Security Deposit Calculator

Enter your state, deposit amount, and move-out date to see your landlord's return deadline and your potential recovery if they miss it.

How This Calculator Works

Enter your state, the deposit amount you paid, and the date you officially moved out and returned the keys. The calculator uses each state's statutory return deadline to tell you the exact date by which your landlord must return your deposit or provide an itemized statement.

If that deadline has passed, the calculator shows the maximum penalty you may be able to claim in small claims court under your state's landlord-tenant statute — typically 2× or 3× the withheld amount.

Note: This tool provides a general estimate for educational purposes. Some states count business days, require a forwarding address before the clock starts, or have different timelines depending on whether deductions are made. Always verify against your state's specific statute. This is not legal advice.

What This Calculator Does — and Does Not Do

It does

  • Count your state's statutory return period from the move-out date you enter, in calendar or business days as the statute says.
  • Show the statutory maximum recovery if the whole deposit is wrongfully withheld, using the multiple in the statute.
  • Link the statute we read and show when a person last verified the rule against it.

It does not

  • Skip state legal holidays, or know your lease's terms.
  • Start the clock from anything but your move-out date — some states run it from the end of the lease, your forwarding address, or your written demand.
  • Apply local ordinances (Chicago, New York City, and others add rules), interest on deposits, or the bad-faith finding most multipliers require.
  • Tell you what a court will do in your case.

Next Steps