Security deposit rules, state by state.
Pick a state. The cap, the return deadline, whether interest is owed, and what catches operators out, with the statute to check. Written for operators. Not legal advice.
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Every state turns the same three dials.
- 01
Cap
A multiple of monthly rent, or no limit at all. A few states tier it by lease length, the tenant's age or whether pets are allowed.
- 02
Return deadline
The clock starts at lease end. Most states sit between 14 and 60 days, and many want an itemised letter inside the same window. Miss it and you may lose the right to deduct.
- 03
Interest
Some states make you pay interest on a held deposit. Others only above a holding period or a building size.
All 51, by region.
Click a state to open its rules here. Each one also has its own page.
Northeast
9 statesThe most prescriptive region. Tight caps, mandatory interest in several states, and statutory letters that must be sent on a specific timeline.
Midwest
12 statesMostly moderate rules. Minnesota requires interest outright, and Illinois, North Dakota and Ohio do under specific conditions; most states leave the cap to private contract.
South
17 statesLighter touch on caps overall — many states have no statutory limit. Return windows still bite, especially when itemised deductions are required.
West
13 statesMixed. California and Colorado have tightened caps; Nevada and Alaska sit at the high end. Several states require deposits be held in trust accounts even where interest is not mandated.
* interest only in some cases. Values reflect the most common single-family and multifamily residential rule in each state. Furnished units, senior leases and short-term rentals can carry different caps, and city ordinances often override the state default. Check the statute before relying on a number for a specific lease.