Free Security Deposit Return Letter (All States)
Auto-calculating refund letter for any state. Enter the deposit and each deduction, and the generator totals them and computes the refund or balance owed, live on the page and in the PDF. Then check your state’s return deadline and itemization rules in the table below before you send it.
Direct answer: a security deposit return letter is the itemized accounting a landlord sends after move-out, and every state sets its own deadline and rules for it. The letter shows the deposit received, any interest your state requires, each deduction with its amount and reason, and the refund or balance owed. Deadlines differ sharply: California requires the itemized statement and refund within 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates (Civ. Code 1950.5(h)); New York within fourteen days (Gen. Oblig. Law 7-108(1-a)(e)); Florida within 15 days if nothing is claimed, or a written notice of claim within 30 days (Fla. Stat. 83.49(3)(a)). Late or incomplete accounting can cost a landlord the right to keep anything, and in several states a penalty of up to twice the deposit.
Key takeaways
- The deadline is state law and usually runs from move-out or the end of the tenancy, not from when you get around to it.
- Itemize every deduction, with a description and amount; several states also require receipts, invoices or photographs.
- Ordinary wear and tear is never deductible. Deduct for unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear, and cleaning back to move-in condition.
- Send it even if nothing is refunded. The letter proves you met the deadline and supports any claim for a balance.
- Prove the date sent, to the forwarding address the tenant gave you.
Generate Your Security Deposit Return Letter
Choose the state, enter the tenancy dates and the deposit, and list each deduction. The builder totals the deductions and shows the refund balance as you type. Enter your state’s deadline for your records; the letter prints it so the tenant can see the accounting was timely.
Start the clock on move-out day
Record the date the tenant vacated and returned the keys, and the date you received a written forwarding address. Then calendar your state’s deadline from the correct trigger. In California and New York the clock runs from the date the tenant vacated; under the model act it runs from termination, delivery of possession and the tenant’s demand.
List each deduction with a specific description. Leave unused rows blank; the generator totals only completed rows.
What is a security deposit return letter?
A security deposit return letter is the landlord’s written, itemized accounting of what happened to the tenant’s deposit at the end of the tenancy. It goes by several names: deposit disposition letter, itemized statement of deductions, deposit refund letter. Whatever it is called, it answers four questions for the tenant and, if there is ever a dispute, for a judge: how much was held, what was deducted and why, what is being returned, and when and how the accounting was sent.
The letter matters because deposit law in every state is built around it. The model Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA), the Uniform Law Commission’s 1972 template for many state codes, allows the landlord to apply the deposit to accrued rent and damages “all as itemized by the landlord in a written notice delivered to the tenant together with the amount due” (URLTA section 2.101(b)). State statutes elaborate that basic duty in different ways, but they share the same logic: a deposit belongs to the tenant until the landlord accounts for it in writing, on time.
The letter is not optional when you keep anything
If any part of the deposit is kept, the written itemization is the landlord’s legal basis for keeping it. Skipping it, sending it late, or sending a vague one is the most common way landlords lose deposit disputes they would otherwise win on the facts.
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit?
The deadline is set by each state’s statute; among the verified examples below it is fourteen days in New York and the model act and 21 calendar days in California, while Florida uses a two-track rule of 15 days to return or 30 days to give notice of a claim. The table summarizes what four sources actually say, checked against the official texts.
| Source | Deadline | What must be sent | Penalty for noncompliance |
|---|---|---|---|
| URLTA § 2.101 (model act) | [14] days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession and demand by the tenant | Written notice itemizing accrued rent and damages applied, with the amount due | Property and money due plus damages of [twice] the amount wrongfully withheld and reasonable attorney’s fees |
| California Civ. Code § 1950.5(h) | No later than 21 calendar days after the tenant has vacated | Itemized statement of the basis for and amount of any security received and its disposition, with supporting documents and photographs (unless repair and cleaning deductions total one hundred twenty-five dollars or less, or the tenant validly waived them) | Bad-faith retention: statutory damages of up to twice the security, plus actual damages (§ 1950.5(m)) |
| Florida Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(a) | 15 days after termination if no claim is made; if a claim is made, written notice within 30 days | Notice of intention to impose a claim, sent by certified mail to the last known mailing address or by email as the statute allows, in the statutory form; the tenant then has 15 days to object | See the Florida statute and our Florida page |
| New York Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108(1-a)(e), (g) | Within fourteen days after the tenant has vacated | Itemized statement indicating the basis for the amount retained, if any, with the remaining deposit | Actual damages; willful violation: punitive damages of up to twice the deposit |
Two lessons follow from the table. First, the trigger varies: New York and California count from the date the tenant vacated, the model act from termination plus delivery of possession plus the tenant’s demand, and Florida from termination of the rental agreement. Second, the content varies: Florida prescribes the wording of the notice of claim and gives the tenant fifteen days to object; California requires supporting documents. Our security deposit return deadlines by state guide compares every state, and the state table below links each state’s own return letter, where one exists, and its deposit law guide.
Security deposit return letters by state
Use your state’s own letter and guide to confirm the deadline, the itemization rules, any interest requirement and the penalties before you send.
What can a landlord deduct from a security deposit?
Generally three things: unpaid rent, the cost of repairing damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, and the cost of cleaning the unit back to the condition it was in at move-in; never ordinary wear and tear itself. California’s statute is a useful model because it lists the purposes precisely: compensation for “a tenant’s default in the payment of rent”; “the repair of damages to the premises, exclusive of ordinary wear and tear, caused by the tenant or by a guest or licensee of the tenant”; and “the cleaning of the premises upon termination of the tenancy necessary to return the unit to the same level of cleanliness it was in at the inception of the tenancy” (Civ. Code 1950.5(b)). The model act similarly allows the deposit to be applied to “accrued rent and the amount of damages which the landlord has suffered by reason of the tenant’s noncompliance” with the tenant’s maintenance duties (URLTA section 2.101(b)).
Usually deductible
- Unpaid rent for periods the tenant occupied or was obligated to pay for under the lease.
- Holes, burns, stains and breakage caused by the tenant, guests or pets.
- Missing items the lease provided, such as keys, remotes, blinds or appliance parts.
- Cleaning needed to restore move-in cleanliness: left-behind trash, heavy grease, filth beyond normal living.
- Other charges the lease makes the tenant liable for, where your state allows them to be taken from the deposit.
Not deductible
- Ordinary wear and tear: faded paint, light carpet traffic wear, small nail holes, minor scuffs, loosened fixtures from normal use.
- Conditions that existed before the tenancy began.
- Routine turnover work you would do for any new tenant, such as repainting on your normal schedule.
- Improvements that leave the unit better than it was at move-in.
California spells out the wear-and-tear limit in unusually broad terms: the landlord may not claim against the tenant or the security “for damages to the premises or any defective conditions that preexisted the tenancy, for ordinary wear and tear or the effects thereof, whether the wear and tear preexisted the tenancy or occurred during the tenancy, or for the cumulative effects of ordinary wear and tear occurring during any one or more tenancies” (Civ. Code 1950.5(e)(2)(A)). It also bars charging for professional carpet cleaning or other professional cleaning unless reasonably necessary to restore move-in condition (Civ. Code 1950.5(e)(2)(C)). Even where a state’s statute is less detailed, courts apply the same basic distinction.
How do you tell wear and tear from damage?
Wear and tear is the deterioration that comes from ordinary, careful use over time; damage comes from an accident, abuse, neglect or a specific event. Age matters: a carpet at the end of its useful life is not “damaged” by a tenant who walked on it. A reasonable approach is to ask what the item would look like after the same period of normal use, and to charge only for the difference.
| Item | Ordinary wear and tear | Damage that may be charged |
|---|---|---|
| Walls | Small nail holes, light scuffs, fading | Large holes, unapproved paint colors, crayon or marker, smoke staining |
| Carpet | Traffic paths, matting, fading from sunlight | Burns, pet urine stains, rips, large dye stains |
| Floors | Light surface scratches from furniture use | Deep gouges, water damage from a tenant’s leak, pet scratches through the finish |
| Fixtures and appliances | Worn finishes, parts failing from age | Broken doors, missing shelves, cracked glass from impact |
| Windows and blinds | Sun-faded blinds, loose cords | Broken panes, bent or missing slats |
| Cleanliness | Light dust, normal residue | Trash left behind, heavy grease, pet waste, pest infestations caused by conditions the tenant created |
When an item was already old, charging its full replacement cost invites a challenge. A common and defensible approach is to charge only for the item’s remaining useful life: if a carpet with an expected ten-year life is ruined in its seventh year, charge roughly three-tenths of the replacement cost, not all of it. Explain your calculation in the description line.
What should the letter include?
The parties, the property, the tenancy dates, the deposit and any interest, each deduction with a specific description and amount, the total, the refund or balance, how and when the refund is paid, and the landlord’s signature. The builder above produces all of these.
- Landlord name and address, and the letter date.
- Every tenant’s name and the forwarding address.
- Property address and tenancy dates, including the date the tenant vacated.
- Original deposit and any interest your state requires you to pay.
- Itemized deductions: a specific description and amount for each (“replace cracked bathroom mirror, invoice attached”), not “cleaning and repairs.”
- Total deductions and refund balance, or the balance the tenant owes.
- Refund method and check number, and the delivery method for the letter.
- Supporting documents, where your state requires them or where they will strengthen your position.
- Signature and title.
California’s documentation rules as an example
California requires, with the itemized statement, copies of bills, invoices or receipts for repair and cleaning charges; a description of the work, time spent and reasonable hourly rate where the landlord or an employee did the work; and photographs for repair or cleaning deductions (Civ. Code 1950.5(h)(2)). Those documents are not required if repair and cleaning deductions together do not exceed one hundred twenty-five dollars, or if the tenant signed a valid waiver, but the landlord must still provide them if the tenant requests them within fourteen days (Civ. Code 1950.5(h)(4), (5)). If a repair cannot be completed within the 21 days, a good-faith estimate may be used, followed by the documents within fourteen days of completing the work (Civ. Code 1950.5(h)(3)).
How should a landlord document deductions?
With dated move-in and move-out records, photographs, and receipts, so that each line on the letter can be traced to evidence. The strongest deposit files are built at move-in, not move-out.
Record move-in condition
Use a move-in condition report signed by the tenant, with dated photographs of every room. California now requires move-in photographs for tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025 (Civ. Code 1950.5(g)(1)).
Offer a pre-move-out walk-through
Some states require one on request: California requires the landlord to notify the tenant of the right to request a walk-through before move-out so the tenant can fix problems first (Civ. Code 1950.5(f)). Elsewhere it is still good practice, and our pre-move-out walk-through request form helps schedule it.
Record move-out condition
Complete a move-out checklist and photograph the same views as at move-in, before any repairs.
Keep every receipt
Invoices, receipts and, for your own labor, a note of the time spent and the rate charged.
Write specific line items
Each deduction should name the item, the location, the problem and the cost basis, and match a photo or receipt.
What happens if the landlord misses the deadline or itemizes badly?
The landlord can lose the right to keep any of the deposit and may owe a penalty of up to twice the deposit or twice the amount wrongfully withheld, depending on the state. The verified examples:
- Model act: if the landlord fails to comply, “the tenant may recover the property and money due him together with damages in an amount equal to [twice] the amount wrongfully withheld and reasonable attorney’s fees” (URLTA section 2.101(c)).
- California: “the bad faith claim or retention by a landlord … of the security or any portion thereof in violation of this section … may subject the landlord … to statutory damages of up to twice the amount of the security, in addition to actual damages” (Civ. Code 1950.5(m)).
- New York: a person who violates the deposit subdivision is liable for actual damages, and “a person found to have willfully violated this subdivision shall be liable for punitive damages of up to twice the amount of the deposit or advance” (Gen. Oblig. Law 7-108(1-a)(g)).
- Florida: the statutory notice warns the tenant that if the landlord fails to timely provide notice of a claim, the landlord must return the deposit but may later sue for damages (Fla. Stat. 83.49).
Because the stakes are this high, a landlord who is unsure about a deduction is usually better off sending a timely letter with the clearly supportable deductions than a late letter with every possible charge.
How should the letter and refund be delivered?
To the tenant’s forwarding address, by a method that proves when you sent it, and, where your state specifies a method, by that method. Certified mail with a return receipt is the common choice. Some states specify more: Florida requires the notice of intention to claim to go by certified mail to the tenant’s last known mailing address or by email as its statute allows; California requires the itemized statement to go by personal delivery or first-class mail unless the parties agreed to email, and, where the tenant paid electronically, generally requires the refund to go back electronically to an account the tenant designates (Civ. Code 1950.5(h)(1)). If the tenant gave no forwarding address, follow your state’s rule; in California, mailings go to the vacated unit.
Where several adult tenants shared the lease, follow your state’s rule on how to pay them. California’s default is a single check payable to all adult tenants, unless they all agreed in writing to another method (Civ. Code 1950.5(h)(1)(C)).
What if the tenant disputes a deduction?
Respond in writing, share the supporting evidence, and consider a partial refund where the charge is arguable; if the dispute is not resolved, it will usually be decided in small claims court. A tenant who disagrees often sends a demand letter first. Answer it promptly with copies of the move-in and move-out records, photos and receipts for the disputed line. If a charge turns out to be weak, refunding it quickly costs less than defending it and reduces the risk of a penalty claim. Our guide on how to handle a security deposit dispute walks through each step.
Do landlords have to pay interest on deposits?
Only in some states and cities, and the rules differ widely. Where interest is owed, it belongs on the return letter as a separate line, which is why the builder has an interest field. Our security deposit interest requirements guide explains which jurisdictions require it and how it is calculated; Chicago landlords, for example, have a separate interest rate notice.
What does a security deposit return letter look like?
A short cover paragraph, an accounting table, the refund line, and a signature. The PDF this page generates follows that structure. In plain terms, the body reads like this:
Sample wording
“This letter is the accounting of your security deposit for the rental property at 12 Elm Street, Unit 4, for the tenancy that began on June 1, 2025 and ended on May 31, 2026. You vacated and returned possession on May 31, 2026. Original security deposit: fifteen hundred dollars. Itemized deductions: replacement of cracked bathroom mirror, invoice enclosed, one hundred ten dollars; removal of furniture and trash left in the garage, receipt enclosed, ninety dollars. Total deductions: two hundred dollars. Refund balance owed to you: thirteen hundred dollars, by the enclosed check. No portion of the deposit has been retained for ordinary wear and tear.”
Notice what makes it work: every deduction names the item, the location and the evidence, the arithmetic is visible, and the dates show the letter was sent within the state’s deadline. The generated letter prints numeric amounts in the accounting table, as a check register would, and states the state and statute you entered.
What if the property was sold during the tenancy?
The deposit follows the tenancy, and the selling landlord can remain responsible for it unless it is properly transferred. Under the model act, a landlord who conveys the premises in a good-faith sale is relieved of most future liability after written notice to the tenant, but “remains liable to the tenant for all security recoverable by the tenant under Section 2.101 and all prepaid rent” (URLTA section 2.105(a)). California similarly addresses the transfer of the security to a successor in interest (Civ. Code 1950.5(i)). If you bought a rental with a tenant in place, confirm in the closing documents that the deposit was transferred to you, and send the return letter in your own name when the tenancy ends. If you sold, keep the record of the transfer and the notice to the tenant.
Does the deposit amount itself affect the letter?
Yes, if the deposit was more than your state allows, the excess can become a problem at move-out. Many states cap deposits. The model act sets the cap at “[1] month[s] periodic rent” (URLTA section 2.101(a)). California’s cap is one month’s rent for most landlords, or two months for certain small landlords (natural persons, or limited liability companies whose members are all natural persons, owning no more than two residential rental properties with no more than four units offered for rent), except where the tenant is a service member, for deposits collected on or after July 1, 2024 (Civ. Code 1950.5(c)). If you collected more than your state permits, get advice before sending the accounting, because a tenant disputing deductions is likely to raise the excess as well.
Common mistakes landlords make
- Missing the deadline because the clock was counted from the wrong trigger.
- Lumping charges together, such as “cleaning and repairs,” instead of itemizing.
- Charging for ordinary wear and tear or for pre-existing conditions.
- Charging full replacement cost for an item near the end of its useful life.
- No move-in record, leaving nothing to compare the move-out condition against.
- Not sending a letter when the deposit is fully used up or the tenant owes more.
- Sending to the wrong address or by a method that cannot prove the date.
Most deposit disputes are won or lost at move-in. A well-documented start, and careful tenant screening using the right screening report options, make the end of the tenancy far simpler.
How to complete and send the letter, step by step
- Select the state and, if you have it, the statute from your state page.
- Enter the landlord and tenant details and the tenant’s written forwarding address.
- Enter the tenancy dates, the date the tenant vacated, and the date the forwarding address arrived, and note your state’s deadline.
- Enter the deposit and any interest, then each deduction with a specific description and amount. The builder calculates the balance.
- Choose the refund and delivery methods, tick the box if you are enclosing receipts and photos, and add any notes.
- Generate the PDF, sign it, enclose the refund and supporting documents, and send it before the deadline by a method that proves the date.
- Keep a copy of the letter, the documents, and the proof of mailing.
Statute reference
| Authority | Subject | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| URLTA § 2.101 | Security deposits (model act) | Deposit capped at [1] month’s rent; itemized written notice [14] days after termination, possession and demand; [twice] the amount wrongfully withheld plus fees |
| Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 | California security deposits | Purposes and wear-and-tear limits (b), (e); pre-move-out walk-through on request (f); photographs (g); 21-day itemized statement, documents and delivery (h); bad-faith damages up to twice the security (m) |
| Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3) | Florida deposits and advance rent | 15 days to return if no claim; 30 days to give statutory notice of claim by certified mail or email; tenant has 15 days to object |
| N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108(1-a) | New York rent security | Itemized statement and refund within fourteen days after vacating; willful violation up to twice the deposit |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a security deposit return letter?
It is the written accounting a landlord sends a former tenant after move-out, showing the deposit received, any interest, each deduction with its amount and reason, and the balance being refunded or owed. Most states require some form of written itemization whenever any part of the deposit is kept.
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit?
Each state sets its own deadline. Verified examples: California requires the itemized statement and refund no later than 21 calendar days after the tenant vacates (Civ. Code 1950.5(h)); New York requires it within fourteen days after the tenant vacates (Gen. Oblig. Law 7-108(1-a)(e)); Florida requires return within 15 days if no claim is made, or a written notice of intent to claim within 30 days (Fla. Stat. 83.49(3)(a)); and the model Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act uses fourteen days after termination, delivery of possession and the tenant’s demand. Check your state’s page for the exact rule.
Can a landlord deduct for normal wear and tear?
No. Deposit statutes consistently exclude ordinary wear and tear. California, for example, bars any claim against the tenant or the security for ordinary wear and tear or its effects, whether it occurred before or during the tenancy (Civ. Code 1950.5(e)(2)(A)). Deductions are for unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear, and cleaning needed to return the unit to its move-in condition.
What must be included in the itemized list?
Each deduction’s description and amount, and the total. Some states require more: California requires copies of invoices or receipts for repair and cleaning charges, or a description of the work, time spent and hourly rate if the landlord did the work, unless repair and cleaning deductions together total one hundred twenty-five dollars or less, and requires photographs for repair or cleaning deductions under its current rules (Civ. Code 1950.5(g), (h)).
What happens if a landlord does not return the deposit on time?
Consequences depend on the state and can be severe. Under the model act, a landlord who fails to comply may owe the amount due plus damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld and reasonable attorney’s fees (URLTA 2.101). California allows statutory damages of up to twice the deposit for bad-faith retention, in addition to actual damages (Civ. Code 1950.5(m)); New York allows punitive damages of up to twice the deposit for a willful violation (Gen. Oblig. Law 7-108(1-a)(g)).
Where should the landlord send the letter?
To the forwarding address the tenant provided in writing. If there is none, follow the state’s rule; California, for example, directs mailings to the vacated unit when the tenant has not provided an address (Civ. Code 1950.5(h)(6)). Use a method that proves the date sent.
What if the deductions are more than the deposit?
Send the letter anyway, showing a refund balance of zero and the additional amount the tenant owes, supported by the same itemization. The letter documents that you met the deadline, and it is the starting point for any small claims case to recover the balance.
Can the landlord keep the deposit for unpaid rent?
Yes. Unpaid rent is among the most common lawful deductions, listed, for example, in the model act and in California’s statute. Show the rent periods and amounts on the itemization.
Is this the same as a security deposit itemization form?
They overlap. This letter is the cover accounting that states the refund and the deductions. Some landlords attach a separate, more detailed itemization or a move-out checklist; our itemization form is linked on this page.
What if two or more tenants shared the lease?
Follow the state’s rule on how to split or pay the refund. California, for example, requires the remaining deposit to be returned by a check payable to all adult tenants on the lease, unless all adult tenants agreed in writing to another method (Civ. Code 1950.5(h)(1)(C)).
Screen tenants thoroughly before move-in
The cleanest deposit returns come from tenants who were screened before move-in. Review credit, eviction filings, criminal background and, when available, employment history before you sign the next lease.
Related Resources
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