Maximum security deposit a landlord can collect, the return deadline after lease end, and the governing statute for every US state.
Current as of May 2026. Reflects recent legislation including California AB-12 (1-month cap effective July 2024).
| State | Max Deposit | Return Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 2 months' rent (if monthly rent is $2,000 or less); no limit if rent exceeds $2,000/month | 14 days if no deductions; 30 days if deductions claimed |
| Alabama | 1 month's rent | 60 days |
| Arkansas | 2 months' rent | 60 days |
| Arizona | 1.5 months' rent | 14 business days |
| California | 1 month's rent (AB 12, effective July 1, 2024). Exception: small landlords owning ≤2 properties with ≤4 total units may charge up to 2 months' rent | 21 days |
| Colorado | No statutory limit | 30 days (or the period stated in the lease, whichever is shorter, up to 60 days) |
| Connecticut | 2 months' rent (1 month's rent for tenants age 62 or older) | 30 days |
| Delaware | 1 month's rent | 20 days |
| Florida | No statutory limit | 15 days (if no claim); 30 days (if claiming deductions — landlord must send written notice of intent within 30 days or forfeits right to claim) |
| Georgia | No statutory limit | 30 days |
| Hawaii | 1 month's rent (plus a separate 1 month's pet deposit if applicable) | 14 days |
| Iowa | 2 months' rent | 30 days |
| Idaho | No statutory limit | 21 days (30 days if stated in the lease) |
| Illinois | No statutory limit | 30 days (if no deductions); 45 days (if claiming deductions, with itemized list within 30 days) |
| Indiana | No statutory limit | 45 days |
| Kansas | 1 month's rent (unfurnished); 1.5 months' rent (furnished) | 30 days |
| Kentucky | No statutory limit | 30 days (if no deductions); 60 days (if itemizing deductions) |
| Louisiana | No statutory limit | 1 month (30 days) |
| Massachusetts | 1 month's rent | 30 days |
| Maryland | 2 months' rent | 45 days |
| Maine | 2 months' rent (1 month's rent for tenants age 60 or older) | 30 days (with deductions itemized) |
| Michigan | 1.5 months' rent | 30 days |
| Minnesota | No statutory limit | 21 days (3 weeks) |
| Missouri | 2 months' rent | 30 days |
| Mississippi | No statutory limit (source disagreement — some sources cite 1 month; however, the Mississippi Residential Landlord and Tenant Act does not set a specific cap) | 45 days |
| Montana | No statutory limit | 10 days (if no deductions); 30 days (if deductions claimed) |
| North Carolina | 1.5 months' rent (month-to-month); 2 months' rent (fixed-term lease) | 30 days (may extend to 60 days in some circumstances) |
| North Dakota | 1 month's rent (month-to-month or week-to-week); 2 months' rent (fixed-term lease) | 30 days |
| Nebraska | 1 month's rent (plus separate pet deposit up to 0.25 months' rent) | 14 days |
| New Hampshire | 1 month's rent OR $100 (whichever is greater) | 30 days |
| New Jersey | 1.5 months' rent initially; total deposit (including annual increases) may not exceed 1 month's rent above the initial deposit | 30 days (5 days if tenant is displaced by fire or flood) |
| New Mexico | 1 month's rent (for leases < 1 year); no limit for leases of 1 year or more | 30 days |
| Nevada | 3 months' rent | 30 days |
| New York | 1 month's rent (Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 applies to all units, not just rent-stabilized) | 14 days |
| Ohio | No statutory limit (Hemlane cites 'no limit'; some secondary sources incorrectly cite 1 month — no cap exists in O.R.C. § 5321.16) | 30 days |
| Oklahoma | 1.5 months' rent (Hemlane), though some sources cite no limit. Okla. Stat. tit. 41, § 115 caps at 1 month's rent for periodic tenancies — verify per source | 45 days |
| Oregon | No statutory limit (as of current law; note: some sources cite caps from older law) | 31 days |
| Pennsylvania | 2 months' rent (first year of tenancy); 1 month's rent (subsequent years — landlord must return excess above 1 month at start of second year) | 30 days |
| Rhode Island | 1 month's rent | 20 days |
| South Carolina | No statutory limit | 30 days |
| South Dakota | 1 month's rent (with possible exception for 'special conditions') | 14 days (after receiving tenant's forwarding address); itemized deduction statement due within 45 days |
| Tennessee | No statutory limit | 30 days |
| Texas | No statutory limit | 30 days |
| Utah | No statutory limit (some sources incorrectly cite 1.5 months; Utah Code § 57-17-2 does not set a cap for most residential units) | 30 days |
| Virginia | 2 months' rent | 45 days |
| Vermont | No statutory limit | 14 days (after landlord learns tenant has vacated) |
| Washington | No statutory limit | 21 days |
| Wisconsin | No statutory limit (must be 'reasonable') | 21 days |
| West Virginia | 2 months' rent (per Hemlane; WV Code § 37-6A-3 does not specify a clear numerical cap — some sources say no cap) | 45 days (may extend to 60 days if itemizing damages) |
| Wyoming | No statutory limit | 30 days (15 days if no deductions; 30 days with itemized deductions) |
California — AB-12 (effective July 2024). Statewide deposit cap reduced from 2 months (unfurnished) / 3 months (furnished) to 1 month uniformly. Small landlords (≤2 properties, ≤4 units total) retain the 2-month cap.
Several states under proposal. Massachusetts, Washington, and New York have active proposals to reduce deposit caps further. Track the legislature if you operate in those states.