Money
Security deposit limits by state
The rule in every state and DC, with the statute and how well each answer is verified. Click a state for its full page.
A deposit limit caps how much a landlord can collect up front as security, usually stated as a number of months of rent. Some states set one cap for everyone, some set different caps for furnished units, older tenants or pets, and some set no statewide cap at all.
What to check in your state
- Whether pet deposits, last month's rent or "move-in fees" count toward the cap in your state.
- Whether the cap changes for furnished units, small landlords or tenants over a certain age.
- Whether a city or county you operate in sets a lower cap than the state.
Common mistakes
- Collecting a non-refundable fee that the state treats as part of the deposit.
- Raising the deposit at renewal above the cap.
Related: Security Deposit Rules by State: Caps, Interest and Deadlines · Security deposit return deadlines by state · Security deposit interest and holding rules by state
| State | Rule | Details | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | One month's rent, plus extra deposits only for pets, alterations, or added liability risk. | The cap applies to money held as security for the tenant's lease obligations. Any extra amount must be tied to pets, changes to the premises, or increased liability risk to the landlord or premises. | Ala. Code § 35-9A-201(a) Checked against the official source |
| Alaska | Two months' rent. No cap if monthly rent is over $2,000. | The limit covers prepaid rent and deposits combined. A separate pet deposit of up to one month's rent is allowed for pets that are not service animals, and it can only be used for pet damage. | AS 34.03.070(a), (h) Checked against the official source |
| Arizona | 1.5 months' rent, counting prepaid rent. | A tenant may choose to prepay more rent. State the purpose of every nonrefundable fee or deposit in writing. Any fee not labeled nonrefundable must be refunded. | A.R.S. § 33-1321(A), (B) Checked against the official source |
| Arkansas | Two months' rent. | Owners of five or fewer units who manage themselves are exempt from the deposit statute. The exemption does not apply when a third party manages or collects rent for a fee, so property managers must always follow it. | Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-16-303, 18-16-304 Secondary source |
| California | One month's rent, furnished or not. Small landlords may charge two months. | The two-month exception applies only to a natural person or an LLC of natural persons (including family trusts) owning no more than two rental properties with four or fewer units in total. It never applies to service members. Deposits collected before July 1, 2024 are not affected. A lease may not call any deposit nonrefundable. | Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(c), (n) Checked against the official source |
| Colorado | Two months' rent. | Pet deposits are capped separately at $300, refundable, and pet rent at the greater of $35 or 1.5% of monthly rent. From January 1, 2027, the two-month cap does not apply to post-closing occupancy agreements in home sales (SB26-054). | C.R.S. §§ 38-12-102.5, 38-12-106; SB26-054 Checked against the official source |
| Connecticut | Two months' rent. One month for tenants 62 or older. | If a tenant turns 62 after paying more than one month, refund the excess on request. First month's rent and key or special equipment deposits are not counted as security. | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21(b) Checked against the official source |
| Delaware | One month's rent for leases of one year or more. Furnished units are not capped. | Month-to-month or undefined tenancies have no cap in the first year, but after one year the deposit cannot exceed one month's rent and any excess must be credited back. A separate pet deposit of up to one month's rent is allowed, but never for a service animal. Tenants may offer a surety bond instead of a deposit (§ 5514A). | 25 Del. C. § 5514(a), (c); § 5514A Checked against the official source |
| District of Columbia | One month's rent, charged only once. | The deposit cannot exceed the first full month's rent and can be charged only once. You cannot start collecting a deposit from a tenant who has lived in the unit since July 17, 1985 without one. A pet deposit cap of 15% of monthly rent (D.C. Law 25-308) is in the Code but has not been implemented because it was not funded. | 14 DCMR 308.2; D.C. Code § 42-3502.17(a), (d) Checked against the official source |
| Florida | No limit. | Landlords may also offer a monthly fee in lieu of a security deposit, but the tenant must be able to switch to a regular deposit at any time, and if you offer it to one new tenant you must offer it to all new tenants at that property. | Fla. Stat. §§ 83.49, 83.491 Checked against the official source |
| Georgia | Two months' rent. | A landlord may not demand or receive a deposit above the equivalent of two months' rent. The cap applies to residential leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024. | O.C.G.A. § 44-7-30.1 (HB 404, 2024, § 4 and § 6) Checked against the official source |
| Hawaii | One month's rent, plus an optional pet deposit of up to one month's rent. | No pet deposit is allowed from a tenant without a pet or for an assistance animal that is a reasonable accommodation. At move-in you may collect only the first month's rent and the security deposit. The deposit can be used as last month's rent only if both sides agree in writing and the tenant gives 45 days' notice of vacating. | HRS § 521-44(b) Checked against the official source |
| Idaho | No limit. | State law does not cap deposits. Since July 1, 2024, cities and counties also cannot regulate the rent, fees, or deposits charged for private residential rentals. | Idaho Code §§ 6-321, 55-306 Checked against the official source |
| Illinois | No statewide limit. | Evanston and suburban Cook County cap deposits at 1.5 times monthly rent, and Oak Park requires between one and 1.5 times monthly rent, unless the unit is excluded from the local ordinance. | 765 ILCS 710; local ordinances Secondary source |
| Indiana | No statewide limit. | Indiana law sets no maximum deposit. A required prepayment of rent beyond the first rental period counts as a security deposit. Local governments cannot regulate security deposits. | IC 32-31-3-9; IC 32-31-1-20 Checked against the official source |
| Iowa | Two months' rent. | You may not demand or receive a deposit greater than two months' rent. A payment that is only advance rent is not a rental deposit. | Iowa Code 562A.12(1); 562A.6(12) Checked against the official source |
| Kansas | One month's rent unfurnished; 1.5 months furnished; plus up to half a month for pets. | The pet deposit is in addition to the base cap. Subsidized municipal housing authorities may use their own schedule. | K.S.A. 58-2550(a) Checked against the official source |
| Kentucky | No statewide limit. | No Kentucky statute caps the deposit amount, in or outside URLTA areas. KRS chapter 383 contains no deposit limit; KRS 383.580 (URLTA areas) regulates only how deposits are held and returned. | KRS chapter 383 (no cap); KRS 383.580 Checked against the official source |
| Louisiana | No statewide statute. | R.S. 9:3251 to 9:3254, Louisiana's deposit statutes, set no maximum deposit. Put the amount in the lease. | La. R.S. 9:3251 to 9:3254 Checked against the official source |
| Maine | Two months' rent. | At lease signing you also cannot collect more than the first full month's rent, the deposit, and any properly disclosed mandatory recurring fee. Owner-occupied buildings with 5 or fewer units are exempt from the deposit chapter. | 14 M.R.S. 6032; 6022-A; 6037 Checked against the official source |
| Maryland | One month's rent per unit. | The limit is per unit regardless of the number of tenants. Up to two months is allowed only for tenants on state utility assistance who pay utilities to the landlord, with written agreement. Overcharging exposes you to up to three times the excess plus attorney fees. Move-in charges cannot exceed the deposit plus first month's rent. | Md. Code, Real Prop. 8-203(b); 8-208(d)(11) Checked against the official source |
| Massachusetts | One month's rent. | At or before move-in you may collect only first month's rent, last month's rent, a security deposit no larger than first month's rent, and the cost to buy and install a new lock. Any other upfront charge is barred. A 2024 law lets the state allow an optional fee in lieu of a deposit, but that option works only after regulations are issued. | G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(b) Checked against the official source |
| Michigan | 1.5 months' rent. | The total security deposit for a unit may not exceed one and a half months' rent. | MCL 554.602 Checked against the official source |
| Minnesota | No statutory cap. | Minnesota does not limit the size of a security deposit. A separate prelease deposit is allowed only under the conditions in § 504B.175. | Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.178, 504B.175 Checked against the official source |
| Mississippi | No statutory cap. | The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act sets no maximum deposit. Read on an unofficial copy; the official code (LexisNexis) was not accessible. | Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21 Secondary source |
| Missouri | Two months' rent. | A landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit above two months' rent. A pet deposit is not counted as a security deposit under the statute's definition. | RSMo § 535.300.1, .8 Checked against the official source |
| Montana | No statutory cap. | Montana's deposit law sets no maximum. Any fee for cleaning or damage, whatever it is called, is presumed to be a security deposit and must follow the deposit rules. | MCA 70-25-101(4) Checked against the official source |
| Nebraska | One month's rent, plus a pet deposit up to one-fourth of a month's rent. | A landlord may not collect security above one month's periodic rent, however it is labeled. A separate pet deposit of up to one-fourth of a month's rent is allowed. Housing agencies are exempt. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416(1) Checked against the official source |
| Nevada | 3 months' periodic rent, counting deposit, surety bond and last month's rent together. | A tenant may buy a surety bond instead of a cash deposit only if you agree. You cannot require a bond. A reasonable nonrefundable cleaning fee is allowed if the lease says so. No other part of the deposit can be called nonrefundable. | NRS 118A.242(1)-(3), (8) Checked against the official source |
| New Hampshire | One month's rent or $100, whichever is greater. | Give a signed receipt naming where the deposit is held, and tell the tenant to list needed repairs within 5 days of move-in. No receipt is needed for check payments, but the 5-day notice still is. Owners of a single rented single-family home, and owner-occupied buildings of 5 units or fewer, are exempt from the deposit rules except for units with a tenant 60 or older. | RSA 540-A:5, 540-A:6, I Checked against the official source |
| New Jersey | 1.5 months' rent. | You may not require more than 1.5 times one month's rent as security. Any later increase in the deposit is limited to 10% of the current deposit per year. Owner-occupied buildings with no more than two rental units are exempt unless the tenant gives 30 days' written notice invoking the law. | N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.2, 46:8-26 Checked against the official source |
| New Mexico | One month's rent for leases under one year; larger deposits on annual leases require yearly interest. | On a lease of one year or more you may take more than one month's rent, but must pay the tenant passbook-rate interest each year on it. Prepaid last month's rent is not counted as a deposit. | NMSA 47-8-18(A)-(B) Checked against the official source |
| New York | One month's rent. | Applies to deposits and advances, with narrow exceptions (some seasonal units and owner-occupied co-op units). Rent-controlled units follow their own rules. | N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108(1-a)(a) Checked against the official source |
| North Carolina | 2 weeks' rent (week to week), 1.5 months (month to month), 2 months (longer terms). | Deposits may cover unpaid rent and utilities, damage, early termination losses, re-renting costs, post-eviction storage, court costs and fees allowed by G.S. 42-46. A reasonable nonrefundable pet fee is allowed. | N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-51, 42-53 Checked against the official source |
| North Dakota | One month's rent; up to 2 months in limited cases; pet deposit up to the greater of $2,500 or 2 months' rent. | Two months is allowed for a tenant with a felony conviction (as an incentive) or with a judgment for violating a prior lease. Service and assistance animals cannot be charged a pet deposit. | N.D.C.C. § 47-16-07.1(1)-(2) Checked against the official source |
| Ohio | No statewide limit. | Ohio's deposit statute sets no maximum. Interest rules apply to the part of a deposit above $50 or one month's rent, whichever is greater. | Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16 Checked against the official source |
| Oklahoma | No statewide limit. | The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act does not cap deposits. | 41 O.S. § 115 Checked against the official source |
| Oregon | No statewide dollar cap. | The deposit must be listed in the written lease and you must give a receipt. You cannot add or raise a deposit during the first year unless the tenant agrees to a change like adding a pet. After year one, give at least three months to pay a new or higher deposit. No pet deposit for an assistance animal. | ORS 90.300(2)-(5) Checked against the official source |
| Pennsylvania | Two months' rent in year one. One month's rent from year two on. | After a tenant has been in place five years or more, a rent increase cannot trigger a higher deposit. A tenant cannot waive these limits. | 68 P.S. § 250.511a (Landlord and Tenant Act § 511.1) Checked against the official source |
| Rhode Island | One month's rent. | A separate furniture deposit of up to one month's rent is allowed only for furnished units with furniture worth $5,000 or more. A lease cannot waive these rules. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(a), (e), (h) Checked against the official source |
| South Carolina | No statewide limit. | If you rent more than four adjoining units and use different deposit standards for different tenants, post the standards or give them to each applicant before signing. Otherwise the extra deposit cannot be used for damage deductions. | S.C. Code § 27-40-410(c) Checked against the official source |
| South Dakota | One month's rent. | A larger deposit is allowed only by agreement when special conditions pose a danger to maintaining the premises. Any money that secures the lease counts as a deposit, whatever it is called. | SDCL 43-32-6.1 Checked against the official source |
| Tennessee | No statewide limit. | The URLTA does not cap deposits. | Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301 Secondary source |
| Texas | No statutory limit. | Texas law does not cap the amount of a security deposit. Set the amount in the lease and apply it consistently to avoid fair housing problems. | Tex. Prop. Code § 92.102 Checked against the official source |
| Utah | No statutory limit. | Utah does not cap deposits. Any non-refundable part of a deposit must be stated in writing when the deposit is taken. | Utah Code §§ 57-17-1, 57-17-2 Checked against the official source |
| Vermont | No statewide limit. | State law does not cap deposits. Towns may adopt supplemental deposit ordinances, so check local rules (Burlington has its own ordinance). | 9 V.S.A. § 4461 Checked against the official source |
| Virginia | Two months' periodic rent. | The cap also covers combined deposit and damage or renter's insurance premiums charged before move-in. | Va. Code §§ 55.1-1226(A), 55.1-1208(A)(7) Checked against the official source |
| Washington | No statewide dollar cap, but tenants can pay in installments. | On written request, tenants can pay deposits, nonrefundable fees, and last month's rent in installments (three monthly payments for terms of 3 months or more) unless the total is 25% of one month's rent or less. A written lease and move-in condition checklist are required to collect a deposit. | RCW 59.18.260, 59.18.610 Checked against the official source |
| West Virginia | No statutory limit. | Pet fees and application fees count as nonrefundable only if the parties agree in writing; otherwise they are treated as part of the refundable deposit. | W. Va. Code § 37-6A-1(14) Checked against the official source |
| Wisconsin | No statutory limit. | Before taking a deposit, tell the tenant in writing they have at least 7 days after move-in to note existing damage and to request the list of damages charged to the prior tenant. | ATCP 134.06(1) Checked against the official source |
| Wyoming | No statutory limit. | The rental agreement must say whether any part of the deposit is nonrefundable, and you must give written notice of that when you take the deposit. | Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1207 Checked against the official source |
Laws change. Each rule shows its source and the date it was last checked. Read the statute and talk to a local attorney before acting.
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