A Security Deposit Receipt gets sent by a landlord to prove payment of a tenant’s security deposit. It also documents where the deposit is held for the duration of the lease.
Items To Include in a Security Deposit Receipt
A Security Deposit Receipt can potentially take many forms, but at minimum must include the following:
- Date of receipt.
- Tenant’s name and current address.
- Amount of security deposit, and date it was made.
- The name and location of the institution holding the security deposit, plus account number if required.
- Any relevant lease terms related to the holding or distribution of the security deposit.
- Landlord’s name and signature.
When filing a copy of the security deposit receipt, it’s also important to note the means of delivery (ideally hand-delivered or via certified mail) along with the method of payment (cash, credit card, check, etc.).
Sending a Security Deposit Receipt To a Tenant
While many states do not have a specific requirement for when this receipt must be sent, it should be provided to the tenant as soon as possible after they provide their security deposit. Where there is a law about sending receipts, the maximum time allowed is usually 30 days.
It’s important to use a method that provides a signed confirmation of delivery. Certified mail is customary, especially with the restricted delivery option since this means the tenant has to sign for the receipt personally. Landlords will also sometimes hand deliver the receipt and get signature confirmation on a copy.
Security Deposit Limits
The amount retained in a security deposit (and reflected on the receipt) must be within the maximum allowed by state law. These are the limits for security deposit amounts, state by state:
| State | Maximum Security Deposit |
| Alabama | 1 month’s rent. |
| Alaska | 2 months’ rent. |
| Arizona | 2 months’ rent. |
| Arkansas | 2 months’ rent (only required for rentals with landlords managing 6 units or more). |
| California | 2 months’ rent for unfurnished units, 3 months’ for furnished units. |
| Colorado | No legal maximum. |
| Connecticut | 2 months’ rent (1 month’s, for for tenants 62 years of age or older). |
| Delaware | 1 month’s rent (only for leases with a term of 1 year or more). For month-to-month tenancies, no limit for the first year and one month’s rent thereafter. |
| Florida | No legal maximum. |
| Georgia | No legal maximum. |
| Hawaii | 1 month’s rent. Landlords may require an additional month’s rent as a security deposit for tenants who keep a pet. |
| Idaho | No legal maximum. |
| Illinois | No legal maximum. |
| Indiana | No legal maximum. |
| Iowa | Two months’ rent. |
| Kansas | 1 and 1/2 months’ rent for furnished units. 1 month’s rent for unfurnished units. |
| Kentucky | No legal maximum. |
| Louisiana | No legal maximum. |
| Maine | 2 month’s rent. |
| Maryland | 2 month’s rent. |
| Massachusetts | 1 month’s rent. |
| Michigan | 1 and 1/2 months’ rent. |
| Minnesota | No legal maximum. |
| Mississippi | No legal maximum. |
| Missouri | Two months’ rent. |
| Montana | No legal maximum. |
| Nebraska | 1 month’s rent (no pets); 1 and 1/4 months’ rent (pets). |
| Nevada | 3 months’ rent. |
| New Hampshire | 1 month’s rent or $100, whichever is greater. |
| New Jersey | 1 and 1/2 months’ rent. |
| New Mexico | 1 month’s rent for leases with a term of less than 1 year. No legal maximum for longer leases. |
| New York | 1 month’s rent for units NOT subject to the City Rent and Rehabilitation Law or the Emergency Housing Rent Control Law. |
| North Carolina | 1 and 1/2 months’ rent for month-to-month rental agreements. 2 months’ rent for leases longer than 2 months. Additional, “reasonable” non-refundable pet deposit allowed. |
| North Dakota | 1 month’s rent. |
| Ohio | No legal maximum. |
| Oklahoma | No legal maximum. |
| Oregon | No legal maximum. |
| Pennsylvania | 2 months’ rent; 1 month’s rent for leases that are renewed beyond the first year. |
| Rhode Island | 1 month’s rent. |
| South Carolina | No statutory limit |
| South Dakota | 1 month’s rent. |
| Tennessee | No legal maximum. |
| Texas | No legal maximum. |
| Utah | No legal maximum. |
| Vermont | No legal maximum. |
| Virginia | 2 months’ rent. |
| Washington | No legal maximum. |
| Washington D.C. | One month’s rent. |
| West Virginia | No legal maximum. |
| Wisconsin | No legal maximum. |
| Wyoming | No legal maximum. |
Returning a Security Deposit
At the end of the lease, the landlord must return the security deposit to the tenant (in some states with accrued interest) as long as there are no outstanding damages or lease violations that allow deductions or withholding.
If there are deductions, the landlord should note them in a Security Deposit Return Letter. If the landlord is withholding the entire security deposit, this should also be noted in an appropriate letter.
| State | Time To Return Security Deposit |
| Alabama | 60 days. |
| Alaska | 14 days with proper notice. 30 days without proper notice (or if the landlord is deducting any amount from the security deposit). |
| Arizona | 14 days. |
| Arkansas | 60 days. |
| California | 21 days. |
| Colorado | 1 month, unless a longer period (up to 60 days) is provided in the lease agreement. |
| Connecticut | 30 days, or within 15 days of receiving the tenant’s forwarding address (whichever is later). |
| Delaware | 20 days. |
| Florida | 15-60 days (depending whether the tenant disputes any deductions). |
| Georgia | 30 days. |
| Hawaii | 14 days. |
| Idaho | 21 days. |
| Illinois | 7 days. |
| Indiana | 30-45 days (depending whether the tenant disputes any deductions, or whether the landlord provided any statements or receipts). |
| Iowa | 30 days. |
| Kansas | 30 days. |
| Kentucky | 30-60 days (depending whether the tenant disputes any deductions). |
| Louisiana | 1 month. |
| Maine | 30 days for a written agreement. 21 days for a tenancy at will. |
| Maryland | 45 days. |
| Massachusetts | 30 days. |
| Michigan | 30 days. |
| Minnesota | 21 days. |
| Mississippi | 45 days. |
| Missouri | 30 days. |
| Montana | 10 days (30 days if the landlord makes deductions). |
| Nebraska | 14 days. |
| Nevada | 30 days. |
| New Hampshire | 30 days. |
| New Jersey | 30 days. |
| New Mexico | 30 days. |
| New York | 14 days. |
| North Carolina | 30 days. |
| North Dakota | 30 days. |
| Ohio | 30 days. |
| Oklahoma | 45 days. |
| Oregon | 31 days. |
| Pennsylvania | 30 days. |
| Rhode Island | 20 days. |
| South Carolina | 30 days. |
| South Dakota | 14 days (45 days, if the tenant requests an itemized accounting). |
| Tennessee | No statute. |
| Texas | 30 days. |
| Utah | 30 days. |
| Vermont | 14 days. |
| Virginia | 45 days. |
| Washington | 21 days. |
| Washington D.C. | 45 days. |
| West Virginia | 60 days, or within 45 days of a new tenant moving in (whichever is shorter). Additional 15-day extension if property damage exceeds the amount of the security deposit and the landlord must hire a contractor to fix it. |
| Wisconsin | 21 days. |
| Wyoming | 30 days (60 days, if there are deductions due to damage). |
