or the written lease term ends
Michigan30 days to mail itemized damages; 45 days to sue or return balance
Minnesota3 weeks after tenancy ends and mailing address is received
Missouri30 days after the date the tenancy terminates
Nevada30 days after the tenancy terminates
New Jersey30 days after the lease terminates (shorter in some cases)
New York14 days after the tenant vacates
North Carolina30 days after the tenancy ends and possession is delivered (final accounting up to 60)
Ohio30 days after the lease ends and possession is delivered
Oregon31 days after the tenancy ends and possession is delivered
Pennsylvania30 days after lease end or accepted surrender, whichever is first
South Carolina30 days after tenancy ends, possession, and tenant demand
TennesseeNo fixed refund deadline; damage found within 30 days of vacating
Texas30 days after surrender (forwarding address rules apply)
Virginia45 days after tenancy ends or tenant vacates, whichever is later
Washington30 days after the lease ends and the tenant vacates
Wisconsin21 days after the rental agreement terminates (other triggers apply)

Common questions

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit?

It depends on the state. Among the states this calculator covers, general periods range from 14 days in New York to 45 days in Virginia, and several states count from a forwarding address or the end of the lease rather than move-out.

What if the deadline has passed?

Many states limit what a landlord may keep after missing the deadline, and some allow a court to award more than the deposit. Those remedies are not automatic. A written demand that states the dates, the amount, and the rule creates the record a court will ask about.

Is the calculated date exact?

No. It is a planning estimate from the general rule and the dates you enter. Lease terms, how the tenancy ended, delivery of notices, and weekends or holidays can change the real date, so check the official statute linked for your state.

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