HOW LONG DOES THE LANDLORD HAVE BEFORE HE HAS TO RETURN YOUR DEPOSIT


Here's the amount of time landlords have to return a tenant's security deposit after the tenant leaves. For details on your state's specific procedures for returning security deposits, see your state's landlord-tenant statutes.

State Deadline for Returning Security Deposit

Alabama No statutory deadline

Alaska 14 days if the tenant gives proper notice to terminate

tenancy; 30 days if the tenant does not give proper notice

Arizona 14 days

Arkansas 30 days

California Three weeks

Colorado One month, unless lease agreement specifies longer period of time (which may be no more than 60 days); 72

hours if a hazardous condition involving gas equipment requires tenant to vacate

Connecticut 30 days, or within 15 days of receiving tenant's forwarding address, whichever is later

Delaware 20 days

District of Columbia 45 days

Florida 15 to 60 days depending on whether tenant disputes deductions

Georgia One month

Hawaii 14 days

Idaho 21 days, or up to 30 days if landlord and tenant agree

Illinois 30-45 days, depending on whether tenant disputes deductions

Indiana 45 days

Iowa 30 days

Kansas 30 days

Kentucky 30-60 days, depending on whether tenant disputes

Louisiana One month

Maine 21 days (tenancy at will) or 30 days (written rental agreement)

Maryland 30-45 days, depending on whether tenant has been evicted or has abandoned the premises

Massachusetts 30 days

Michigan 30 days

Minnesota Three weeks after tenant leaves, and landlord receives mailing address; five days if tenant must leave due to building condemnation

Mississippi 45 days

Missouri 30

Montana 30 days (10 days if no deduction

Nebraska 14 days

Nevada 30 days

New Hampshire 30 days New Jersey 30 days; five days in case of fire, flood, condemnation, or evacuation

New Mexico 30 days

New York Reasonable time

North Carolina 30 days

North Dakota 30 days

Ohio 30 days

Oklahoma 30 days

Oregon 31 days Pennsylvania 30 days

Rhode Island 20 days

South Carolina 30 days

South Dakota Two weeks to return entire deposit or a portion of it, and to provide reasons for withholding; 45 days for a written, itemized accounting if tenant requests it

Tennessee No statutory deadline

Texas 30 days

Utah 30 days, or within 15 days of receiving tenant's forwarding address, whichever is later

Vermont 14 days

Virginia 45 days

Washington 14 days

West Virginia No statutory deadline

Wisconsin 21 days

Wyoming 30 days, or within 15 days of receiving tenant's forwarding address, whichever is later; 60 days if there is damage

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DAN THE ROOMMATE MAN

www.roommateexpress.com