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).
Color-coded by maximum deposit a landlord can collect. States with no statutory cap (gray) let lease terms dictate the amount.
Hover any state for the deposit cap and return deadline. Click to jump to the table row below.
| 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.