Renter rights by state
Your first lease comes with rights you may not know about: how big a security deposit can be, how fast it has to come back, how much notice you get before the landlord walks in, and what you can do when the heat stops working. Those rules are set mostly by your state, and sometimes your city adds more.
This hub covers all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. (51 guides in total). Pick your state for a plain-English guide written for first-time renters. Each one has a quick-facts table, the main rules, where to get free help, and links to the official laws we checked.
Choose your state
Security deposits at a glance
The statewide maximum deposit and the deadline to return it after you move out. Many states add conditions, so open your state's guide for the details. “No state cap” means state law does not cap the amount; a city may. Tennessee's entry is marked “check your lease” because no current official state source we could reach states a cap or deadline.
| State | Deposit maximum | Return deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 month's rent (extra allowed for pets, alterations, added risk) | 60 days |
| Alaska | 2 months' rent (no cap if rent is over $2,000/mo) | 14 days (30 if deductions or no proper notice) |
| Arizona | 1.5 months' rent | 14 business days |
| Arkansas | 2 months' rent (landlords with 6+ units) | 60 days (landlords with 6+ units) |
| California | 1 month's rent (2 for some small landlords) | 21 days |
| Colorado | 2 months' rent | 1 month (up to 60 days if lease says) |
| Connecticut | 2 months' rent (1 month if 62+) | 21 days (or 15 days after forwarding address) |
| Delaware | 1 month's rent (leases of 1 year+) | 20 days |
| District of Columbia | 1 month's rent | 45 days (balance within 30 more if deductions noticed) |
| Florida | No state cap | 15 days (30 days to notify of a claim) |
| Georgia | 2 months' rent | 30 days |
| Hawaii | 1 month's rent (+ up to 1 month pet deposit) | 14 days |
| Idaho | No state cap | 21 days (up to 30 by agreement) |
| Illinois | No state cap | 45 days (damage list due in 30) |
| Indiana | No state cap | 45 days |
| Iowa | 2 months' rent | 30 days (after you give an address) |
| Kansas | 1 month's rent (unfurnished); 1.5 months furnished; +½ month with pets | 30 days (after move-out and your request) |
| Kentucky | No state cap | No fixed statewide deadline (check local rules) |
| Louisiana | No state cap | 1 month after the lease ends |
| Maine | 2 months' rent | 30 days (written lease) / 21 days (tenancy at will) |
| Maryland | 1 month's rent | 45 days |
| Massachusetts | 1 month's rent | 30 days, with interest |
| Michigan | 1.5 months' rent | 30 days (itemized list or full refund) |
| Minnesota | No state cap | 3 weeks (21 days), with 1% interest |
| Mississippi | No state cap | 45 days (after move-out and your request) |
| Missouri | 2 months' rent | 30 days |
| Montana | No state cap | 30 days (10 days if no deductions) |
| Nebraska | 1 month's rent (+ pet deposit up to 1/4 month) | 14 days |
| Nevada | 3 months' rent (incl. last month) | 30 days |
| New Hampshire | 1 month's rent or $100, whichever is greater | 30 days |
| New Jersey | 1.5 months' rent | 30 days |
| New Mexico | 1 month's rent on leases under 1 year | 30 days |
| New York | 1 month's rent | 14 days |
| North Carolina | 1.5 months' rent (month-to-month); 2 months (longer leases) | 30 days (final accounting up to 60) |
| North Dakota | 1 month's rent (+ pet deposit) | 30 days |
| Ohio | No state cap | 30 days |
| Oklahoma | No state cap | 45 days (after written demand) |
| Oregon | No state cap | 31 days |
| Pennsylvania | 2 months' rent (year 1); 1 month after | 30 days |
| Rhode Island | 1 month's rent | 20 days |
| South Carolina | No state cap | 30 days |
| South Dakota | 1 month's rent | 21 days |
| Tennessee | No cap stated — check your lease | Check your lease |
| Texas | No state cap | 30 days (after you give a forwarding address) |
| Utah | No state cap | 30 days |
| Vermont | No state cap | 14 days |
| Virginia | 2 months' rent | 45 days |
| Washington | No state cap | 30 days |
| West Virginia | No state cap | 60 days (or 45 days after a new tenant moves in, if sooner) |
| Wisconsin | No state cap | 21 days |
| Wyoming | No state cap | 30 days (or 15 days after you give a new address, if later) |
Before you sign, read our list of questions to ask a landlord before signing a lease.
Free: First Week in Your Apartment checklist
A 2-page printable for move-in day and your first week. Enter your email and we'll send you straight to the download.
Keep your lease facts in one place. The First Apartment Move-In Kit has a first-week timeline, lease and building facts, a utilities board, room-by-room unpacking, and a first-month money sheet — so your lease facts, notice dates, and move-in notes live in one place. $9.99 on Etsy. Undated.
Get the kit — $9.99 on EtsyNot legal advice; laws change and cities may add rules. Check the official sources below or a local legal aid office. This page is a plain-language summary written by First Apartment Kit, not the law itself. Last reviewed: October 2026.