Security Deposit Calculator

State law decides how much a landlord can demand up front, how quickly the money must come back, and what can lawfully be subtracted from it. This tool puts the deposit cap, return deadline and interest rule for ten states in one place, so renters and landlords alike can act on the actual statute instead of guesswork. Because deposit caps and return windows differ sharply from one state to the next and get revised over time, having the current figures matters for steering clear of disputes.

Behind the result sits a table of the deposit statutes of ten states: California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. After you pick one, the calculator looks up its deposit ceiling, framed as one or two months' rent, and applies that multiple to the rent you entered to produce the maximum lawful deposit. Several states set no statutory ceiling at all, including Texas, Ohio, Washington, Florida and Illinois, where the limit is whatever the lease says. The return deadline is taken straight from the statute, and the results also say whether the landlord owes interest on the deposit and under what conditions. Deductions are not calculated; states commonly allow them for unpaid rent or documented damage that goes beyond ordinary wear and tear.

Several states set separate caps for furnished units or for elderly tenants, so it pays to verify those carve-outs against your own circumstances. Disputes over deductions most often trace back to thin move-in and move-out records, which is why dated photos and video of the unit's condition are worth the few minutes they take. The figures here are general guidance; tangled cases warrant a lawyer who handles landlord-tenant matters.