Free Virginia Security Deposit Itemization

▶ Watch overview

Free Virginia Security Deposit Itemization — overview

A Virginia Security Deposit Itemization is the written notice a landlord gives under Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A) at the end of a tenancy, itemizing the security deposit and any deductions, damages and charges, together with any amount due to the tenant. It is due within 45 days after the termination date of the tenancy or the date the tenant vacates, whichever occurs last. The deposit may be applied only to accrued rent, damages from the tenant’s noncompliance with § 55.1-1227 less reasonable wear and tear, other damages or charges provided in the rental agreement, and actual damages for breach. If the landlord willfully fails to comply, § 55.1-1226(E) requires the court to order the deposit returned with actual damages and reasonable attorney fees. The form on this page produces a complete itemized notice with a built-in deductions calculator; the rest of this guide explains the legal framework, what can and cannot be deducted, and the records that support each line.

▶ Watch: Virginia Security Deposit Itemization — Va. Code § 55.1-1226 explained

What this itemization does

A Virginia Security Deposit Itemization is the written notice a landlord gives a tenant under Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A) when the tenancy ends. The statute says: “The security deposit and any deductions, damages, and charges shall be itemized by the landlord in a written notice given to the tenant, together with any amount due to the tenant.” It does three jobs at once.

First, it itemizes the deposit and every deduction. A general line such as “cleaning and damages” does not tell the tenant what each charge is for. Each line should identify the item, the amount and the category in § 55.1-1226(A) it falls under, so the tenant — and a court, if it comes to that — can check it against the rental agreement, the move-in report and the move-out inspection.

Second, it delivers the money. The notice goes to the tenant “together with any amount due to the tenant.” Under § 55.1-1226(B), where there is more than one tenant, the refund is made with one check payable to all of them and sent to a forwarding address provided by one tenant, unless each tenant has agreed otherwise in writing.

Third, it meets the deadline: within 45 days after the termination date of the tenancy or the date the tenant vacates the dwelling unit, whichever occurs last. If damages exceed the deposit and require a third-party contractor, § 55.1-1226(E) allows an additional 15 days for the itemization of damages and repair costs — but only if the landlord gives written notice of that fact within the 45 days.

The form on this page produces a complete itemized notice with a built-in deductions calculator, automatic balance computation, the statutory references and a delivery block. The rest of this guide explains the legal framework, what can and cannot be deducted, and the records that make each line defensible.

Virginia legal framework — Va. Code § 55.1-1226

Virginia’s security deposit rules are in the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Title 55.1, Chapter 12 of the Code of Virginia. The central provision is Va. Code § 55.1-1226 (“Security deposits”). Its subsections work together:

The provisions that matter for itemization

§ 55.1-1226(A) — amount, permitted uses and the 45-day notice. No landlord may demand or receive a deposit “in an amount or value in excess of two months’ periodic rent.” At the end of the tenancy the deposit “may be applied by the landlord solely to (i) the payment of accrued rent, including the reasonable charges for late payment of rent specified in the rental agreement; (ii) the payment of the amount of damages that the landlord has suffered by reason of the tenant’s noncompliance with § 55.1-1227, less reasonable wear and tear; (iii) other damages or charges as provided in the rental agreement; or (iv) actual damages for breach of the rental agreement pursuant to § 55.1-1251.” The itemized written notice and any amount due must be given “within 45 days after the termination date of the tenancy or the date the tenant vacates the dwelling unit, whichever occurs last.” Where the tenancy ends early or without proper notice, the landlord still gives written notice of the deposit disposition within the 45 days but “may retain any security balance to apply against any financial obligations of the tenant.”

§ 55.1-1226(B) — multiple tenants and forwarding address. One check payable to all tenants, sent to a forwarding address provided by one of them, unless each tenant agreed otherwise in writing. If no forwarding address is provided, the landlord may hold the deposit in escrow and, one year after the end of the 45-day period, remit it to the State Treasurer as unclaimed property.

§ 55.1-1226(C) — final utility bills. With prior written notice given in the termination notice, a written notice confirming the vacating date, or a separate notice at least 15 days before the disposition, the landlord may withhold a reasonable portion of the deposit to cover the balance of a water, sewer or other utility account that is the tenant’s obligation to a third-party provider, and must provide written confirmation and any balance within 10 days after those bills are paid.

§ 55.1-1226(E) — remedy, contractor extension and successor landlords. If the landlord “willfully fails to comply with this section, the court shall order the return of the security deposit to the tenant, together with actual damages and reasonable attorney fees,” unless the tenant owes rent, in which case an amount equal to the deposit is credited against the rent due. Deductions made during the tenancy must be noticed in writing within 30 days of the determination. The contractor extension described above and the rule that a successor landlord is bound also live here.

§ 55.1-1226(F) — records. The landlord shall “Maintain and itemize records for each tenant of all deductions from security deposits … during the preceding two years” and permit the tenant or the tenant’s agent or attorney to inspect them during normal business hours.

§ 55.1-1226(G) — move-out inspection. On requesting the tenant to vacate, or within five days after receiving the tenant’s notice of intent to vacate, the landlord must give written notice of the tenant’s right to be present at the inspection. If the tenant asks in writing, the landlord sets the date and time, and the inspection “must be made within 72 hours of delivery of possession.” Afterwards the landlord provides a written disposition statement including an itemized list of damages. Our Virginia Move-In/Move-Out Checklist is built to document that inspection.

The tenant duties that define “damages” — § 55.1-1227

Damage deductions under § 55.1-1226(A)(ii) are tied to “the tenant’s noncompliance with § 55.1-1227.” That section requires the tenant to, among other things, keep the part of the unit the tenant occupies as clean and safe as the condition of the premises permits, keep plumbing fixtures as clean as their condition permits, use utilities and appliances in a reasonable manner, prevent moisture accumulation and mold growth with reasonable efforts, and “Not deliberately or negligently destroy, deface, damage, impair, or remove any part of the premises.”

Notice and fair housing

Under § 55.1-1202(A), landlord and tenant may send notices in electronic form “If the rental agreement so provides,” although any tenant may elect to send and receive notices on paper, and the sender must retain sufficient proof of electronic delivery. Under § 55.1-1202(B), notice to the tenant is served “at the tenant’s last known place of residence, which may be the dwelling unit.” Independent of state law, the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.) prohibits discrimination in the terms and conditions of a rental because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin or disability.

When and how to deliver

The 45-day clock

The period runs from “the termination date of the tenancy or the date the tenant vacates the dwelling unit, whichever occurs last.” Record both dates — the end date under the lease or notice, and the day the tenant actually moved out and returned the keys — and calendar 45 days from the later one. Finishing early is allowed: under § 55.1-1226(D), the landlord may make the disposition before the 45 days and charge an administrative fee for expedited processing if the rental agreement so provides and the tenant requests it in a separate written document.

The 15-day extension for contractor repairs

If damages to the premises exceed the amount of the deposit and require the services of a third-party contractor, § 55.1-1226(E) requires the landlord to “give written notice to the tenant advising him of that fact within the 45-day period.” If that notice is given, the landlord has “an additional 15-day period to provide an itemization of the damages and the cost of repair.” Without the notice, there is no extension.

Method of delivery

Deliver the notice in a way you can prove. Under § 55.1-1202(B), notice is served on the tenant “at the tenant’s last known place of residence, which may be the dwelling unit.” Mailing with a certificate of mailing or certified mail gives a record; electronic delivery is allowed only “If the rental agreement so provides,” the tenant may insist on paper, and the sender “shall retain sufficient proof of the electronic delivery” (§ 55.1-1202(A)).

Delivery address and multiple tenants

Use a forwarding address the tenant provided. For more than one tenant, § 55.1-1226(B) calls for one check payable to all tenants sent to a forwarding address provided by one of them, unless each tenant agreed otherwise in writing. If no forwarding address is provided, the landlord still makes the disposition within the 45 days, may hold the deposit in escrow, and one year after the end of the 45-day period may remit it to the State Treasurer as unclaimed property.

Damage discovered after the notice is sent

Section 55.1-1226(G) addresses this directly: “If additional damages are discovered by the landlord after the security deposit disposition has been made,” the section does not preclude the landlord from recovering them from the tenant, but “the tenant may present into evidence a copy of the move-out report” to show the damages did not exist at the move-out inspection. The practical lesson is to make the move-out inspection thorough.

What Virginia lets you deduct

Section 55.1-1226(A) says the deposit may be applied “solely” to four things. Every line on the itemization should fit one of them.

1. Accrued rent, including reasonable late charges

Rent that came due and was not paid, “including the reasonable charges for late payment of rent specified in the rental agreement.” Support the line with the rental agreement, the ledger and the due dates.

2. Damages from the tenant’s noncompliance with § 55.1-1227, less reasonable wear and tear

Physical damage the tenant or a guest caused deliberately or negligently, and costs caused by the tenant’s failure to meet the other § 55.1-1227 duties — for example, mold damage traceable to the tenant’s failure to make reasonable efforts to prevent moisture accumulation, or extermination costs § 55.1-1227(A)(14) makes the tenant responsible for. The deduction is taken “less reasonable wear and tear.” The standard is covered in detail in section 5.

3. Other damages or charges provided in the rental agreement

Charges the rental agreement itself provides for — for example, a cleaning or utility charge set out in the lease. Cite the lease clause on the line. Final water, sewer or other utility balances owed to a third-party provider follow the separate notice-and-refund procedure in § 55.1-1226(C).

4. Actual damages for breach under § 55.1-1251

Where the tenant breached the rental agreement (for example, by leaving before the term ended without proper notice), actual damages under § 55.1-1251 may be applied. In that case § 55.1-1226(A) still requires a written notice of the deposit disposition within the 45 days, though the landlord may retain any balance to apply against the tenant’s financial obligations.

What does not fit: reasonable wear and tear; repairs to conditions that existed before the tenancy; the landlord’s routine turnover work such as repainting on a normal cycle; charges that are neither in the rental agreement nor caused by a § 55.1-1227 breach; and any amount you cannot support with a record.

Reasonable wear and tear vs. damage — the standard

The wear-versus-damage distinction is where most security deposit disputes are decided. Virginia builds the rule into the permitted-use list itself: under Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A)(ii), damage deductions are “the amount of damages that the landlord has suffered by reason of the tenant’s noncompliance with § 55.1-1227, less reasonable wear and tear.” Deterioration from normal living is the landlord’s cost; damage from negligence, abuse or deliberate acts is the tenant’s. The challenge is deciding which side of the line a given condition falls on.

Working definitions

Normal wear and tear is the deterioration that comes from ordinary, intended use of a home by a tenant of average care: paint that fades from sunlight, carpet that flattens in walkways, light scuffs from furniture, small nail holes from hanging pictures, faint scratches on hardwood, mineral deposits on fixtures, and parts that wear out or fail simply because of age.

Damage is deterioration caused by negligence, carelessness, accident, abuse or deliberate acts of the tenant, a household member, a guest or a pet. Examples: holes larger than picture-hanging holes, broken windows or fixtures, broken cabinet doors, pet urine in carpet or padding, gouged floors, burns, water damage from a leak the tenant did not report, smoke damage, missing items, and trash or heavy soiling left behind.

Borderline cases and how to handle them

Most Virginia disputes are not at the extremes; they are in the middle. Four common situations:

Carpet replacement. Carpet has a limited useful life, so replacing old carpet at the end of a tenancy is largely a cost of ownership. Where the tenant did damage carpet (pet stains, burns, tears), the defensible charge is usually the portion of the carpet’s remaining useful life that the damage used up — a prorated amount — not the full price of new carpet. Keep the purchase date and price of the carpet so you can show the math.

Repainting. Interior paint in a rental is repainted on a regular cycle anyway. If the walls show only normal wear, repainting is the landlord’s turnover cost. If the tenant caused specific damage — large marks, crayon, holes, smoke discoloration, an unapproved color — the cost of correcting that damage is a candidate for a deduction, but a full repaint of a unit that was already due for one generally is not.

Cleaning. A unit returned in reasonably clean condition does not generate a cleaning charge just because the landlord cleans between tenants. Heavy grease, pet waste or odor, smoke residue, mold caused by the tenant’s neglect, or trash and belongings left behind can support a charge. Describe exactly what was cleaned and why.

Pet damage. Scratched doors and floors, chewed trim, stains and urine odor in the subfloor are damage. Charge for the specific repair, not for general wear elsewhere in the unit, and check whether a separate pet deposit or pet fee in the lease already covers the item.

Documentation that settles a wear-versus-damage question

The strongest record is a signed move-in checklist with date-stamped photographs, a move-out checklist with matching photographs taken from the same angles, invoices or estimates that describe the exact work charged, and — for older items — a short useful-life calculation showing the proration. A landlord with that record can explain every line on the itemization; a landlord without it is left arguing from memory.

Receipts, estimates and the two-year deduction records

Virginia has no receipts rule for deposit deductions. Section 55.1-1226(A) requires the deposit and deductions to be itemized in a written notice; it does not set a dollar threshold above which receipts must be attached. What Virginia does have is a statutory record-keeping duty and a statutory extension tied to contractor repairs.

The two-year record of deductions — § 55.1-1226(F)

The landlord shall “Maintain and itemize records for each tenant of all deductions from security deposits provided for under this section that the landlord has made by reason of a tenant’s noncompliance with § 55.1-1227, or for any other reason set out in this section, during the preceding two years,” and shall “Permit a tenant or his authorized agent or attorney to inspect such tenant’s records of deductions at any time during normal business hours.” The itemized notices this form produces, kept in a per-tenant file, are the core of that record.

Invoices and estimates when contractor repairs exceed the deposit

When damages exceed the deposit and need a third-party contractor, the § 55.1-1226(E) extension gives 15 additional days “to provide an itemization of the damages and the cost of repair.” The contractor’s invoice or written estimate is what that itemization is built from.

The landlord’s own labor

If you do the work yourself, record the date, the task, the hours and the hourly rate, and be ready to explain why the rate is reasonable (for example, by comparison with local contractor pricing). “8 hours at $25/hour degreasing the oven, range hood and kitchen cabinets, time log enclosed” is supportable; “my time, $200” is not.

The move-out report and photographs

The written disposition statement and itemized list of damages that follow the § 55.1-1226(G) inspection, together with date-stamped move-in and move-out photographs, are the most persuasive evidence that a condition is new damage rather than reasonable wear and tear. Remember that the tenant may use the move-out report against any damages claimed later.

The form’s Evidence column records, for each line, whether a receipt, estimate, photo or time log is enclosed. Lines marked “Receipt attached” or “Estimate attached” are flagged * on the PDF.

Required information for the document

Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A) does not prescribe a form, but it requires a written notice that itemizes “the security deposit and any deductions, damages, and charges” and accompanies any amount due. In practice, an itemization that works as evidence contains the elements below.

Header information

The parties and the tenancy. The landlord’s name (or the property management company), the names of all tenants on the lease, the rental address, the lease start date and the date the tenant vacated. Without these, the document cannot be tied to this tenancy.

Deposit information

The deposit total. The amount of the security deposit actually paid. Virginia caps the deposit at two months’ periodic rent (§ 55.1-1226(A)); if the tenant also prepaid rent, list it separately. If a utility balance is being held back under § 55.1-1226(C), say so on the notice.

Itemized deductions

Each deduction on its own line, with a specific description (not “cleaning” but “oven, range hood and refrigerator degreasing”), the amount, the category (unpaid rent, repair, cleaning, and so on) and a note of the supporting record that is enclosed.

Calculation

The total of the deductions and the result: the balance being returned to the tenant or, if the deductions are larger than the deposit, the amount the tenant still owes. Show the arithmetic rather than only the bottom line.

Supporting records

Copies of invoices, receipts or contractor estimates, photographs of the conditions charged, and the move-in and move-out checklists. Sending copies with the itemization answers most tenant questions before they become disputes.

Delivery and signature

The address the itemization is sent to, the method of delivery, the date, and the landlord’s or agent’s signature with printed name and title. The form on this page prints each of these.

Common mistakes that expose landlords to damages

Most Virginia deposit disputes turn less on whether a repair was needed than on how the deduction was handled. These are the defects that expose a landlord to the § 55.1-1226(E) remedy.

Skipping the move-out inspection notice

Section 55.1-1226(G) requires written notice of the tenant’s right to be present at the inspection, given on requesting the tenant to vacate or within five days after receiving the tenant’s notice of intent to vacate. Missing it undercuts the landlord’s move-out evidence.

Vague descriptions

“Cleaning.” “Wall repair.” “General damage.” Lines like these do not itemize anything. Specific descriptions do: “Oven and range degreasing, $85.” “Patch and paint two 4-inch holes, living room wall, $145.” “Replace pet-stained carpet pad, master bedroom, prorated, $175.”

Charging for reasonable wear and tear

Repainting walls that are simply due for paint, replacing carpet at the end of its life or filling picture-hanging nail holes charges the tenant for reasonable wear and tear, which § 55.1-1226(A)(ii) excludes.

Late notice, or claiming the extension without the notice

The itemized notice is due within 45 days of the later of the termination date or the vacate date. The additional 15 days in § 55.1-1226(E) exist only if the landlord gave written notice within the 45 days that damages exceed the deposit and require a third-party contractor.

Separate checks or the wrong payee

Where there is more than one tenant, § 55.1-1226(B) calls for one check payable to all tenants unless each has agreed otherwise in writing.

Emailing without a lease provision

Electronic notices are permitted only “If the rental agreement so provides,” and a tenant may elect paper (§ 55.1-1202(A)). Without that lease provision, deliver on paper.

Losing the deduction records

Section 55.1-1226(F) requires two years of itemized deduction records per tenant, open to the tenant’s inspection. A landlord who cannot produce them has a compliance problem independent of the merits of any deduction.

Tenant rights and remedies under Va. Code § 55.1-1226

Virginia tenants have specific statutory rights at move-out, and a court-ordered remedy when a landlord willfully ignores them. Knowing them is the landlord’s best reason to get the itemization right.

Right to an itemized notice and the amount due within 45 days

Under § 55.1-1226(A), the tenant is entitled to a written notice itemizing the deposit and all deductions, together with any amount due, within 45 days after the termination date or the vacate date, whichever occurs last (plus 15 days for contractor itemization only where § 55.1-1226(E) notice was given).

Right to attend the move-out inspection

Under § 55.1-1226(G), the tenant must be told in writing of the right to be present, and a tenant who asks in writing is entitled to an inspection within 72 hours of delivery of possession and a written disposition statement with an itemized list of damages.

Right to inspect deduction records

Under § 55.1-1226(F)(2), the tenant or the tenant’s authorized agent or attorney may inspect the tenant’s records of deductions at any time during normal business hours.

Court-ordered return, actual damages and attorney fees

Under § 55.1-1226(E), if the landlord willfully fails to comply with the section, “the court shall order the return of the security deposit to the tenant, together with actual damages and reasonable attorney fees, unless the tenant owes rent to the landlord, in which case the court shall order an amount equal to the security deposit credited against the rent due to the landlord.” Worked example: a landlord willfully keeps an entire $1,500 deposit without an itemized notice; the court orders the $1,500 returned, plus the tenant’s actual damages and reasonable attorney fees. If the tenant owed $900 in rent, the $1,500 would instead be credited against the rent due.

Retaliation

Section 55.1-1258 prohibits a landlord from retaliating by increasing rent, decreasing services, or bringing or threatening an action for possession after the landlord knows the tenant has complained to a governmental agency about a code violation materially affecting health or safety, complained to or sued the landlord for a violation of the Act, organized or joined a tenant organization, or testified against the landlord. A revised version of § 55.1-1258 takes effect January 1, 2027. A deposit decision that follows protected activity should be well documented and applied the same way it would be for any other tenant.

Bottom line for landlords. A specific, timely, documented itemized notice sent with the amount due, after a properly noticed move-out inspection, is the cheapest protection available against a deposit claim. The documentation takes a few hours; willful noncompliance can cost the whole deposit plus actual damages and the tenant’s attorney fees. The form on this page handles the mechanics; the analysis above is the legal context.

Virginia statute reference table

Citations are to the Code of Virginia, Title 55.1, Chapter 12 (Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act), as published by the Virginia General Assembly’s Legislative Information System (law.lis.virginia.gov) and reviewed in September 2026. Statutes change; confirm the current text before relying on it in a contested matter.

Frequently asked questions

Published by Tenant Screening Background Check

Established 2004 · 20+ Years · All U.S. States & Territories · Statute-Based · Attorney-Reviewed

A Private Eye Reports™ service trusted by landlords, property managers, and attorneys.

This form and the accompanying guidance are provided for general informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Virginia landlord-tenant law can change through legislation and court decisions, and how Va. Code § 55.1-1226 (security deposits), § 55.1-1227 (tenant duties) and § 55.1-1202 (notice) apply depends on the facts of each tenancy. Always verify current requirements in the Code of Virginia or with a qualified Virginia landlord-tenant attorney before relying on this itemized notice in a contested deposit matter. Review Virginia security deposit laws.