Security deposits: your renter rights
Last updated: September 2, 2026 · How we source & update
Most states cap deposits, limit deductions to real damage beyond normal wear and tear, and require an itemized statement by a deadline. You can usually dispute vague or unsupported deductions — and many renters recover money.
First step, today: Before anything else, send your forwarding address in writing and keep proof. In several states the deposit clock does not start until you do, and it is the cheapest step on this page.
Where this comes from: This is general national framing. The deadlines, dollar limits and remedies that decide your case are set by your state, city, lease and housing type — your state page carries the sourced rule with its official citation and its review status. This wording has not been attorney-reviewed.
Educational — information, not legal advice, and not attorney-reviewed. Rules depend on your state, city, and lease; the app shows the rule we have sourced for where you live, with its official source and review status.
What this means
A security deposit is your money, held by the landlord as protection against unpaid rent or damage. When you move out, the landlord can typically deduct only for real damage beyond normal wear and tear, and most states require a written, itemized list of any deductions returned by a set deadline.
Ordinary wear — faded paint, small nail holes, worn carpet from normal use — generally can't be charged to you. If deductions are vague, unsupported, or clearly wear and tear, you can push back, and a written demand or small-claims case often recovers the money.
What to do
- Take dated move-in and move-out photos and give your landlord a forwarding address in writing.
- Ask, in writing, for an itemized statement with receipts or estimates.
- Compare each charge against normal wear and tear; note anything unsupported.
- If unresolved, send a written demand — the app drafts one — or consider small claims.
Every letter and checklist above is free, with no login. If money or an eviction deadline is urgent, start with free rental assistance and legal aid in your state — help is always free.
Your rights vary by state
The specific deadlines and limits are set where you live. Start with your state:
Comparing deadlines across states? Our return-deadline dataset is transcribed from official statutes (pending attorney review) with CSV/JSON downloads.
Turn this into action.
Renter Shield shows the rule we have sourced for your state with its review status, drafts calm letters, tracks deadlines, and keeps your evidence private on your device — free to start.
Related renter questions
See where you are in the process
Security deposit: the evidence timeline — a stage map with no deadlines, showing what each stage means and what to do at it. All five decision guides.