United States · landlord and tenant
Security deposit return deadline by state.
Pick a state and enter the move-out date. See the last day the landlord must return the deposit or send an itemized statement, the deposit cap, interest rules and the penalty for wrongful withholding.
General information, not legal advice
This applies the state statutes listed below to the date you enter. It does not cover local ordinances, exemptions, lease terms or your particular facts. Nothing you enter leaves your browser and nothing is stored.
Your tenancy
Result
How it works
The tool adds the statute's number of days (or one month, or business days for Arizona) to the date you enter: deadline = trigger date + statutory period. The first day counted is the day after the trigger date. The cap check multiplies monthly rent by the state's maximum number of months and compares it with the deposit you enter. Penalties are shown as the statute words them, not as a prediction of what a court would award.
| State | Deadline | Deposit cap | Interest | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 14 days, excluding weekends and legal holidays | One and one-half months' rent. | No interest provision in this section. | The tenant may recover the money due plus damages of twice the amount wrongfully withheld. |
| California | 21 calendar days | One month's rent, in addition to the first month's rent (two months for a landlord meeting the small-landlord test in 1950.5(c)(5)). | No interest requirement in this section. | Up to twice the amount of the deposit in statutory damages for a bad-faith claim or retention, plus actual damages (1950.5(m)). |
| Colorado | One month (up to 60 days if the lease says so) | No more than two monthly rent payments (38-12-102.5, effective August 7, 2023). | No interest requirement in this section. | Three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs. A landlord who misses the deadline loses the right to withhold. |
| Florida | 15 days if no claim; 30 days to send a claim notice | No statutory cap on the amount. | The landlord must tell the tenant whether the deposit sits in a non-interest-bearing account, an interest-bearing account (at least 75% of the annualized rate, or 5% simple interest) or a surety bond (5% simple interest a year). | A landlord who does not send the claim notice within 30 days forfeits the right to impose a claim on the deposit. |
| Massachusetts | 30 calendar days | A security deposit equal to the first month's rent. | 5% a year, paid at the end of each year of the tenancy; accrued interest is due within 30 days if the tenancy ends early. | Three times the deposit, plus 5% interest, court costs and attorney's fees. |
| New York | 14 calendar days | No deposit or advance may exceed one month's rent (limited exceptions, such as seasonal use). | A landlord of a building with six or more family dwelling units must hold the deposit in an interest-bearing account; the landlord may keep 1% a year as an administrative fee and the rest goes to the tenant (7-103). | A landlord who misses the 14 days forfeits any right to keep part of the deposit. A willful violation can bring punitive damages of up to twice the deposit (7-108). |
| Texas | 30 calendar days | No cap or interest rule appears in the sections cited; check Subchapter C for your lease type. | None in the sections cited. | Bad faith: $100, three times the portion wrongfully withheld, and attorney's fees (92.109). Missing the 30 days without returning the deposit or an itemization is presumed bad faith. |
| Washington | 30 calendar days | No cap in this section. | No interest requirement in this section. | The court may award up to two times the deposit for the landlord's intentional refusal to give the statement. |
Not modeled: the other 42 states and DC, city and county rules, weekend and holiday roll-forward of a deadline (other than Arizona's business-day count), exemptions for small landlords or particular building types, and notice-delivery rules. Where a state lists several conditions, only the headline rule is shown.
Sources, read from the official or published statute text (as of October 2, 2026).
- Arizona: A.R.S. 33-1321
- California: Cal. Civ. Code 1950.5
- Colorado: C.R.S. 38-12-103 and 38-12-102.5
- Florida: Fla. Stat. 83.49
- Massachusetts: M.G.L. c. 186, 15B
- New York: N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law 7-108 and 7-103
- Texas: Tex. Prop. Code 92.103, 92.104 and 92.109
- Washington: RCW 59.18.280
California's text reflects the 2025 amendment (Stats. 2025, ch. 340, effective January 1, 2026). Statutes change, so confirm the current text before relying on a date.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit?
It depends on the state. California gives 21 days after the tenant vacates (Civ. Code 1950.5), New York 14 days (GOL 7-108), Florida 15 days if there is no claim and 30 days to send a claim notice (Fla. Stat. 83.49), Arizona 14 days excluding weekends and legal holidays (A.R.S. 33-1321), and Texas, Washington and Massachusetts 30 days. Colorado allows one month, or up to 60 days if the lease says so.
What happens if the landlord misses the deadline?
The statutes attach different penalties. In New York and Florida the landlord loses the right to keep any part of the deposit. Massachusetts allows three times the deposit, Colorado three times the amount wrongfully withheld, Arizona twice the amount wrongfully withheld, Washington up to twice the deposit, and California up to twice the deposit for bad faith. Texas presumes bad faith, which carries $100 plus three times the amount wrongfully withheld and attorney's fees.
Which states require interest on a security deposit?
Of the states in this tool, New York requires an interest-bearing account for buildings with six or more family dwelling units, with the landlord keeping 1% a year as an administrative fee, and Massachusetts requires 5% a year. Florida requires the landlord to disclose whether the deposit earns interest. The sections cited for California, Texas, Washington, Arizona and Colorado contain no interest requirement.
Is there a legal limit on the size of a security deposit?
Yes in some states. California caps it at one month's rent (two months for qualifying small landlords), New York and Massachusetts at one month, Arizona at one and one-half months and Colorado at two months. Florida, Texas and Washington set no cap in the sections cited. Enter the rent and your deposit and the tool flags a deposit above the cap.
When does the deadline clock start, move-out or lease end?
It depends on the statute's wording. California and New York count from the day the tenant has vacated, Texas from surrender of the premises, Arizona from termination plus delivery of possession, and Florida and Massachusetts from termination of the rental agreement or occupancy. Colorado counts from whichever comes last, lease termination or surrender and acceptance. The tool uses the date you enter as that trigger date.
Do I need to give my landlord a forwarding address?
Give one in writing regardless. Texas Property Code 92.103 makes an exception to the 30-day refund rule for the tenant's forwarding address under 92.107, and a landlord who cannot find you has an easy excuse for delay. Keep proof of the date you moved out and of your written address.