Quick answer. Pick the state and the move-out date. You'll see the last day for the deposit and any itemized statement, the rule it comes from and what has to go with it. For example, a New Jersey tenancy ending Monday, November 30, 2026 gives Wednesday, December 30, 2026.
Work out the return date
Pick a state and a date to see the deadline.
How the date is counted
The calculator counts calendar days from the start event unless the state says otherwise. Arizona and New Jersey's displacement rule count business days; for those it skips Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays and tells you to add a day for any state-only holiday in the window. Georgia and Louisiana say "one month", counted here to the same date next month.
Rather have it handled? Landlord-tenant notices and filings in New Jersey, or process serving with an affidavit of service.
Some states give two dates. Florida has 15 days to return a deposit with no deductions and 30 days to send a certified-mail notice of a claim. Montana has 10 days with no deductions and 30 with them. North Carolina allows an interim accounting at 30 days and a final one at 60. Connecticut moves the deadline when the forwarding address arrives late, and West Virginia's runs to whichever comes first: 60 days after the tenancy ends or 45 after a new tenant moves in. The result shows each one that applies.
Every state's limit, interest and account rules are in the security deposit rules table. The calculator covers 49 of the 51 jurisdictions; the rest say where to check.
Ready to write it up? The security deposit return letter builder itemizes the deductions and totals what goes back.
Organizer information checked November 2026 against the official pages linked for each state; a few facts from vetted secondary sources, marked, not legal advice. It doesn't decide what applies to a particular lease or deposit: city and county ordinances, the lease itself and later amendments can change the answer. Where a fact isn't confirmed from official text, the page says so and names where to check. Anything entered in the calculator stays in your browser.
Common questions
When does the count start?
From the event the state's law names. That's usually the end of the tenancy or the day the tenant moves out and hands back possession. In Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Rhode Island the clock also waits for the tenant's forwarding or mailing address, so the calculator asks for that date too.
What if the deadline lands on a weekend or holiday?
The statutes we read don't say whether the date moves. The calculator shows the date the count reaches. Sending or mailing earlier avoids the question.
What should go out with the deposit?
The result lists what that state's text requires: usually an itemized statement of deductions, and in some states receipts, a sworn list or certified mail. If no part is kept, the full deposit (with interest where the state requires it) goes back by the deadline.
Does this apply to my city?
The calculator uses state law only. Some cities and counties have their own deposit rules, and a lease may set a shorter period. Check your local code too.
What if my state shows 'Not confirmed'?
We list a deadline only when an official page we opened states it. For those states the result names where to check, and gives no date.
Related: Security deposit rules by state · Return deadline calculator · Prorated rent calculator · New Jersey small claims basics · Bookkeeping for small landlords · Recording deposits in a landlord's books
