How do I know when my landlord has to return my deposit?

It depends on your state. The deadline runs from your move-out date, and often from when you give a written forwarding address, and ranges from 14 days to 45 days. Pick your state and enter your move-out date in the tracker to see the exact deadline date.

Does the deadline start when I move out or when I give my address?

It varies. In some states the clock starts the day you move out; in others, like Texas and Ohio, it does not start until you give the landlord a written forwarding address. Either way, always give your forwarding address in writing when you leave, and keep a copy.

What happens if my landlord misses the deadline?

In most states, a landlord who misses the return deadline loses the right to keep any of the deposit and can owe you a penalty, often two to three times the amount, plus your costs. The exact penalty is in your state's guide, which the tracker links to.

Are the deadlines in calendar days or business days?

Almost all states count calendar days, so weekends and holidays are included. Arizona is the main exception: it counts 14 business days, excluding weekends and legal holidays. The tracker handles that difference for you.

What should I do as the deadline approaches?

If the deadline passes with no deposit and no itemized statement, send a written demand letter citing your state's statute and deadline, then file in small claims court if needed. Your state guide has a copy-and-adapt demand-letter generator built in.

Security Deposit Deadline Tracker (2026): When Your US Landlord Must Return It

The single most useful date after you move out is the day your landlord’s clock runs out. Miss it as a landlord, and you usually owe the tenant a penalty. This free tracker takes your state and your move-out date and shows you that exact deadline, so you know precisely when to act.

TL;DR: Pick your state and enter your move-out date. The tracker shows the exact date your landlord must return the deposit, using your state’s rule, and links you to the full state guide with a demand-letter generator.

Free toolSecurity deposit deadline tracker

Pick your state and your move-out date. The deadline shows below.

Your state

Move-out date

Deadline to return your deposit

This is a template calculation, not legal advice. Deadlines can shift with weekends, holidays, or when you give a written forwarding address; confirm against your state guide. Last reviewed July 2026.

Why the deadline is the date that matters

The return deadline is the pivot of every deposit case. Before it passes, the landlord is simply doing their job; after it passes with no deposit and no itemized statement, most states flip the landlord into penalty territory, often two to three times the amount, plus your costs and attorney fees. Knowing the exact date tells you when a polite wait turns into a demand letter.

It usually runs from move-out. In most states the clock starts the day your tenancy ends and you hand back the unit.
Sometimes it runs from your forwarding address. In Texas and Ohio, the landlord’s clock does not even start until you give a written forwarding address, so send one and keep a copy.
Calendar days, with one exception. Almost every state counts calendar days. Arizona counts business days, excluding weekends and legal holidays.

What to do when the deadline hits

Mark the deadline the day you move out. If it arrives and you have received neither your deposit nor a written, itemized statement of deductions, that is your signal to act. Send a short demand letter that cites your state’s statute and the deadline, states the amount owed, and gives a firm short window such as 10 days. If that does not work, small claims court is built for exactly this, and most states let you recover two to three times the deposit when the landlord acted in bad faith. Each state guide has a demand-letter generator that fills in the right statute for you.

After the deadline

If your landlord blows the deadline, do not let it slide. Open your state guide from the result above, use the built-in demand-letter generator to produce a letter citing the exact statute, and send it by a method you can prove. Keep your lease, proof you paid the deposit, your written forwarding address, and dated move-in and move-out photos, and you will have everything you need if the case goes to small claims court.

This tool is general information, not legal advice; state rules change and deadlines can shift, so confirm against your state guide or a local attorney. Last reviewed July 2026.

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