Two months' rent. The return rule is 30 days. The controlling text is Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21.
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Connecticut's deposit ceiling
Two months' rent.
The cap is two months' rent, and one month's rent for a tenant aged 62 or older.
Connecticut's return deadline
30 days.
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.
The itemized statement rule
A written itemization of any damages is required with the refund. Deliver it with the balance and the interest owed within the deadline.
Account and interest rules
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.
Exposure for wrongful withholding
Up to 2x for bad-faith retention.
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.
Compare Connecticut with neighboring states
- New York: one month's rent; return rule: 14 days.
- Massachusetts: one month's rent; return rule: 30 days.
- Rhode Island: one month's rent; return rule: 20 days.
Verified against Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21 and official state sources in July 2026. Before withholding money, check the current statute text or ask a local landlord-tenant attorney. General information, not legal advice.