Landlord & Housing · 50-state reference
Security Deposit Return Deadlines by State (2026)
Every state sets its own deadline for returning a security deposit — from 14 days to 60 — and its own penalty when landlords miss it. This table shows the rule in all 50 states and DC, verified against each statute. Click your state for a free demand letter that cites that statute by name.
| State | Return deadline | Statute | Small claims limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 60 days | Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 | $6,000 (Small Claims Division of District Court) |
| Alaska | 14 or 30 days | Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070 | $10,000 (District Court small claims) |
| Arizona | 14 business days | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321 | $3,500 (Justice Court small claims division; up to $10,000 in regular Justice Court) |
| Arkansas | 60 days | Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-305 | $5,000 (District Court small claims division) |
| California | 21 days | Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 | $12,500 for individuals ($6,250 for business entities) |
| Colorado | 30 days (lease may extend to 60) | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103 | $7,500 (County Court small claims division) |
| Connecticut | 21 days | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21 | $5,000, but no cap on security-deposit double-damage claims |
| Delaware | 20 days | 25 Del. C. § 5514 | $25,000 (Justice of the Peace Court) |
| Washington, DC | 45 days | 14 DCMR §§ 308–311; D.C. Code § 42-3502.17 | $10,000 (Small Claims Branch, D.C. Superior Court, D.C. Code § 11-1321) |
| Florida | 15–30 days | Fla. Stat. § 83.49 | $8,000 (county court small claims), excluding interest, costs, and attorney fees |
| Georgia | 30 days | O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34 | $15,000 (Magistrate Court) |
| Hawaii | 14 days | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44 | No dollar cap for deposit disputes in small claims division ($5,000 otherwise) |
| Idaho | 21 days | Idaho Code § 6-321 | $5,000 (magistrate court small claims department) |
| Illinois | 30–45 days | 765 ILCS 710/1 | $10,000 (small claims) |
| Indiana | 45 days | Ind. Code § 32-31-3-12 | $10,000 statewide; $8,000 in Marion County township small claims courts |
| Iowa | 30 days | Iowa Code § 562A.12 | $6,500 (District Court sitting in small claims, Iowa Code § 631.1) |
| Kansas | 14–30 days | K.S.A. § 58-2550 | $10,000 (District Court small claims, K.S.A. 61-2703; raised from $4,000 July 1, 2024) |
| Kentucky | No statutory deadline | KRS § 383.580 | $2,500 (Small Claims Division of District Court, KRS 24A.230) |
| Louisiana | 1 month | La. R.S. 9:3251 | $5,000 (city-court small claims divisions, La. R.S. 13:5200 et seq.; JP courts) |
| Maine | 21–30 days | 14 M.R.S. § 6033 | $10,000 (District Court small claims, 14 M.R.S. § 7482; raised from $6,000 Jan 1, 2026) |
| Maryland | 45 days | Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203 | $5,000 (District Court of Maryland small claims, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 4-405) |
| Massachusetts | 30 days | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B | $7,000 (District Court / Boston Municipal Court small claims, G.L. c. 218 § 21) |
| Michigan | 30 days | Mich. Comp. Laws § 554.609 | $7,000 (district court small claims division, since Jan 1, 2024) |
| Minnesota | 3 weeks | Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 | $20,000 (conciliation court, raised from $15,000 effective Aug 1, 2024) |
| Mississippi | 45 days | Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21 | $3,500 (Justice Court) |
| Missouri | 30 days | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300 | $5,000 (small claims division of circuit court) |
| Montana | 10–30 days | Mont. Code Ann. § 70-25-202 | $7,000 (Justice Court small claims division; up to $15,000 on the regular docket) |
| Nebraska | 14 days | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 | $7,500 (county court small claims, effective July 1, 2025; CPI-adjusted every 5 years) |
| Nevada | 30 days | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242 | $10,000 (Justice Court small claims under NRS 73.010) |
| New Hampshire | 30 days | RSA 540-A:7 | $10,000 (Circuit Court, District Division) |
| New Jersey | 30 days | N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1 | $5,000 (Superior Court, Special Civil Part - Small Claims Section) |
| New Mexico | 30 days | NMSA 1978, § 47-8-18 | $10,000 (Magistrate Court; Metropolitan Court in Bernalillo County) |
| New York | 14 days | N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108 | $10,000 NYC Civil Court; $5,000 city courts; $3,000 town/village courts |
| North Carolina | 30 days | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-52 | $10,000 statewide (Small Claims Court before a magistrate; G.S. 7A-210) |
| North Dakota | 30 days | N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.1 | $15,000 (small claims division of District Court) |
| Ohio | 30 days | Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16 | $6,000 (small claims division of county/municipal court) |
| Oklahoma | 45 days | 41 O.S. § 115 | $10,000 (small claims division, District Court) |
| Oregon | 31 days | ORS 90.300 | $10,000 (small claims department, Circuit Court) |
| Pennsylvania | 30 days | 68 P.S. § 250.512 | $12,000 (Magisterial District Court) |
| Rhode Island | 20 days | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19 | $5,000 (District Court small claims; recently raised from $2,500) |
| South Carolina | 30 days | S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410 | $7,500 (Magistrate Court) |
| South Dakota | 21 days | SDCL § 43-32-24 | $12,000 (small claims, Magistrate Court) |
| Tennessee | No statutory deadline | Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301 | $25,000 (General Sessions Court); unlimited in eviction cases |
| Texas | 30 days | Tex. Prop. Code § 92.103 | $20,000 (Justice Court, Tex. Gov't Code § 27.031) |
| Utah | 30 days | Utah Code § 57-17-3 | $20,000 (raised from $15,000 effective Jan. 1, 2025; rises to $25,000 in 2030) |
| Vermont | 14 days | 9 V.S.A. § 4461 | $10,000 (12 V.S.A. § 5531; recently doubled from $5,000) |
| Virginia | 45 days | Va. Code § 55.1-1226 | $5,000 (Small Claims Division of General District Court); GDC handles larger claims |
| Washington | 30 days | RCW 59.18.280 | $10,000 for individuals (small claims division of district court, RCW 12.40.010) |
| West Virginia | 45–60 days | W. Va. Code § 37-6A-2 | $20,000 (Magistrate Court, W. Va. Code § 50-2-1; raised from $10,000 in July 2025) |
| Wisconsin | 21 days | Wis. Stat. § 704.28 | $10,000 (Wis. Stat. § 799.01) |
| Wyoming | 30 days (60 if damage) | Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208 | $6,000 (small claims procedure in Circuit Court, Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-201) |
Last reviewed August 2026 · General information, not legal advice · Each state name links to a free letter generator that cites that state's statute.
Straight answers
Questions people ask
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit?
It depends on the state: deadlines run from 14 days in states like New York, Hawaii, and Vermont to 60 days in Alabama and Arkansas, with 30 days the most common rule. In several states the clock only starts once the tenancy ends and you have delivered a forwarding address in writing, so put your new address in your demand letter.
What happens if the landlord misses the deadline?
Most states strip the landlord of the right to keep any of the deposit, and many add statutory damages on top — double the deposit in states like New Jersey and Minnesota, triple in Texas, North Dakota, and Maryland. These cases are built for small claims court: filing fees are modest, no lawyer is needed, and many landlords pay between the summons and the hearing.
Can the landlord deduct for normal wear and tear?
No — in essentially every state, ordinary wear and tear is the landlord’s cost of doing business. Faded paint, minor scuffs, and carpet worn flat by normal living cannot be deducted; actual damage, unpaid rent, and cleaning beyond normal use generally can. Most states also require an itemized statement of any deductions within the same deadline.