How to use the security deposit return deadline calculator
Korea protects a tenant's deposit through a confirmed date stamp and a statutory priority repayment right in a foreclosure auction. The United States has no equivalent: there is no recording system that ranks a tenant against a bank's mortgage. What US law gives tenants instead is a security deposit statute, which caps the deposit, sets a hard deadline for returning it, and penalizes a landlord who keeps it without cause.
Enter your move-out date, the deposit you paid, any itemized deductions, your state's deadline, and the damages multiplier your state allows. The calculator returns the date the refund is due, how many days remain, the amount owed after deductions, and the outer figure a court could award if withholding is found to be wrongful.
Legal basis (as of September 2026) — deposit rules are state law. California Civil Code §1950.5 requires an itemized statement and refund within 21 days and allows up to twice the deposit in statutory damages for bad faith retention. New York General Obligations Law §7-108 sets 14 days and up to twice the deposit for a willful violation. Massachusetts General Laws chapter 186 §15B sets 30 days and allows treble damages. There is no federal security deposit law.
This calculator is for reference only and is not legal advice. Whether a deduction is proper and whether damages apply are decided case by case. Consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the state. California allows 21 days, New York 14 days, and Massachusetts 30 days. Many states fall between 14 and 60 days, so check your own statute and edit the field.
Typically unpaid rent and repair of damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Most states require a written itemized statement, and a missing statement can itself trigger penalties.
No. US law has no confirmed date filing that ranks a tenant ahead of later lienholders. Deposit protection comes from state security deposit statutes rather than from a recording priority.