Maximum Security Deposit Limits

Last Updated: May 24, 2024 by Roberto Valenzuela

Find out the maximum that landlords in each state can collect for security deposits.

State Maximum Security Deposit
Alabama
  • 1 month’s rent + pet deposit, property modification costs, and anything else that could add risk for the landlord (such as a tenant with prior evictions)
Alaska
  • 2 months’ rent + pet deposit
  • No limit if rent exceeds $2,000 per month
Arizona
  • 1½ months’ rent
  • 2 months rent for mobile homes
Arkansas
  • 2 months’ rent
  • No limit for landlords who own fewer than 6 units and do not use a property management service
California
  • 1 month’s rent in most cases (as of July 1, 2024)
  • + ½ month’s rent when tenant has a waterbed
  • 2 months’ rent for mobile homes
  • 2 months’ rent for landlords who meet the following qualifications:
    • Own no more than 2 rental properties, renting no more than 4 total units
    • Landlord is a natural person or an LLC whose members are all natural persons
    • Tenant is not a member of the state or national armed services
Colorado
  • 1 month’s rent for mobile homes
  • 2 months’ rent for all other housing types
Connecticut
  • 2 months’ rent (for tenants under 62)
  • 1 month’s rent (for tenants 62 years old or older)
  • Additional deposit can be collected for a key or special equipment
Delaware
  • 1 month’s rent + pet deposit
  • No limit for furnished units
  • No limit for leases shorter than 1 year
Florida
  • No limit
Georgia
  • 2 months’ rent
Hawaii
  • 1 month’s rent + pet deposit
Idaho
  • No limit
Illinois
  • 1 month’s rent for mobile homes
  • No limit for all other housing types
Indiana
  • No limit
Iowa
  • 2 months’ rent
Kansas
  • 1 month’s rent for unfurnished units
  • 1½ months’ rent for furnished units
  • 2 months’ rent for mobile homes
  • +½ month’s rent for pet deposit
Kentucky
  • No limit
Louisiana
  • No limit
Maine
  • 2 months’ rent
  • 3 months’ rent for mobile homes
Maryland
  • 1 month’s rent beginning Oct. 1, 2024; 2 months’ rent until that date
Massachusetts
  • 1 month’s rent
Michigan
  • 1½ months’ rent
Minnesota
  • No limit
Mississippi
  • No limit
Missouri
  • 2 months’ rent + pet deposit
Montana
  • No limit
Nebraska
  • 1 month’s rent + pet deposit
Nevada
  • 3 months’ rent
New Hampshire
  • 1 month’s rent or $100, whichever is greater (single family properties if the owner only has one property and owner-occupied buildings with 5 or fewer units are exempt)
New Jersey
  • 1½ months’ rent
New Mexico
  • 1 month’s rent for leases shorter than 1 year
  • No limit for leases 1 year or longer
  • 1 month’s rent for standard mobile homes
  • 2 months’ rent for double-wide mobile homes
New York
  • 1 month’s rent
North Carolina
  • 2 weeks’ rent for week-to-week
  • 1½ months’ rent for month-to-month
  • 2 months for longer than month-to-month
North Dakota
  • 1 month’s rent + 2 months’ rent or $2,500 (whichever is greater) for a pet deposit
  • 2 months’ rent for tenants with felonies or judgments
Ohio
  • No limit
Oklahoma
  • No limit
Oregon
  • No limit
Pennsylvania
  • 2 months’ rent for first year
  • 1 month’s rent for leases after the 1st year
Rhode Island
  • 1 month’s rent + up to 1 more month’s rent for rentals with furnishings valued over $5,000
South Carolina
  • No limit
South Dakota
  • 1 month’s rent + pet deposit
Tennessee
  • No limit
Texas
  • No limit
Utah
  • No limit
Vermont
  • No limit
Virginia
  • 2 months’ rent
Washington
  • No limit
Washington D.C.
  • 1 month’s rent
West Virginia
  • No limit
Wisconsin
  • No limit
Wyoming
  • No limit

In addition to reviewing state laws, local governments may have additional limits or rules regarding security deposits. For example, the maximum security deposit in Seattle is one month’s rent, but Washington state law does not limit the deposit that a landlord can collect.

Can a Landlord Charge First and Last Months’ Rent, Plus a Security Deposit?

Landlords in all states are allowed to collect the first month’s rent in advance. However, some states consider last month’s rent to be essentially the same as a security deposit. In those states, the security deposit plus last month’s rent cannot add up to exceed the limit.

States that have no limit on the security deposit also have no limits to the rent that can be collected upfront. Landlords in states that limit the security deposit should check to see if they can collect the maximum security deposit in addition to first and last months’ rent.

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How Much Can Landlords Collect for a Pet Deposit?

State Maximum Pet Deposit
Alabama
  • No limit
Alaska
  • 1 month’s rent
Arizona Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 2 months’ rent for mobile homes
  • 1½ months’ rent for other housing types
Arkansas Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 2 months’ rent
California Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 1 month’s rent in most cases
  • 2 months’ rent for landlords who meet the following qualifications:
    • Own no more than 2 rental properties, renting no more than 4 total units
    • Landlord is a natural person or an LLC whose members are all natural persons
    • Tenant is not a member of the state or national armed services
Colorado Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 1 month’s rent for mobile homes
  • 2 months’ rent for other housing types
  • +$300 (maximum) pet rent, regardless of housing type
Connecticut Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 2 months’ rent for tenants under 62
  • 1 month’s rent for tenants 62 years old or older
Delaware
  • 1 month’s rent
Florida
  • No limit
Georgia Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 2 months’ rent
Hawaii
  • 1 month’s rent
Idaho
  • No limit
Illinois No limit
Indiana No limit
Iowa Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 2 months’ rent
Kansas
  • ½ month’s rent
Kentucky
  • No limit
Louisiana
  • No limit
Maine Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 3 months’ rent for mobile homes
  • 2 months’ rent for other housing types
Maryland Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 2 months’ rent
Massachusetts Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 1 month’s rent
Michigan Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 1½ months’ rent
Minnesota
  • No limit
Mississippi
  • No limit
Missouri
  • No limit
Montana
  • No limit
Nebraska
  • ¼ month’s rent
Nevada Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 3 months’ rent
New Hampshire Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 1 month’s rent or $100, whichever is greater
New Jersey Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 1½ months’ rent
New Mexico Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 1 month’s rent for leases shorter than 1 year
  • No limit for leases 1 year or longer
  • 1 month’s rent for standard mobile homes
  • 2 months’ rent for double-wide mobile homes
New York Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 1 month’s rent
North Carolina Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 2 weeks’ rent for week-to-week
  • 1½ months’ rent for month-to-month
  • 2 months’ rent for longer than month-to-month
North Dakota
  • $2,500 or 2 months’ rent, whichever is greater
Ohio
  • No limit
Oklahoma
  • No limit
Oregon
  • No limit
Pennsylvania Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 2 months’ rent
  • Except only 1 month’s rent for leases that are renewed beyond the 1st year
Rhode Island Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
  • 1 month’s rent
South Carolina
  • No limit
South Dakota
  • No limit
Tennessee No limit
Texas No limit
Utah No limit
Vermont No limit
Virginia Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
2 months’ rent
Washington No limit
Washington D.C. Total of all deposits cannot exceed:
1 month’s rent
West Virginia No limit
Wisconsin No limit
Wyoming No limit

Can Landlords Collect Different Security Deposits from Different Tenants?

Depending on the situation, landlords can choose to collect different security deposits from different tenants. For example, a landlord may decide to collect 1½ months’ rent from a group of four tenants renting a two-bedroom unit, but collect only 1 month’s rent from a single tenant renting a similar unit. Higher security deposits can also be asked from higher risk tenants.

However, landlords cannot apply different standards to groups of people in a discriminatory way. The federal Fair Housing Act prevents discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability.

Sources

More Security Deposit Law Resources