State landlord-tenant law · 15–30 day return deadlines
Security Deposit Demand Letter
Landlord-tenant complaints rose 34% in 2025 and security deposit disputes top the list in every state. Every state gives landlords a strict deadline to return your deposit — miss it, and they often forfeit the right to withhold anything.
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State-by-state return deadlines
Every state has a different deadline. Miss it and your letter cites the violation. Your landlord risks forfeiting the right to make any deductions:
North Carolina
30 days
N.C.G.S. § 42-52
Florida
15 or 30 days
F.S. § 83.49
California
21 days
Civil Code § 1950.5
Texas
30 days
Prop. Code § 92.103
New York
14 days
RPL § 226-c
Illinois
30–45 days
765 ILCS 710/1
Georgia
30 days
O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34
Washington
30 days
RCW 59.18.280
Colorado
30–60 days
C.R.S. § 38-12-103
What landlords can and cannot deduct
ALLOWED DEDUCTIONS
✓Unpaid rent
✓Damage beyond normal wear and tear
✓Cleaning if tenant left property excessively dirty
✓Broken fixtures caused by tenant
NOT ALLOWED
✗Normal wear and tear (paint fading, carpet wear)
✗Repairs that were landlord's responsibility
✗Deductions without itemized written notice
✗Deductions after the statutory deadline
Landlord keeping your deposit?
Get a letter that cites your state's exact return deadline, challenges unlawful deductions, and sets a deadline before small claims court.
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