When does a landlord have to return your security deposit?

Nearly every state sets a deadline for returning a security deposit after tenancy ends, commonly somewhere between 14 and 60 days, along with a requirement to provide an itemized written statement of any deductions and receipts or estimates in many jurisdictions. Landlords can deduct for unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and sometimes cleaning to return the unit to its move-in condition, depending on state law and lease terms. What they cannot deduct is ordinary wear and tear, the faded paint, minor carpet wear, and small nail holes that come from living in a place normally, though the line between wear and damage is exactly where disputes concentrate.

Protect yourself with documentation on both ends: photograph or video every room, including floors, appliances, and existing damage, at move-in and again at move-out after cleaning, with timestamps, and complete any move-in condition checklist the state or lease provides. Give proper written notice, leave a forwarding address in writing since some statutes condition the landlord's obligation on having one, and request a walkthrough if your state provides for one. If a deposit is wrongfully withheld or the deadline passes with no itemization, many states allow recovery of the deposit plus a statutory penalty, sometimes two or three times the amount, plus attorney fees, and small claims court is built for exactly this dispute. Start with a dated written demand letter citing your state's statute, which resolves many cases without filing.