Security Deposit Deadline Checker

Is your landlord late returning your security deposit?

Pick your state, enter the date you moved out and the deposit you paid. The page shows the day your landlord's deadline ran out, the statute it comes from, what that statute says about a landlord who misses it, and a demand letter that fills itself in.

General information, not legal advice. State rules change and cities can add their own; read the statute named in the result and check it before you rely on it.

Your situation

State

Deposit you paid ($)

Move-out date (keys returned)

Today

Date you gave a forwarding address (if you did)

Amount returned so far ($)

I received an itemized statement of deductions

For the letter (optional)

Your name

Landlord or property manager

Rental address

Address to send the money

Deductions you dispute (if you got a statement)

Fill in the state, deposit and dates, then click Check my deadline.

Result

What the statute says about a landlord who misses it

Your letter

Send it in a way that leaves proof (certified mail or email with a read receipt) and keep a copy, photos of the unit at move-out, and your lease.

What it applies, and what it leaves out

Deadlines: the number of days (or months) each statute gives the landlord after you move out, counted from your move-out date, or from the day you gave a forwarding address where the state expects one.
Covered: Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington. Other states are not modelled.
Not decided: whether a particular deduction is lawful, whether a penalty applies or how much, local ordinances (some cities have their own rules, for example for interest or earlier deadlines), rules for different property types, lease clauses, and whether your landlord's address for notices is the one you used. Public holidays are not skipped in business-day counts. Statute summaries were last reviewed in October 2026; check the current text.

Common questions

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

It depends on the state: 14 days in New York, 21 in California and Washington, 30 in Texas, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and 45 in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. This page lists the period for each state it covers with the statute, and counts from your move-out date.

What if my landlord missed the deadline?

Many states let a tenant recover the deposit plus a penalty, often two or three times the amount wrongfully withheld, and some say a landlord who misses the deadline loses the right to keep any of it. A written demand is the usual first step before a small-claims filing. This page drafts one; a court decides whether any penalty applies.

Do I have to give a forwarding address?

In some states, including Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Minnesota, the landlord's clock depends on you giving a forwarding address in writing. If you have not, this page says so and drafts a letter that gives it.

Can a landlord keep money for normal wear and tear?

Generally no: ordinary wear from living in a place is not a lawful deduction in most states, but unpaid rent and damage beyond normal wear usually are. The dispute letter this page writes asks the landlord to justify each deduction with receipts.

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