{
  "title": "Security deposit laws by state: caps, return deadlines and penalties (50 states + DC)",
  "description": "Residential security-deposit rules for every US state and the District of Columbia: the maximum deposit, the return deadline, itemization and holding rules, the penalty for wrongful withholding, and the controlling statute with a link to its text.",
  "publisher": "rents.ai (Sourdough AI LLC)",
  "url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-laws-by-state/",
  "json_url": "https://rents.ai/data/security-deposit-laws.json",
  "markdown_url": "https://rents.ai/security-deposit-laws.md",
  "last_verified": "2026-07-02",
  "jurisdictions": 51,
  "reuse": "Free to reuse and quote with attribution: credit \"rents.ai\" and link to https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-laws-by-state/. Cite the linked statute as the primary source.",
  "cite_as": "rents.ai, \"Security deposit laws by state\", https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-laws-by-state/",
  "disclaimer": "Orientation, not legal advice. Statutes change and cities can add stricter rules. Confirm against the linked statute before acting.",
  "rows": [
    {
      "code": "AL",
      "state": "Alabama",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": "The one-month ceiling excludes extra amounts for pets, for changes the tenant makes to the unit, and for activities that raise the landlord's insurance risk, which may be charged on top.",
      "return_deadline": "35 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 35 days from the end of the tenancy and the tenant's delivery of possession to return the deposit or mail an itemized statement of what you kept. The clock is one of the shorter ones in the Southeast, so schedule the move-out inspection the week the keys come back.",
      "itemization": "An itemized written statement of deductions is required whenever you keep any part of the deposit. Send it to the tenant's last known or forwarding address within the 35 days.",
      "holding": "Alabama sets no statutory separate-account or interest requirement. A dedicated deposit account is still the cheapest defense against a commingling argument.",
      "penalty": "Wrongfully withheld amount plus damages",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who keeps deposit money without a proper itemized statement is liable for the amount wrongfully withheld, and a court can add damages and attorney fees where the retention was not in good faith. The itemized statement delivered on time is the whole defense.",
      "statute": "Ala. Code § 35-9A-201",
      "statute_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/alabama/title-35/chapter-9a/article-2/section-35-9a-201/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-alabama/"
    },
    {
      "code": "AK",
      "state": "Alaska",
      "max_deposit": "Two months' rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 2,
      "max_deposit_note": "The two-month cap does not apply where the monthly rent exceeds $2,000, in which case the amount is left to the lease.",
      "return_deadline": "14 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "When the tenant gives proper notice and moves out, you have 14 days to return the deposit and an itemized statement. If the tenancy ends without the required notice, the window stretches to 30 days. Confirm which clock applies before you assume you have the longer one.",
      "itemization": "An itemized written accounting of any deductions is required. Missing it exposes the full deposit, so document every line against move-in photos.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in a trust account with a financial institution or with a licensed escrow agent, kept apart from the landlord's own funds.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x for bad-faith retention",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who withholds a deposit in bad faith, or fails to provide the itemized statement, is liable for up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld. Good faith and a timely statement keep the exposure to the disputed line items only.",
      "statute": "Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070",
      "statute_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/alaska/title-34/chapter-03/section-34-03-070/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-alaska/"
    },
    {
      "code": "AZ",
      "state": "Arizona",
      "max_deposit": "One and a half months' rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1.5,
      "max_deposit_note": "A tenant may voluntarily pay more for specific purposes, but you cannot require a deposit above one and a half months' rent.",
      "return_deadline": "14 business days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 14 business days, not calendar days, after the tenancy ends and the tenant requests it, to return the deposit with an itemized list of deductions. Business days exclude weekends and holidays, so map the deadline on a calendar rather than counting fourteen from move-out.",
      "itemization": "An itemized list of every deduction is required with the refund. The tenant has the right to be present at the move-out inspection, which is the moment to agree on damage before it becomes a dispute.",
      "holding": "Arizona sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Keeping the deposit out of your operating account remains sound practice.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x wrongfully withheld",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who keeps a deposit in violation of the statute is liable for twice the amount wrongfully withheld. The tenant has to make the request first, but once they do, the 14-business-day clock and the itemization requirement are strict.",
      "statute": "Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321",
      "statute_url": "https://www.azleg.gov/ars/33/01321.htm",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-arizona/"
    },
    {
      "code": "AR",
      "state": "Arkansas",
      "max_deposit": "Two months' rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 2,
      "max_deposit_note": "The two-month cap and much of the deposit statute do not apply to a landlord who owns five or fewer units and does not use a management agent.",
      "return_deadline": "60 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 60 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions, the longest ordinary deadline in the country. A long clock is not a reason to wait; the sooner you close out the tenancy the fewer disputes survive.",
      "itemization": "An itemized written statement of any deductions is required with whatever balance is owed. Send it to the tenant's last known address within the 60 days.",
      "holding": "Arkansas sets no separate-account or interest requirement. A dedicated deposit account is still cheap insurance.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x for bad-faith retention",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to comply is liable for the deposit plus damages, and a bad-faith retention can reach twice the amount wrongfully withheld plus attorney fees. Note the small-landlord exemption before assuming the statute binds you at all.",
      "statute": "Ark. Code § 18-16-303 to 306",
      "statute_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/title-18/subtitle-2/chapter-16/subchapter-3/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-arkansas/"
    },
    {
      "code": "CA",
      "state": "California",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": "Since AB 12 took effect on July 1, 2024, the cap is one month's rent for furnished or unfurnished units. A small landlord who owns no more than two properties totaling four or fewer units may collect up to two months, except from a service member, who is always capped at one month.",
      "return_deadline": "21 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 21 calendar days after the tenant moves out to return the deposit with an itemized statement. If a deduction is $125 or more, you must attach receipts or invoices, and if repairs cannot finish in time you may send a good-faith estimate first and the documents within 14 days of completing the work.",
      "itemization": "An itemized statement is required for any deductions, with supporting receipts for lines of $125 or more. A tenant may also request a pre-move-out inspection so they can fix issues before you write the statement.",
      "holding": "California sets no separate-account or interest requirement at the state level, though some rent-controlled cities require interest. Keep the deposit out of operating cash regardless.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x statutory damages for bad faith",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who retains a deposit in bad faith is liable for the actual amount plus statutory damages of up to twice the deposit. Courts read the receipt requirement and the 21-day clock strictly, so late or undocumented deductions are the usual path to that exposure.",
      "statute": "Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5",
      "statute_url": "https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/civil-code/civ-sect-1950-5/",
      "note": "AB 12 cut the old two-month ceiling to one month on July 1, 2024. Confirm any lease signed before then against the current rule at renewal.",
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-california/"
    },
    {
      "code": "CO",
      "state": "Colorado",
      "max_deposit": "Two months' rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 2,
      "max_deposit_note": "A 2023 law caps a residential deposit at two months' rent; before that Colorado set no statutory ceiling.",
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "The default deadline is 30 days after the tenancy ends, and a written lease may extend it to no more than 60 days. Once the tenant demands the money, a wrongful withholding must be cured within seven days or the penalty attaches, so treat a demand letter as urgent.",
      "itemization": "A written statement listing the exact reasons for any deduction is required, and failing to provide it within the deadline forfeits your right to keep any of the deposit. That forfeiture is automatic, not discretionary.",
      "holding": "Colorado sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating funds anyway.",
      "penalty": "Treble damages plus attorney fees (willful)",
      "penalty_detail": "Willful retention in violation of the statute exposes you to treble damages, three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus the tenant's attorney fees and court costs. Missing the written-statement deadline is itself a forfeiture of the right to deduct, which is how most landlords reach the penalty.",
      "statute": "Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-102 to 104",
      "statute_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-38/article-12/part-1/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-colorado/"
    },
    {
      "code": "CT",
      "state": "Connecticut",
      "max_deposit": "Two months' rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 2,
      "max_deposit_note": "The cap is two months' rent, and one month's rent for a tenant aged 62 or older.",
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends, or 15 days after receiving the tenant's forwarding address, whichever is later, to return the deposit with any accrued interest and an itemized statement of deductions.",
      "itemization": "A written itemization of any damages is required with the refund. Deliver it with the balance and the interest owed within the deadline.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in escrow, and you must pay the tenant annual interest at the rate set each year by the state banking commissioner.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x for bad-faith retention",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to return the deposit and interest on time, or withholds in bad faith, can be liable for twice the amount owed. The interest obligation runs the whole tenancy, so track it rather than reconstruct it at move-out.",
      "statute": "Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21",
      "statute_url": "https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_831.htm#sec_47a-21",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-connecticut/"
    },
    {
      "code": "DE",
      "state": "Delaware",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": "The one-month cap applies to a lease of one year or longer. For month-to-month tenancies there is no cap in the first year, and pet deposits may be charged on top.",
      "return_deadline": "20 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 20 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or deliver an itemized list of damages with whatever balance is owed. It is one of the tightest windows in the country, so the inspection cannot wait until the end of the month.",
      "itemization": "An itemized list of damages is required whenever you keep any part of the deposit. Failing to send it within 20 days forfeits your claim to the withheld amount.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in a federally insured account in Delaware, and you must disclose the institution to the tenant.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x wrongfully withheld",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who wrongfully withholds is liable for double the amount improperly retained. The 20-day clock and the disclosure of where the money sits are both strict, so calendar them the day notice arrives.",
      "statute": "Del. Code tit. 25 § 5514",
      "statute_url": "https://delcode.delaware.gov/title25/c055/sc02/index.html",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-delaware/"
    },
    {
      "code": "DC",
      "state": "District of Columbia",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "45 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 45 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or notify the tenant in writing that you intend to make deductions, and then 30 more days to deliver the itemized statement and any balance. Both dates run from the end of the tenancy, so treat the first as the trigger.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized statement of deductions is required within the second 30-day window. The notice of intent to withhold must go out within the first 45 days or the right to deduct is lost.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in an interest-bearing escrow account, and the tenant is entitled to the interest at the statutory rate when the deposit is returned.",
      "penalty": "Up to 3x for bad-faith retention",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who withholds in bad faith can be liable for up to three times the amount wrongfully withheld. The two-step notice-then-statement sequence is where landlords slip, so both dates belong on the calendar.",
      "statute": "D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 §§ 308-311",
      "statute_url": "https://www.dchousing.org/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-district-of-columbia/"
    },
    {
      "code": "FL",
      "state": "Florida",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "15 or 30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "If you make no deductions, you must return the deposit within 15 days of move-out. If you intend to keep any of it, you have 30 days to send a specific written notice by certified mail, after which the tenant has 15 days to object before you may deduct. Miss the 30-day notice and you forfeit the right to deduct entirely.",
      "itemization": "A specific written notice of the claim, sent by certified mail to the tenant's last known address, is required within 30 days when you intend to withhold. It is the notice, not a later statement, that preserves the right to deduct.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in a Florida bank, either in a separate non-interest account, a separate interest-bearing account, or under surety bond, and you must disclose the arrangement to the tenant within 30 days of receipt.",
      "penalty": "Forfeit claim; damages plus fees",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to send the 30-day notice forfeits the right to keep any of the deposit, and a tenant who prevails in a dispute can recover damages plus attorney fees. The certified-mail notice on time is the entire mechanism here.",
      "statute": "Fla. Stat. § 83.49",
      "statute_url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2023/83.49",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-florida/"
    },
    {
      "code": "GA",
      "state": "Georgia",
      "max_deposit": "Two months' rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 2,
      "max_deposit_note": "A 2024 law caps a residential deposit at two months' rent for leases entered on or after July 1, 2024; Georgia previously set no ceiling.",
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant vacates to return the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions. A move-in and a move-out inspection list are the backbone of any deduction you make.",
      "itemization": "A written list of the specific damages, prepared after a move-out inspection, is required, and the tenant has the right to inspect the unit and dispute the list. A move-in list at the start of the tenancy is what makes the move-out list defensible.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in an escrow account used only for that purpose, or secured by a surety bond, with the location disclosed to the tenant.",
      "penalty": "Up to 3x plus attorney fees",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who withholds in bad faith can be liable for up to three times the amount wrongfully withheld plus attorney fees, and failing to provide the inspection lists can bar you from keeping anything. The inspection paperwork is both the shield and, if skipped, the exposure.",
      "statute": "Ga. Code § 44-7-30 to 37",
      "statute_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-44/chapter-7/article-2/",
      "note": "The two-month cap is new as of July 1, 2024. Leases signed earlier were not subject to a statutory ceiling.",
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-georgia/"
    },
    {
      "code": "HI",
      "state": "Hawaii",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": "The base cap is one month's rent, with an additional one month allowed where the tenant keeps a pet and the unit is not otherwise pet-restricted.",
      "return_deadline": "14 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 14 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions. It is one of the shortest clocks in the country, so the inspection has to happen at handover.",
      "itemization": "An itemized written statement of deductions is required, and failing to furnish it can forfeit your right to withhold. Tie every line to the move-in condition.",
      "holding": "Hawaii sets no separate-account requirement, but the deposit remains the tenant's money in your custody and is best held apart from operating funds.",
      "penalty": "Up to 3x wrongfully withheld",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who wrongfully or in bad faith retains a deposit can be liable for up to three times the amount wrongfully withheld. The 14-day clock is the usual failure point, so the statement goes out the same week the tenant leaves.",
      "statute": "Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44",
      "statute_url": "https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol11_Ch0501-0588/HRS0521/HRS_0521-0044.htm",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-hawaii/"
    },
    {
      "code": "ID",
      "state": "Idaho",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "21 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "The default deadline is 21 days after the tenancy ends, and the lease may extend it to no more than 30 days. If your lease is silent, the 21-day clock controls.",
      "itemization": "A signed written statement itemizing the reasons for any deduction is required. Deliver it with the balance within the applicable deadline.",
      "holding": "Idaho sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating cash as a matter of practice.",
      "penalty": "Wrongfully withheld amount plus fees",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to provide the statement or refund on time is liable for the amount wrongfully withheld, and a court may add the tenant's attorney fees. Idaho leaves the amount uncapped, so the timely itemized statement is the discipline that keeps you out of court.",
      "statute": "Idaho Code § 6-321",
      "statute_url": "https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/Title6/T6CH3/SECT6-321/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-idaho/"
    },
    {
      "code": "IL",
      "state": "Illinois",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 or 45 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "For a landlord with five or more units, an itemized statement of deductions must go out within 30 days, and any balance within 45 days of move-out. Landlords under five units are outside the state Security Deposit Return Act, though city ordinances may still bind them.",
      "itemization": "For covered landlords, a written itemized statement with receipts or estimates is required within 30 days, and missing it forfeits the right to deduct. Chicago's ordinance adds its own stricter rules on top.",
      "holding": "The state sets no separate-account requirement, but Chicago and some other cities require the deposit to be held separately and to pay interest. Check the city rule before the state one where a unit sits in a regulated municipality.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x plus attorney fees (bad faith)",
      "penalty_detail": "A covered landlord who withholds in bad faith is liable for twice the deposit plus attorney fees. Because the harshest rules here are municipal, a landlord in Chicago faces automatic penalties the state statute does not impose.",
      "statute": "765 ILCS 710 / 715",
      "statute_url": "https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2201",
      "note": "Chicago's Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance is stricter than state law, with separate-account, interest, and receipt rules and steep penalties.",
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-illinois/"
    },
    {
      "code": "IN",
      "state": "Indiana",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "45 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 45 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant supplies a mailing address to return the deposit or deliver an itemized list of damages. The tenant's forwarding address is what starts the clock, so note the date you receive it.",
      "itemization": "An itemized written list of damages and the amount charged for each is required, and failing to provide it within 45 days forfeits the right to deduct and can make you liable for the tenant's attorney fees.",
      "holding": "Indiana sets no separate-account or interest requirement. A dedicated deposit account remains sound practice.",
      "penalty": "Forfeit deductions plus attorney fees",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to send the itemized list on time loses the right to keep any of the deposit and is liable for the amount due plus the tenant's attorney fees. The list is the entire defense; without it, good deductions become uncollectible.",
      "statute": "Ind. Code § 32-31-3",
      "statute_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/indiana/title-32/article-31/chapter-3/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-indiana/"
    },
    {
      "code": "IA",
      "state": "Iowa",
      "max_deposit": "Two months' rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 2,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant gives a mailing address to return the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions. The forwarding address starts the clock.",
      "itemization": "A written statement itemizing any retained amount is required within 30 days. Withholding for ordinary wear is not allowed, so each line has to be actual damage.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in a bank or insured institution and may not be commingled with the landlord's personal funds, though interest earned in the first five years belongs to the landlord.",
      "penalty": "Punitive damages for bad faith",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who withholds in bad faith can be liable for punitive damages up to twice the monthly rent, in addition to the wrongfully withheld amount and attorney fees. Bad faith is the trigger, so a documented, good-faith statement is the defense.",
      "statute": "Iowa Code § 562A.12",
      "statute_url": "https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/562A.12.pdf",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-iowa/"
    },
    {
      "code": "KS",
      "state": "Kansas",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": "The cap is one month's rent for an unfurnished unit and one and a half months for a furnished one, with an extra half-month allowed where the tenant keeps a pet.",
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 14 days after determining the deduction amount, and no more than 30 days after the tenancy ends, to return the balance with an itemized statement. In practice the 30-day outer limit is the date to manage.",
      "itemization": "An itemized list of deductions is required with the returned balance. Ordinary wear cannot be charged, so tie each line to damage beyond normal use.",
      "holding": "Kansas sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating cash regardless.",
      "penalty": "Up to 1.5x wrongfully withheld",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who wrongfully retains a deposit is liable for one and a half times the amount wrongfully withheld. The itemized statement inside the 30-day window is what keeps a deduction from becoming a penalty.",
      "statute": "Kan. Stat. § 58-2550",
      "statute_url": "https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch58/058_025_0050.html",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-kansas/"
    },
    {
      "code": "KY",
      "state": "Kentucky",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 to 60 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "Kentucky runs a two-step clock. You must send an itemized list of deductions, and a tenant who disputes it has the right to inspect. If the tenant does not respond to your notice within the statutory window the process can run 30 to 60 days, so the itemized notice is what sets everything in motion.",
      "itemization": "An itemized written list of damages is required, and you must give the tenant a chance to inspect before deducting. Skipping the separate-account disclosure or the itemization can cost you the right to deduct.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in a separate account used only for that purpose, and you must tell the tenant where the account is. A landlord who does not maintain the separate account can forfeit the right to keep any of the deposit.",
      "penalty": "Forfeit deductions; deposit plus fees",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to hold the deposit separately, disclose the account, or provide the itemized list can lose the right to withhold and owe the full deposit plus, in a suit, attorney fees. The separate-account rule is the one landlords most often overlook.",
      "statute": "Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580",
      "statute_url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=35733",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-kentucky/"
    },
    {
      "code": "LA",
      "state": "Louisiana",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have one month after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions, provided the tenant gave notice as the lease required and left a forwarding address.",
      "itemization": "An itemized statement of any deductions is required with the balance. Deliver it to the forwarding address within the month.",
      "holding": "Louisiana sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating funds as a matter of practice.",
      "penalty": "Greater of $300 or 2x (bad faith)",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to return the deposit or itemize in bad faith is liable for the greater of $300 or twice the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney fees. The tenant's compliance with notice terms is a precondition, so confirm they gave proper notice before relying on it.",
      "statute": "La. Rev. Stat. § 9:3251 to 3254",
      "statute_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/louisiana/revised-statutes/title-9/rs-9-3251/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-louisiana/"
    },
    {
      "code": "ME",
      "state": "Maine",
      "max_deposit": "Two months' rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 2,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends under a written lease, or 21 days for a tenancy at will, to return the deposit with an itemized statement of any deductions.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized statement of damages is required whenever you keep any part of the deposit. Missing the deadline can forfeit your claim.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held apart from the landlord's own funds and may not be commingled with the landlord's assets or subject to the landlord's creditors.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x plus attorney fees (bad faith)",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who retains a deposit in bad faith is liable for twice the amount wrongfully withheld plus the tenant's attorney fees. A timely itemized statement, delivered against the shorter clock if the tenancy is at will, is the defense.",
      "statute": "Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14 §§ 6031-6038",
      "statute_url": "https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/14/title14ch710sec0.html",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-maine/"
    },
    {
      "code": "MD",
      "state": "Maryland",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": "For leases signed on or after October 1, 2024, the cap is one month's rent; the prior ceiling was two months.",
      "return_deadline": "45 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 45 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit with any accrued interest, or to send a written itemized list of damages by first-class mail within 45 days if you are keeping any of it. The list is what preserves a deduction.",
      "itemization": "A written list of damages with the actual cost, sent by first-class mail within 45 days, is required when you withhold. A tenant who asks by certified mail before move-out has the right to be present at the inspection.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in a Maryland financial institution, and you must pay the tenant simple interest at the statutory rate for deposits held at least six months.",
      "penalty": "Up to 3x plus attorney fees",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who withholds in violation of the statute can be liable for up to three times the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney fees, and charging more than the legal cap carries the same treble exposure on the excess. The interest and the 45-day list are both strict.",
      "statute": "Md. Real Prop. § 8-203",
      "statute_url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=grp&section=8-203",
      "note": "The one-month cap took effect October 1, 2024, down from two months. Leases signed earlier were subject to the higher ceiling.",
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-maryland/"
    },
    {
      "code": "MA",
      "state": "Massachusetts",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit with any interest and an itemized statement of damages. Massachusetts pairs the short clock with the strictest procedural rules in the country.",
      "itemization": "A sworn, itemized statement of damages with supporting evidence is required, and you must have given the tenant a signed statement of condition at move-in. A missing or defective statement of condition undercuts every later deduction.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in a separate, interest-bearing Massachusetts account, and you must give the tenant a receipt naming the bank and account and pay 5% annual interest or the actual rate.",
      "penalty": "Treble damages plus interest and fees",
      "penalty_detail": "Several violations, including commingling, failing to pay interest, or not returning the deposit within 30 days, expose you to treble damages, three times the deposit, plus interest, costs, and attorney fees. Massachusetts is the state where a paperwork slip most reliably becomes a penalty, so follow every step.",
      "statute": "Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186 § 15B",
      "statute_url": "https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleI/Chapter186/Section15B",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-massachusetts/"
    },
    {
      "code": "MI",
      "state": "Michigan",
      "max_deposit": "One and a half months' rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1.5,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or mail an itemized list of damages with any balance. The tenant must give a forwarding address within four days of moving out to preserve their claim, but your 30-day duty stands.",
      "itemization": "An itemized list of damages with the estimated cost of repair is required within 30 days, and failing to send it forfeits your right to keep the money. Send it by first-class mail to the forwarding address.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in a regulated financial institution or secured by a bond, and you must disclose to the tenant where the deposit is held within 14 days of move-in.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x for noncompliance",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who keeps a deposit without the required itemized notice, or fails to sue for damages within 45 days when the tenant disputes, can be liable for up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld. The 30-day list and the follow-through on disputes are both required.",
      "statute": "Mich. Comp. Laws §§ 554.602-616",
      "statute_url": "https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-554-602",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-michigan/"
    },
    {
      "code": "MN",
      "state": "Minnesota",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "21 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 21 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant gives a forwarding address to return the deposit with interest and a written statement of any deductions. The clock runs from the later of the tenancy ending or receiving the address.",
      "itemization": "A written statement of the reasons for withholding any part of the deposit is required within 21 days. Withholding for ordinary wear is not permitted.",
      "holding": "Minnesota sets no separate-account requirement but does require you to pay the tenant simple interest on the deposit at the statutory rate.",
      "penalty": "Punitive $500 plus amount (bad faith)",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who withholds in bad faith is liable for the amount wrongfully withheld plus punitive damages of up to $500. Bad faith is the trigger, so a timely, documented statement holds the exposure to the disputed lines.",
      "statute": "Minn. Stat. § 504B.178",
      "statute_url": "https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.178",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-minnesota/"
    },
    {
      "code": "MS",
      "state": "Mississippi",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "45 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 45 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or deliver an itemized accounting of any deductions. Mississippi keeps the rules sparse, which makes the paper trail your main protection.",
      "itemization": "An itemized list of damages is required when you withhold any part of the deposit. There is no statutory formality beyond that, so document each line against move-in condition.",
      "holding": "Mississippi sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating funds regardless.",
      "penalty": "Wrongfully withheld amount plus damages",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who wrongfully retains a deposit is liable for the amount withheld plus damages, and a court can add costs where the retention was not in good faith. With no cap and light formality, the timely itemized accounting is the discipline that matters.",
      "statute": "Miss. Code § 89-8-21",
      "statute_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/title-89/chapter-8/section-89-8-21/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-mississippi/"
    },
    {
      "code": "MO",
      "state": "Missouri",
      "max_deposit": "Two months' rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 2,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or deliver an itemized list of damages with any balance. The tenant has the right to be present at the move-out inspection if they request it.",
      "itemization": "An itemized list of the reasons for any deduction is required within 30 days. Withholding for ordinary wear is not allowed.",
      "holding": "Missouri sets no separate-account or interest requirement. A dedicated deposit account remains sound practice.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x wrongfully withheld",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who wrongfully withholds a deposit is liable for up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld. The itemized list inside 30 days is what keeps a deduction from becoming a doubled penalty.",
      "statute": "Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300",
      "statute_url": "https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=535.300",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-missouri/"
    },
    {
      "code": "MT",
      "state": "Montana",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "10 or 30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "If you make no deductions, you must return the deposit within 10 days of move-out. If you deduct for damage or cleaning, you have 30 days to deliver the deposit and a written itemized list. The shorter clock rewards a clean move-out.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized list of deductions and their cost is required when you withhold, and a separate cleaning charge requires written notice of the cleaning needed. Document the condition to support each line.",
      "holding": "Montana sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating cash regardless.",
      "penalty": "Up to 3x for bad-faith retention",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who withholds in bad faith or fails to provide the itemized list can be liable for up to three times the amount wrongfully withheld. Bad faith and a missing list are the paths to that exposure, so the written accounting is essential.",
      "statute": "Mont. Code § 70-25-101 to 206",
      "statute_url": "https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/title_0700/chapter_0250/parts_index.html",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-montana/"
    },
    {
      "code": "NE",
      "state": "Nebraska",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": "The cap is one month's rent, plus up to a quarter-month's rent as an additional pet deposit.",
      "return_deadline": "14 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 14 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant gives a forwarding address to return the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions. It is one of the tighter clocks, so the inspection cannot wait.",
      "itemization": "An itemized accounting of any deductions is required within 14 days of the tenant's demand and forwarding address. Tie each line to damage beyond ordinary wear.",
      "holding": "Nebraska sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating funds as a matter of practice.",
      "penalty": "Wrongfully withheld amount plus fees",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to comply is liable for the amount wrongfully withheld, and a court may add attorney fees. The 14-day clock, triggered by the tenant's demand, is the pressure point.",
      "statute": "Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416",
      "statute_url": "https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=76-1416",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-nebraska/"
    },
    {
      "code": "NV",
      "state": "Nevada",
      "max_deposit": "Three months' rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 3,
      "max_deposit_note": "Nevada's ceiling of three months' rent is the highest statutory cap in the country.",
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or deliver an itemized written accounting of any deductions with the balance.",
      "itemization": "An itemized written accounting of each deduction is required within 30 days. Withholding for ordinary wear is not permitted.",
      "holding": "Nevada sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating cash regardless.",
      "penalty": "Up to actual damages plus the amount",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to provide the itemized accounting or wrongfully withholds is liable for the amount due plus damages, which a court can set at up to the actual harm proven. The written accounting inside 30 days is the defense.",
      "statute": "Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242",
      "statute_url": "https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-118a.html#NRS118ASec242",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-nevada/"
    },
    {
      "code": "NH",
      "state": "New Hampshire",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent or $100",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": "The cap is one month's rent or $100, whichever is greater.",
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit with an itemized statement of any deductions and any interest owed.",
      "itemization": "An itemized statement of damages and their cost is required whenever you keep any part of the deposit. Deliver it with the balance within 30 days.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held separately from your own funds, and a deposit held for a year or more accrues interest payable to the tenant at the rate paid by the institution.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x for bad-faith retention",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who retains a deposit in violation of the statute can be liable for twice the amount wrongfully withheld. The separate-holding and interest rules matter for longer tenancies, so track interest as it accrues.",
      "statute": "N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A / 540-B",
      "statute_url": "https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/lv/540-a/540-a-mrg.htm",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-new-hampshire/"
    },
    {
      "code": "NJ",
      "state": "New Jersey",
      "max_deposit": "One and a half months' rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1.5,
      "max_deposit_note": "The cap is one and a half months' rent, and any later increase in the deposit may not exceed 10% per year.",
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit with interest and an itemized statement of deductions, sent by personal delivery or certified mail. Special situations like a fire, flood, or condemnation shorten the window to five days.",
      "itemization": "An itemized written statement of deductions is required, delivered by personal delivery or certified mail within 30 days. Interest earned goes back with the balance.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in a New Jersey insured, interest-bearing account, and you must notify the tenant in writing of the bank and the amount, paying the interest annually or crediting it against rent.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x plus attorney fees",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to return the deposit and interest within 30 days can be ordered to pay twice the amount wrongfully withheld plus attorney fees and court costs. The notice-of-account and annual-interest duties run the whole tenancy.",
      "statute": "N.J. Stat. § 46:8-19 to 26",
      "statute_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-46/section-46-8-21-1/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-new-jersey/"
    },
    {
      "code": "NM",
      "state": "New Mexico",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": "For a lease of less than one year the cap is one month's rent. For a lease of a year or more there is no dollar cap, but any deposit over one month's rent must earn the tenant annual interest.",
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or deliver a written itemized statement of deductions along with any balance.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized list of deductions is required within 30 days, and failing to provide it forfeits your right to keep any of the deposit and can add a $250 penalty.",
      "holding": "Where a deposit on a year-or-longer lease exceeds one month's rent, you must pay the tenant annual interest equal to the passbook rate; otherwise no separate-account rule applies.",
      "penalty": "Forfeit deductions plus $250 and fees",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to provide the itemized statement forfeits the deductions, owes the deposit, and can be liable for a $250 civil penalty plus attorney fees. The written statement inside 30 days is the whole defense.",
      "statute": "N.M. Stat. § 47-8-18",
      "statute_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/new-mexico/chapter-47/article-8/section-47-8-18/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-new-mexico/"
    },
    {
      "code": "NY",
      "state": "New York",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": "The Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 caps a residential deposit at one month's rent statewide.",
      "return_deadline": "14 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 14 days after the tenant moves out to return the deposit with an itemized statement of any deductions. Fail to provide the statement within 14 days and you forfeit the right to keep any of it.",
      "itemization": "An itemized statement describing the basis for any deduction is required within 14 days, and missing it forfeits the deductions entirely. The tenant also has the right to an inspection before move-out.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held apart from the landlord's personal funds, and for buildings with six or more units the deposit must sit in a New York interest-bearing account with the interest paid to the tenant.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x for willful violation",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who willfully violates the deposit rules can be liable for up to twice the amount of the deposit. The 14-day clock is tight and the forfeiture for a late statement is automatic, so the statement goes out immediately after the inspection.",
      "statute": "N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108",
      "statute_url": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/GOB/7-108",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-new-york/"
    },
    {
      "code": "NC",
      "state": "North Carolina",
      "max_deposit": "Two months' rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 2,
      "max_deposit_note": "The cap is two months' rent for a term of more than two months, one and a half months for a month-to-month tenancy, and two weeks for a week-to-week tenancy.",
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions. If the damage cost is not yet known, you may send an interim statement within 30 days and a final one within 60.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized statement of deductions is required within the deadline, and failing to send it forfeits your right to keep any of the deposit. Deposits may only be used for the specific purposes named in the statute.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in a trust account in a North Carolina bank or secured by a bond, and you must tell the tenant the name and address of the bank within 30 days.",
      "penalty": "Forfeit deductions plus damages",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to account within the deadline forfeits the right to keep any of the deposit and can be liable for damages and attorney fees. The permitted-purposes list and the trust-account rule are both strict.",
      "statute": "N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-50 to 56",
      "statute_url": "https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByArticle/Chapter_42/Article_6.html",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-north-carolina/"
    },
    {
      "code": "ND",
      "state": "North Dakota",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": "The base cap is one month's rent, rising to two months or $2,500 where the tenant keeps a pet, and higher for a tenant with a felony record within the statutory lookback.",
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit with interest and an itemized statement of any deductions.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized statement of deductions is required within 30 days. Tie each line to damage beyond ordinary wear.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in a federally insured interest-bearing savings or escrow account, and the interest is payable to the tenant where the tenancy lasts at least nine months.",
      "penalty": "Up to 3x for bad-faith retention",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who retains a deposit in bad faith can be liable for up to three times the amount wrongfully withheld. The interest and separate-account rules add procedural failure points beyond the deduction itself.",
      "statute": "N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.1",
      "statute_url": "https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t47c16.pdf",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-north-dakota/"
    },
    {
      "code": "OH",
      "state": "Ohio",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant gives a forwarding address to return the deposit with an itemized statement of any deductions. The forwarding address is what starts the clock.",
      "itemization": "An itemized written statement of deductions is required, and a deduction not itemized is not enforceable. Deliver it to the forwarding address within 30 days.",
      "holding": "Ohio sets no separate-account rule, but a deposit over $50 or one month's rent, whichever is greater, held for more than six months accrues 5% annual interest payable to the tenant.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x plus attorney fees",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who wrongfully withholds is liable for twice the amount wrongfully withheld plus attorney fees. The interest rule for longer-held deposits is a separate, often-missed obligation, so track the six-month mark.",
      "statute": "Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16",
      "statute_url": "https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-5321.16",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-ohio/"
    },
    {
      "code": "OK",
      "state": "Oklahoma",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 days after demand",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You must return the deposit within 30 days after the tenant makes a written demand following the end of the tenancy, along with an itemized list of any deductions. The tenant's written demand is what starts the clock, and a tenant who never demands can forfeit the deposit after six months.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized statement of deductions is required with the returned balance. Keep the deposit apart from your own funds until the demand-and-return process is complete.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in a separate account in a regulated financial institution, kept apart from the landlord's own funds.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x for bad-faith retention",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who withholds in bad faith can be liable for up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld plus a reasonable attorney fee. The separate-account duty and the response to a written demand are the two things to get right.",
      "statute": "Okla. Stat. tit. 41 § 115",
      "statute_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/oklahoma/title-41/section-41-115/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-oklahoma/"
    },
    {
      "code": "OR",
      "state": "Oregon",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "31 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 31 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or deliver a written accounting of any deductions with the balance.",
      "itemization": "A written accounting that describes each deduction is required within 31 days, and you may not deduct for ordinary wear. A missing or late accounting exposes the withheld amount.",
      "holding": "Oregon sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating cash regardless, and note that some cities add their own rules.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x wrongfully withheld",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to account within 31 days or wrongfully withholds is liable for up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld. The written accounting on time is the discipline that keeps a deduction defensible.",
      "statute": "Or. Rev. Stat. § 90.300",
      "statute_url": "https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors090.html",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-oregon/"
    },
    {
      "code": "PA",
      "state": "Pennsylvania",
      "max_deposit": "Two months' rent (first year)",
      "max_deposit_months": 2,
      "max_deposit_note": "The cap is two months' rent during the first year of a tenancy and drops to one month's rent for the second year and beyond.",
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant provides a forwarding address to return the deposit with an itemized list of any damages.",
      "itemization": "A written list of damages is required within 30 days, and a landlord who fails to provide it loses the right to withhold and to sue for damages. The list is a precondition to keeping anything.",
      "holding": "A deposit over $100 held for more than two years accrues interest payable to the tenant, and deposits must be held in a regulated Pennsylvania institution with the bank disclosed to the tenant.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x for late or unitemized withholding",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who keeps a deposit beyond 30 days without providing the itemized list is liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld. The forfeiture of the right to deduct, on top of the doubling, makes the 30-day list essential.",
      "statute": "68 Pa. Stat. § 250.511a to 512",
      "statute_url": "https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/uconsCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&yr=1951&sessInd=0&smthLwInd=0&act=20",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-pennsylvania/"
    },
    {
      "code": "RI",
      "state": "Rhode Island",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "20 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 20 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant provides a forwarding address to return the deposit with an itemized statement of any deductions. It is one of the shorter clocks in New England.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized statement of any deductions is required within 20 days. Withholding for ordinary wear is not permitted.",
      "holding": "Rhode Island sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating cash regardless.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x plus attorney fees (bad faith)",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to comply or withholds in bad faith is liable for twice the amount wrongfully withheld plus attorney fees. The 20-day clock, triggered by the forwarding address, is the pressure point.",
      "statute": "R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19",
      "statute_url": "https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE34/34-18/34-18-19.htm",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-rhode-island/"
    },
    {
      "code": "SC",
      "state": "South Carolina",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or deliver a written itemized statement of any deductions with the balance.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized statement of deductions is required within 30 days, and failing to provide it can forfeit your right to withhold and expose you to penalties.",
      "holding": "South Carolina sets no separate-account or interest requirement, though a landlord with multiple units at one address must apply consistent deposit standards or disclose the criteria used.",
      "penalty": "Up to 3x plus attorney fees (bad faith)",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who withholds in bad faith can be liable for up to three times the amount wrongfully withheld plus attorney fees. The itemized statement inside 30 days is what keeps a deduction from becoming a trebled penalty.",
      "statute": "S.C. Code § 27-40-410",
      "statute_url": "https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t27c040.php",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-south-carolina/"
    },
    {
      "code": "SD",
      "state": "South Dakota",
      "max_deposit": "One month's rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 1,
      "max_deposit_note": "The cap is one month's rent, though a larger deposit may be agreed to where special conditions pose a danger to the premises.",
      "return_deadline": "14 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 14 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or provide reasons for keeping it. If you withhold, the tenant may demand an itemized accounting, which you must give within 45 days.",
      "itemization": "You must give reasons for any withholding within 14 days, and a full itemized accounting within 45 days if the tenant demands one. Tie each line to actual damage.",
      "holding": "South Dakota sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating cash regardless.",
      "penalty": "Punitive damages for bad faith",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who retains a deposit in bad faith is liable for the amount wrongfully withheld plus punitive damages up to $200. The 14-day reasons and the 45-day accounting on demand are the two duties to meet.",
      "statute": "S.D. Codified Laws § 43-32-6.1, 43-32-24",
      "statute_url": "https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/43-32-6.1",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-south-dakota/"
    },
    {
      "code": "TN",
      "state": "Tennessee",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "no fixed statutory deadline",
      "return_deadline_detail": "Tennessee sets no fixed number of days to return a deposit. Instead, you must send written notice of any refund due to the tenant's last known address, and if the tenant does not respond within 60 days you may keep the deposit. The duty runs on that notice-and-response clock rather than a hard deadline.",
      "itemization": "You must inspect the unit, list any damage, and give the tenant a chance to inspect before deducting. The itemized list and the tenant's inspection right are the core requirements even without a day-count.",
      "holding": "A landlord who operates more than one unit must hold every deposit in a separate account used only for tenant deposits at a regulated financial institution. Failing to keep the separate account forfeits the right to retain any of the deposit.",
      "penalty": "Forfeit right to withhold (no separate account)",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who does not maintain the required separate account, or skips the inspection and itemization steps, loses the right to keep any part of the deposit and owes it back in full. Here the separate-account rule, not a missed deadline, is the usual failure.",
      "statute": "Tenn. Code § 66-28-301",
      "statute_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-66/chapter-28/part-3/section-66-28-301/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-tennessee/"
    },
    {
      "code": "TX",
      "state": "Texas",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenant surrenders the unit and gives a forwarding address to return the deposit with an itemized list of any deductions. No itemized list is required if the tenant owes rent and there is no dispute about it.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized list of deductions is required within 30 days whenever there is a balance kept, unless the only deduction is undisputed unpaid rent. The forwarding address is what starts the clock.",
      "holding": "Texas sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating cash as a matter of practice.",
      "penalty": "3x plus $100 and fees (bad faith)",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who acts in bad faith by keeping the deposit or failing to give the itemized list forfeits the deposit and is liable for three times the wrongfully withheld amount plus $100 and attorney fees. Bad faith is presumed if you keep the deposit past 30 days without the list.",
      "statute": "Tex. Prop. Code § 92.101 to 109",
      "statute_url": "https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PR/htm/PR.92.htm",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-texas/"
    },
    {
      "code": "UT",
      "state": "Utah",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends, or 15 days after receiving the tenant's forwarding address, whichever is later, to return the deposit with a written itemized statement of any deductions.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized statement of deductions is required within the deadline, and failing to provide it after the tenant's written demand exposes you to a penalty. Tie each line to damage or cleaning beyond ordinary use.",
      "holding": "Utah sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating cash regardless.",
      "penalty": "$100 plus damages after notice",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to return the deposit or provide the statement within the deadline after the tenant's written demand is liable for the deposit plus a $100 civil penalty and damages. The written statement on time is the whole defense.",
      "statute": "Utah Code § 57-17",
      "statute_url": "https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title57/Chapter17/57-17.html",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-utah/"
    },
    {
      "code": "VT",
      "state": "Vermont",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "14 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 14 days after the tenant moves out and returns possession to return the deposit with a written itemized statement of any deductions. Some seasonal or short-term rentals run a longer window, so confirm which applies.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized statement of deductions is required within 14 days, and failing to send it forfeits your right to keep any of the deposit. The short clock makes an at-handover inspection essential.",
      "holding": "Vermont sets no separate-account or interest requirement at the state level, though some towns add their own rules. Hold the deposit apart from operating funds regardless.",
      "penalty": "Forfeit deductions; 2x for bad faith",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to return the deposit or statement within 14 days forfeits the deductions, and a bad-faith withholding can reach twice the amount wrongfully withheld. The 14-day statement is the entire mechanism.",
      "statute": "Vt. Stat. tit. 9 § 4461",
      "statute_url": "https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/09/137/04461",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-vermont/"
    },
    {
      "code": "VA",
      "state": "Virginia",
      "max_deposit": "Two months' rent",
      "max_deposit_months": 2,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "45 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 45 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit with an itemized statement of any deductions. If you use part of the deposit during the tenancy for a nonpayment, you must notify the tenant in writing.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized accounting of deductions is required within 45 days, and the tenant has the right to be present at the move-out inspection if they request it. Document each line against the move-in report.",
      "holding": "Virginia sets no separate-account requirement, but you must keep records of deductions and provide them, and a written move-in report is the baseline for later deductions.",
      "penalty": "Actual damages plus attorney fees",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to comply can be liable for the amount wrongfully withheld plus, at the court's discretion, damages and attorney fees. The 45-day accounting and the move-in report are the two things that keep a deduction defensible.",
      "statute": "Va. Code § 55.1-1226",
      "statute_url": "https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title55.1/chapter12/section55.1-1226/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-virginia/"
    },
    {
      "code": "WA",
      "state": "Washington",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends to give a full and specific written statement of the basis for keeping any of the deposit, together with any refund due. The statement counts as delivered if it is mailed to the tenant's last known address within the 30 days.",
      "itemization": "A full and specific statement, with documentation of the charges, is required within 30 days, and you must have given the tenant a written move-in condition checklist at the start, or you cannot withhold for damage at all. The move-in checklist is a precondition to any deduction.",
      "holding": "Deposits must be held in a trust account with a bank or licensed escrow agent, and the tenant must be told in writing where the deposit is held.",
      "penalty": "Forfeit deposit; up to 2x (intentional)",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who misses the 30-day statement is liable for the full deposit, and a court may award up to twice the deposit for an intentional refusal to provide the statement or refund. The move-in checklist and the 30-day statement are the two non-negotiables.",
      "statute": "Wash. Rev. Code § 59.18.260 to 285",
      "statute_url": "https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.280",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-washington/"
    },
    {
      "code": "WV",
      "state": "West Virginia",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "60 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 60 days after the tenancy ends, or 45 days after a new tenant takes possession, whichever is earlier, to return the deposit with an itemized statement of any deductions.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized statement of damages and their cost is required within the deadline. Tie each line to damage beyond ordinary wear.",
      "holding": "West Virginia sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating cash regardless.",
      "penalty": "Up to 2x plus attorney fees",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who wrongfully withholds is liable for up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees. The itemized statement inside the deadline is the discipline that keeps a deduction defensible.",
      "statute": "W. Va. Code § 37-6A-1 to 6",
      "statute_url": "https://code.wvlegislature.gov/37-6A/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-west-virginia/"
    },
    {
      "code": "WI",
      "state": "Wisconsin",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "21 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 21 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit or deliver a written itemized statement of any deductions with the balance. The clock runs from the end of the tenancy or the date the tenant surrenders the unit.",
      "itemization": "A written itemized statement of each deduction is required within 21 days, and withholding for ordinary wear or routine painting is not allowed. A deduction not itemized is not enforceable.",
      "holding": "Wisconsin sets no separate-account or interest requirement, but the administrative code governs what you may deduct and requires the itemized statement.",
      "penalty": "Double damages plus attorney fees",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who wrongfully withholds can be liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld plus attorney fees under the state's consumer-protection rules. The 21-day itemized statement and the limits on deductible items are both strict.",
      "statute": "Wis. Stat. § 704.28 / ATCP 134",
      "statute_url": "https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/704/28",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-wisconsin/"
    },
    {
      "code": "WY",
      "state": "Wyoming",
      "max_deposit": "No statutory limit",
      "max_deposit_months": null,
      "max_deposit_note": null,
      "return_deadline": "30 days",
      "return_deadline_detail": "You have 30 days after the tenancy ends, or 15 days after receiving the tenant's forwarding address, whichever is later, to return the deposit with any itemized deductions. Where the deduction is for damage, the window extends to 60 days if you disclosed that in advance.",
      "itemization": "A written list of any deductions is required with the returned balance. Tie each line to damage beyond ordinary wear.",
      "holding": "Wyoming sets no separate-account or interest requirement. Hold the deposit apart from operating cash regardless.",
      "penalty": "Wrongfully withheld amount plus damages",
      "penalty_detail": "A landlord who fails to return the deposit or account for it is liable for the amount wrongfully withheld plus damages, and a court can add costs where the retention was not in good faith. The itemized list on time is the defense.",
      "statute": "Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1207 to 1208",
      "statute_url": "https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/title-1/chapter-21/article-12/section-1-21-1208/",
      "note": null,
      "page_url": "https://rents.ai/guides/security-deposit-law-wyoming/"
    }
  ]
}