Security deposit laws by state

The deadline and the penalty in all 50 states and Washington, DC, summarised from each statute. Checked October 29, 2026.

21 days or less30–31 days45–60 daysNo fixed deadlineAll 50 states and Washington, DC, with the time a landlord has to return the deposit (“bd” = business days). Select a state to see its law.

Deadlines and penalties, A to Z

State	Deadline	Penalty for wrongful withholding	Statute
Alabama	60 days	Up to 2× the deposit	Ala. Code § 35-9A-201
Alaska	30 days	Up to 2× the amount withheld	Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070
Arizona	14 business days	Up to 3× the amount withheld	Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321
Arkansas	60 days	Up to 2× the amount withheld	Ark. Code §§ 18-16-305, 18-16-306
California	21 days	Amount withheld + up to 2× the deposit	Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5
Colorado	60 days	Up to 3× the amount withheld	Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103
Connecticut	21 days	Up to 2× the deposit	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21
Delaware	20 days	Up to 2× the amount withheld	Del. Code tit. 25, § 5514
District of Columbia	45 days	Amount withheld, plus costs or fees the court allows	14 DCMR §§ 308–311
Florida	30 days	Amount withheld, plus costs or fees the court allows	Fla. Stat. § 83.49
Georgia	30 days	Up to 3× the amount withheld	O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-34, 44-7-35
Hawaii	14 days	Up to 3× the amount withheld	Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Idaho	30 days	Up to 3× the amount withheld	Idaho Code §§ 6-320, 6-321
Illinois	30 days	Up to 2× the amount withheld	765 ILCS 710/1
Indiana	45 days	Amount withheld, plus costs or fees the court allows	Ind. Code §§ 32-31-3-12 to -16
Iowa	30 days	Amount withheld, plus costs or fees the court allows	Iowa Code § 562A.12
Kansas	30 days	Up to 2.5× the amount withheld	Kan. Stat. § 58-2550
Kentucky	No fixed deadline	Amount withheld, plus costs or fees the court allows	Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580
Louisiana	30 days	2× the amount withheld or $300, whichever is more	La. Rev. Stat. §§ 9:3251, 9:3252
Maine	30 days	Up to 2× the amount withheld	14 M.R.S. §§ 6033, 6034
Maryland	45 days	Up to 3× the amount withheld	Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203
Massachusetts	30 days	Up to 3× the deposit	Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B
Michigan	30 days	Up to 2× the amount withheld	MCL 554.609, 554.613
Minnesota	21 days	Up to 2× the amount withheld + up to $500	Minn. Stat. § 504B.178
Mississippi	45 days	Amount withheld + up to $200	Miss. Code § 89-8-21
Missouri	30 days	Up to 2× the amount withheld	Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300
Montana	30 days	Amount withheld, plus costs or fees the court allows	Mont. Code §§ 70-25-202, 70-25-204
Nebraska	14 days	Amount withheld, plus costs or fees the court allows	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416
Nevada	30 days	Up to 2× the deposit	Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242
New Hampshire	30 days	Up to 2× the deposit	N.H. Rev. Stat. §§ 540-A:7, 540-A:8
New Jersey	30 days	Up to 2× the amount withheld	N.J. Stat. § 46:8-21.1
New Mexico	30 days	Amount withheld + up to $250	N.M. Stat. § 47-8-18
New York	14 days	Amount withheld + up to 2× the deposit	N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108
North Carolina	30 days	Amount withheld, plus costs or fees the court allows	N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-52, 42-55
North Dakota	30 days	Up to 3× the amount withheld	N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.1
Ohio	30 days	Up to 2× the amount withheld	Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16
Oklahoma	45 days	Amount withheld, plus costs or fees the court allows	41 Okla. Stat. § 115
Oregon	31 days	Up to 2× the amount withheld	Or. Rev. Stat. § 90.300
Pennsylvania	30 days	Up to 2× the amount withheld	68 P.S. § 250.512
Rhode Island	20 days	Up to 3× the amount withheld	R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19
South Carolina	30 days	Up to 3× the amount withheld	S.C. Code § 27-40-410
South Dakota	21 days	Amount withheld + up to $200	S.D. Codified Laws § 43-32-24
Tennessee	No fixed deadline	Amount withheld, plus costs or fees the court allows	Tenn. Code § 66-28-301
Texas	30 days	Up to 3× the amount withheld + up to $100	Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.103, 92.109
Utah	30 days	Amount withheld + up to $100	Utah Code §§ 57-17-3, 57-17-5
Vermont	14 days	Up to 2× the amount withheld	9 V.S.A. § 4461
Virginia	45 days	Amount withheld, plus costs or fees the court allows	Va. Code § 55.1-1226
Washington	30 days	Up to 2× the deposit	Rev. Code Wash. § 59.18.280
West Virginia	60 days	Up to 2.5× the amount withheld	W. Va. Code §§ 37-6A-2, 37-6A-5
Wisconsin	21 days	Up to 2× the amount withheld	Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134; Wis. Stat. § 100.20(5)
Wyoming	60 days	Amount withheld, plus costs or fees the court allows	Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208