Enter the rent and the multiple you intend to charge to see the deposit amount.
Security deposit
$2,000.00
Monthly rent
$2,000.00
Multiple
1×
Deposit
$2,000.00
Deposit caps, interest and return deadlines are set by state law. Confirm yours.
Security deposit limits, interest requirements, and return deadlines are set by state and sometimes city law and vary widely. This calculator does no legal check — confirm your jurisdiction's cap before collecting.
Some states cap deposits at one month's rent, some at two, some set different caps for furnished units or by landlord size, and some have no statutory cap at all. Several also require the deposit to be held in a separate account, require interest to be paid, and set a strict deadline and itemisation requirement for returning it.
We deliberately do not guess your cap here. Look up your state's residential security deposit statute — it is usually a single, short section — and record the cap, the holding rule, and the return deadline in your own notes.
Document condition before you take a deposit
A deposit is only defensible if you can prove the unit's condition at move-in. A dated, signed move-in inspection with photographs is what turns a deduction into a documented fact rather than an argument.
Frequently asked questions
Is a pet deposit part of the security deposit cap?
In several states, yes — the cap applies to the total of all refundable deposits. Check whether your state counts them together.
When do I have to return the deposit?
Return deadlines are statutory and commonly range from 14 to 60 days after move-out, usually with a written itemisation of deductions. Confirm your state's deadline.