Security deposit limits by state

Sources & method

This reference was compiled in June 2026 directly from primary legal authority. Every row in the table above links to the official state statute or government source — the state legislature's published code, the state attorney general or housing agency, or, for the handful of states that publish their code only through a paid provider, the official enacting legislation or government summary. The citation in each row's Statute column is the live link; click it to read the controlling law yourself.

Where a state's official site serves its code through a JavaScript viewer, a PDF, or an access wall that could not be machine-confirmed, the link still points to the official government source and the substance was cross-checked against multiple secondary references before publication. Many states use tiers, exceptions, or sliding scales that a single number can't fully capture, so the per-row notes flag the most common carve-outs (pets, furnished units, lease length, small-landlord exemptions, tenant age).

Notes: "month(s)" means months of rent. Ranges and tiered deadlines depend on whether deductions are made, lease type, or whether the tenant gave notice or a forwarding address — read the linked statute for which tier applies to you. "No statutory limit" means the state sets no cap on the deposit amount (local rent-control ordinances may still apply). This is a best-effort summary, not legal advice.