OH · Researched October 7, 2026
Ohio has no cap on security deposits, but deposits must be returned with an itemized list within 30 days, and large deposits on long tenancies earn 5% interest. Evictions start with a 3-day notice that must include exact statutory wording. Managing rentals for others requires an Ohio real estate license, and rents and deposits must sit in a separate property management trust account.
Ohio defines a real estate broker to include anyone who, for others and for a fee, operates, manages or rents buildings to the public as tenants (other than as custodian, caretaker or janitor). There is no separate property manager license.
Owners managing their own property and their regular employees; court-appointed fiduciaries such as receivers and trustees; attorneys performing legal duties; custodians, caretakers and janitors.
A broker who manages property must keep a separate trust account at an Ohio depository used only for rents, security deposits and other money held for owners, and report it to the superintendent. That account may earn interest, which goes to owners pro rata.
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.
Send the refund with a written, itemized list of deductions. The tenant must give a forwarding address in writing. If you wrongfully withhold, the tenant can recover the amount withheld, an equal amount in damages, and attorney fees.
Interest is owed only on the amount above the greater of $50 or one month's rent, and it must be computed and paid to the tenant every year. The landlord-tenant statute does not require a separate account, but licensed brokers must hold deposits in a trust account (see licensing).
Ohio Rev. Code chapter 5321 sets no late fee cap or grace period. A court may refuse to enforce a lease term it finds unconscionable, so keep fees modest and spelled out in the lease.
Chapter 5321 has no application or screening fee section. Check local ordinances.
Chapter 5321 has no rent increase notice section. For a month-to-month tenancy, the practical floor is the notice needed to end the tenancy, given at least 30 days before the periodic rental date.
No city, county, or other political subdivision may impose rent control or rent stabilization, or otherwise regulate rights and duties already covered by chapter 5321. Local housing, building, health, and safety codes still apply, and local governments may set rents on property they own or tie rent terms to voluntary incentives.
Serve by certified mail, in person, or by leaving it at the home or premises. The notice must include this exact language, printed conspicuously: "You are being asked to leave the premises. If you do not leave, an eviction action may be initiated against you. If you are in doubt regarding your legal rights and obligations as a tenant, it is recommended that you seek legal assistance." The statute gives no right to cure by paying.
For tenant duties under § 5321.05 that materially affect health and safety, the notice must describe the problem and give a termination date at least 30 days after receipt. If the tenant fixes it, the lease continues. Drug activity uses a separate 3-day termination notice under § 5321.17(C).
Either side may end a month-to-month tenancy with notice at least 30 days before the rent due date. Week-to-week tenancies need at least 7 days.
After the 3-day notice, file in municipal or county court. The summons must be served at least 7 days before trial, and the possession hearing cannot be sooner than the 7th day after service is complete. Since April 9, 2025, do not name a minor tenant as a defendant when a parent or adult guardian is also named. Move-out timing after judgment depends on local court practice.
Chapter 5321 sets no storage or notice period for property left behind after a tenant leaves. A landlord may not seize a tenant's belongings to collect rent without a court order, or use lockouts or utility shutoffs to regain possession. Follow the lease and the local court's set-out practice after a judgment.
Enter only at reasonable times, except in emergencies. Improper or harassing entry lets the tenant recover damages and attorney fees or end the lease. Tenants may not unreasonably refuse entry for inspections, repairs or showings.
Landlords must maintain systems and appliances they supply, keep common areas safe, and provide running water, hot water and heat. If a landlord ignores written notice for a reasonable time (no more than 30 days), a tenant who is current on rent may deposit rent with the court, ask for a repair order, or end the lease. The rent deposit remedy does not apply to landlords with three or fewer units who give written notice of that fact, or to student tenants.
Every written lease must list the owner's name and address and the agent's, if any. For oral leases, give it in writing at move-in. If you skip it, the tenant's notice duties before rent deposit are waived. Federal lead paint disclosure applies to pre-1978 housing.
Ohio law covers race, color, religion, sex, military status, familial status, ancestry, disability, and national origin. Some cities add more, such as source of income.
A landlord may not list a minor tenant as a defendant in an eviction if a parent or adult guardian is also listed. The court must dismiss such a case and order the filer to pay the minor's reasonable attorney fees.
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Compare with other states: security deposit limit, deposit return deadline, deposit interest and holding rules, late fees, application and screening fees, rent increase notice, rent control, notice for unpaid rent, notice for lease violations, ending a month-to-month, eviction timeline, abandoned property, landlord entry, repairs and habitability, required disclosures, state fair housing protections.