Security Deposit Demand Letter

Demand the return of a security deposit your landlord is holding past the legal deadline.

Most states give a landlord a fixed number of days after move-out to either return your security deposit or send you an itemized list of what they kept and why. Miss that deadline and the landlord often loses the right to keep any of it — and may owe you two or three times the amount on top.

A written demand letter is the step that makes those penalties available. It puts the landlord on notice, starts the clock on statutory damages in the states that require notice before suit, and gives a small claims judge a clear paper trail showing you asked first.

Send this letter when

Your landlord's deadline to return the deposit has passed and you have heard nothing.
You received only part of the deposit back with no itemized statement.
The deductions you were charged are for ordinary wear and tear.
You were charged for repairs that were already needed when you moved in.
You need a documented demand before filing in small claims court.

What your letter includes

Your state's statutory return deadline and citation
The exact amount you are owed, with any partial refund credited
An itemized rebuttal of deductions you dispute
A firm response deadline and a statement of intent to file suit
Certified mail proof of delivery for your court file

Security deposit demand letters by state

Deadlines, penalties and required notice periods differ by state. Pick yours to get the rules that apply to you.

Deadline to return the deposit, state by state

Every figure below links to the full rules for that state, with the statute cited.

State	Deadline to return the deposit	Statute
Alabama	35 days after termination of the tenancy	Ala. Code § 35-9A-201
Alaska	14 days if you gave proper notice before moving out, 30 days if you did not	Alaska Stat. § 34.03.070
Arizona	14 business days after move-out and delivery of possession	A.R.S. § 33-1321
Arkansas	60 days after the tenancy ends	Ark. Code § 18-16-305
California	21 calendar days after you move out	Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5
Colorado	30 days, unless the lease sets a longer period — which may never exceed 60 days	C.R.S. § 38-12-103
Connecticut	30 days after the tenancy ends, or 15 days after you give a forwarding address — whichever is later	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21
Delaware	20 days after the tenancy ends	25 Del. C. § 5514
District of Columbia	45 days after the tenancy ends (a notice of intent to withhold is due within 30 days)	14 DCMR §§ 308-309
Florida	15 days if nothing is deducted; if the landlord claims damages, written notice is due within 30 days	Fla. Stat. § 83.49
Georgia	30 days after the tenancy ends and you surrender the premises	O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34
Hawaii	14 days after the tenancy ends	Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Idaho	21 days, or up to 30 days if the lease says so in writing	Idaho Code § 6-321
Illinois	30 days to return the deposit; in buildings with five or more units the itemized statement is due within 30 days and receipts within 30 days of that	765 ILCS 710/1
Indiana	45 days after the tenancy ends	Ind. Code § 32-31-3-12
Iowa	30 days after the tenancy ends and you give a mailing address	Iowa Code § 562A.12
Kansas	30 days after the tenancy ends (the itemized statement is due within 14 days of that)	K.S.A. § 58-2550
Kentucky	30 days after you demand the deposit in writing; the landlord may hold it 60 days total if you do not respond to the itemized list	Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580
Louisiana	One month after the lease ends	La. Rev. Stat. § 9:3251
Maine	30 days under a written lease, 21 days for a tenancy at will	14 M.R.S. § 6033
Maryland	45 days after the tenancy ends	Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203
Massachusetts	30 days after the tenancy ends	M.G.L. c. 186 § 15B
Michigan	30 days after the tenancy ends	Mich. Comp. Laws § 554.609
Minnesota	21 days after the tenancy ends and you give a forwarding address	Minn. Stat. § 504B.178
Mississippi	45 days after the tenancy ends	Miss. Code § 89-8-21
Missouri	30 days after the tenancy ends	Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300
Montana	30 days, or 10 days if no deductions are taken	Mont. Code § 70-25-202
Nebraska	14 days after the tenancy ends and you give a forwarding address	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416
Nevada	30 days after the tenancy ends	Nev. Rev. Stat. § 118A.242
New Hampshire	30 days after the tenancy ends	N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:7
New Jersey	30 days after the tenancy ends	N.J. Stat. § 46:8-21.1
New Mexico	30 days after the tenancy ends	N.M. Stat. § 47-8-18
New York	14 days after the tenancy ends	N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108
North Carolina	30 days, extendable to 60 days if the final damage amount cannot yet be determined	N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-52
North Dakota	30 days after the tenancy ends	N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.1
Ohio	30 days after the tenancy ends and you give a forwarding address	Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16
Oklahoma	45 days after the tenancy ends, and within 30 days of your written demand	Okla. Stat. tit. 41 § 115
Oregon	31 days after the tenancy ends	Or. Rev. Stat. § 90.300
Pennsylvania	30 days after the tenancy ends	68 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 250.512
Rhode Island	20 days after the tenancy ends	R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19
South Carolina	30 days after the tenancy ends	S.C. Code § 27-40-410
South Dakota	14 days after the tenancy ends; a full itemized accounting is due within 45 days if you request it	S.D. Codified Laws § 43-32-24
Tennessee	30 days after the tenancy ends	Tenn. Code § 66-28-301
Texas	30 days after you surrender the unit and give a forwarding address	Tex. Prop. Code § 92.103
Utah	30 days after the tenancy ends, or 15 days after you give a forwarding address — whichever is later	Utah Code § 57-17-3
Vermont	14 days after the tenancy ends	9 V.S.A. § 4461
Virginia	45 days after the tenancy ends	Va. Code § 55.1-1226
Washington	30 days after the tenancy ends	Rev. Code Wash. § 59.18.280
West Virginia	60 days after the tenancy ends, or 45 days after a new tenant moves in — whichever is sooner	W. Va. Code § 37-6A-2
Wisconsin	21 days after the tenancy ends	Wis. Stat. § 704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06
Wyoming	30 days after the tenancy ends, or 15 days after you give a forwarding address — 60 days if there is damage	Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208

How it works

1
Answer a few questions
Names, addresses, dates and amounts. We assemble the letter and cite the statute that applies in your state.
2
Review and edit
Read the finished letter, change any wording you like, and see exactly what will be printed.
3
We print and mail it
Your letter is printed, folded, stamped and dropped in the mail — certified, if you want proof of delivery.

Why we recommend certified mail

Several states measure deadlines and bad-faith penalties from the date the landlord received your written demand. A certified mail receipt is what proves that date in court.

Other letters we generate

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Cease and Desist Letter

Formally demand that harassment, collection calls, or false statements stop — in writing, with proof.

Notice to Vacate Letter

Give your landlord proper written notice that you are moving out — on your state's timeline.

This is not legal advice.

SendPaperMail is not a law firm, does not provide legal advice, and is not a substitute for an attorney. Our generators assemble a document from the information you enter and mail it for you. The statutes cited on these pages are provided for general information, may have been amended, and may not apply to your situation — city and county ordinances are frequently stricter than state law. If your matter is contested, involves a significant amount of money, or has a filing deadline, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.