Returning a deposit?. Create a deposit return letter →
Usually yes, but there are two different ways to charge for cleaning, and states treat them very differently:
- A deduction from the security deposit at move-out, for cleaning needed to bring the unit back to its move-in condition. Almost every state allows this, within the deposit statute's itemization and deadline rules.
- A separate cleaning fee, charged up front or written into the lease as nonrefundable. Many states allow it, but a growing list ban it, cap move-in charges, or treat any "cleaning fee" as refundable deposit money.
Either way, you can't charge a tenant to clean away normal wear and tear, or to clean a unit that's already as clean as it was at move-in. This guide covers both approaches, the state rules in our dataset, how to document a cleaning deduction, and a lease clause.
Cleaning deductions from the security deposit
Deposit statutes generally let you deduct for damage beyond normal wear and tear and for unpaid amounts the tenant owes under the lease. Cleaning fits when the tenant leaves the unit dirtier than they received it: a greasy oven, a refrigerator full of food, trash left behind, pet hair and stains, or bathrooms that need more than a routine wipe-down.
What usually isn't a fair cleaning deduction:
- Routine turnover cleaning you'd do between any two tenants regardless of condition.
- Cleaning a unit that's as clean as at move-in. If you handed over a unit that was "broom clean," you can't bill to make it spotless.
- Professional carpet cleaning by default. Unless the lease and state law allow it, charge only when the carpet is dirtier than normal use explains.
- Wear and tear. Faded paint, light scuffs and worn carpet paths aren't cleaning problems. See our guide to normal wear and tear examples.
California's stricter rules
California is the clearest example of limits on cleaning deductions. Since January 1, 2025, deductions are limited to what's needed to restore the unit to its move-in condition, and that excludes professional carpet or other cleaning unless reasonably necessary for that purpose. Landlords must photograph the unit after move-out (before and after any repairs or cleaning) for tenancies ending from April 1, 2025, take photos at move-in for tenancies starting from July 1, 2025, and send the photos with the itemized statement (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5).
California also requires copies of invoices or receipts with any repair or cleaning deduction, unless those deductions total $125 or less or the tenant signed a valid waiver, and the itemized statement is due within 21 days after the tenant vacates. A landlord who keeps a deposit in bad faith can owe up to twice the deposit in statutory damages. The California security deposit law guide covers the details.
Missouri's carpet-cleaning rule
Missouri takes the opposite approach for carpets: it allows lease-agreed carpet-cleaning charges to be taken from the deposit if the lease warns the tenant (RSMo § 535.300). That only works if the warning is in the lease from the start.
Separate or nonrefundable cleaning fees
A flat "cleaning fee" charged at move-in, or a deposit that's partly nonrefundable for cleaning, is where the state rules split. Some examples from our dataset:
- Banned or treated as refundable: California treats move-in charges such as cleaning, key or processing fees as refundable security and doesn't allow any part of the security to be called nonrefundable. Montana presumes any fee for cleaning and damages is a security deposit no matter what the lease calls it. Massachusetts bans nonrefundable move-in charges such as cleaning fees by capping what a landlord may collect at or before move-in, and Hawaii lets a landlord collect only the first month's rent and the deposit at the start of a tenancy.
- Allowed with conditions: Nevada voids clauses that make a deposit nonrefundable, apart from a reasonable nonrefundable cleaning charge. Washington allows nonrefundable fees only under a written lease that clearly says they're nonrefundable, and they can never be called a deposit. Arizona requires a written statement of each nonrefundable fee's purpose. Utah and Wyoming allow a nonrefundable portion of a deposit only if it's disclosed in writing when the deposit is taken.
- Not addressed: many states, including Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, don't regulate nonrefundable fees, so the lease controls, subject to general limits on unconscionable terms. Cleaning charged against the deposit still follows each state's return rules; see the Florida, Ohio and Texas guides.
Here's what our dataset records for every state:
| State | Nonrefundable and move-in fees | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama statutes neither ban nor regulate nonrefundable move-in, cleaning or application fees (Ala. Code § 35-9A-201). | Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 (deposit section; silent) |
| Alaska | Alaska's landlord-tenant act says nothing about nonrefundable fees; it only caps prepaid rent and deposits 'however denominated' at two months' rent where rent is $2,000 or less (AS 34.03.070(a)). | AS 34.03.070(a) (silent on nonrefundable fees) |
| Arizona | Arizona permits nonrefundable fees only if the landlord states their purpose in writing, and any fee or deposit not designated nonrefundable must be refunded (A.R.S. § 33-1321(B)). | A.R.S. § 33-1321 |
| Arkansas | Arkansas law does not address nonrefundable fees, and since 2025 cities and counties may not regulate application fees or deposits either (Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-16-301 to -306; 14-54-1409). | Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-16-301 to -306 (silent) — summarized by the Arkansas Attorney General |
| California | California leases may not call any part of the security nonrefundable, and move-in charges such as cleaning, key or processing fees are treated as refundable security (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(b), (n)). | Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(b), (n) |
| Colorado | Since 2026 Colorado bans a list of landlord fees, including fees for property taxes, common-area upkeep, the landlord's own habitability duties, late payment of non-rent charges and services not provided (C.R.S. § 6-1-737(4), added by HB 25-1090). | C.R.S. § 6-1-737(4) (HB 25-1090, 2025 Colo. Sess. Laws ch. 94) |
| Connecticut | Since October 1, 2023, Connecticut has banned application-processing fees and move-in or move-out fees, allowing only the deposit, first month's rent, key or equipment deposits, and a screening-report fee of up to $50 plus inflation (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4d). | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4d |
| Delaware | Apart from optional amenity fees such as a pool or tennis-court fee, a Delaware landlord may not charge any nonrefundable fee as a condition of occupancy (25 Del. C. § 5311). | 25 Del. C. § 5311 |
| District of Columbia | D.C. limits pre-lease charges to a single application fee capped at $50 plus inflation, requires landlords to say up front whether each fee or deposit is refundable, and bans fees for services the landlord must provide anyway (D.C. Code § 42-3505.10(a)-(b-2)). | D.C. Code § 42-3505.10(a)(1), (b), (b-2), (c) |
| Florida | Florida's deposit statute does not ban or limit nonrefundable fees; only a fee in lieu of a deposit must be disclosed as nonrefundable if it is (Fla. Stat. §§ 83.49, 83.491(3)(f)). | Fla. Stat. § 83.49 |
| Georgia | Georgia expressly allows fees the parties agree will not be refunded, and such nonrefundable fees fall outside the security-deposit rules and the two-month cap (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-30(1), (3)). | O.C.G.A. § 44-7-30(1), (3) |
| Hawaii | At the start of a Hawaii tenancy the landlord may collect only the first month's rent and the security deposit, so other move-in charges are off-limits (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(b)). | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(b) |
| Idaho | Any money an Idaho tenant hands over for a purpose other than rent is treated as a refundable security deposit, and fees charged to tenants must be reasonable and listed in the rental agreement (Idaho Code §§ 6-321(1), 55-305). | Idaho Code § 6-321(1) |
| Illinois | Illinois currently has no statewide limit on nonrefundable move-in fees, but from January 1, 2027 non-optional fees must appear on page one of the lease and many 'junk fees' are banned (765 ILCS 710; 765 ILCS 705/35). | 765 ILCS 710 |
| Indiana | Indiana neither bans nor limits nonrefundable fees; its deposit chapter covers only money returnable to the tenant, and anything else paid under the lease is treated as rent (Ind. Code 32-31-3-6, 32-31-3-9). | Ind. Code 32-31-3-6 |
| Iowa | Iowa's landlord-tenant law neither bans nor regulates nonrefundable move-in fees; it caps only refundable rental deposits at two months' rent (Iowa Code §§ 562A.6, 562A.12). | Iowa Code § 562A.12 |
| Kansas | Kansas law neither bans nor regulates nonrefundable move-in, cleaning or pet fees; the deposit statute only governs money held as a security deposit (K.S.A. 58-2550, 58-2543(m)). | K.S.A. 58-2550 |
| Kentucky | Kentucky has no statute on nonrefundable fees, so cleaning, pet or administrative fees labeled nonrefundable are left to the lease, in URLTA localities and elsewhere (KRS 383.580, 383.565). | KRS 383.580 |
| Louisiana | No Louisiana statute bans or limits nonrefundable fees; the Lessee's Deposit Act reaches only money given to secure performance of the lease (La. R.S. 9:3251(A)). | La. R.S. 9:3251 |
| Maine | Since January 1, 2025, Maine landlords may require nothing at move-in beyond the first full month's rent, a security deposit within the two-month cap and any properly disclosed mandatory recurring fee, which leaves no room for up-front move-in or administrative charges (14 M.R.S. § 6022-A). | 14 M.R.S. § 6022-A |
| Maryland | Maryland limits nonrefundable charges two ways: move-in costs cannot exceed the deposit plus first month's rent, and application fees over $25 must be refunded except for actual screening costs (Md. Code, Real Prop. §§ 8-208(d)(11), 8-213(b)). | Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-208(d)(11) |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts bans nonrefundable move-in charges such as application, cleaning, amenity or pet fees by capping what a landlord may collect at or before move-in (M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(b), (4), (8)). | M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(b), (4), (8) |
| Michigan | Michigan does not ban nonrefundable fees, but any refundable fee or deposit, and any required prepaid rent beyond the first full rental period, counts as a security deposit subject to the 1.5-month cap (MCL 554.601(d)). | MCL 554.601(d) |
| Minnesota | Minnesota has no statute banning nonrefundable move-in fees, but every nonoptional fee must be disclosed and totaled with rent as the 'Total Monthly Payment' on the lease's first page (Minn. Stat. §§ 504B.120, 504B.178, subd. 1). | Minn. Stat. § 504B.120 |
| Mississippi | Mississippi does not regulate nonrefundable fees, and its deposit statute expressly leaves out payments, including advance rent, made to secure the execution of a rental agreement (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(1)). | Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(1) (2024 H.B. 1580 text) |
| Missouri | Missouri has no statute on nonrefundable fees, although its deposit law covers any deposit securing the lease 'however denominated' and allows lease-agreed carpet-cleaning charges to be taken from the deposit if the lease warns the tenant (RSMo § 535.300.4(2), .8). | RSMo § 535.300.4(2), .8 |
| Montana | Montana presumes that any fee or charge for cleaning and damages is a security deposit no matter what the lease calls it, so a 'nonrefundable' cleaning or damage fee is treated as refundable deposit money (MCA § 70-25-101(4)). | MCA § 70-25-101(4) |
| Nebraska | Nebraska's landlord-tenant act says nothing specific about nonrefundable fees, so it neither bans nor expressly permits them (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416). | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 |
| Nevada | Nevada voids lease clauses that make a security deposit nonrefundable, apart from a reasonable nonrefundable cleaning charge (NRS 118A.242(8)). | NRS 118A.242 |
| New Hampshire | In New Hampshire any money collected beyond monthly rent is a security deposit regardless of its label, and application or renewal fees must be disclosed in writing beforehand, with anything above actual screening and administrative costs refunded within 30 days to an applicant who is not housed (RSA 540-A:5, II; 540-A:3, VIII). | RSA 540-A:5 |
| New Jersey | Since May 1, 2026, a New Jersey landlord or agent may not charge more than $50 to apply for a residential lease, except for units in one- or two-family homes, and any prepaid sum held as security counts toward the deposit cap no matter what it is called (N.J.S.A. 46:8-18.1; 46:8-21.2). | N.J.S.A. 46:8-18.1 |
| New Mexico | Since June 20, 2025, New Mexico caps applicant screening fees at $50, bans any other application-processing fees, requires all fees to be itemized in rental listings, and requires 60 days' written notice to raise a fee under a lease (NMSA 1978 §§ 47-8-19.1 to 47-8-19.4). | NMSA 1978 § 47-8-19.2 |
| New York | New York bans move-in and application charges other than rent and the capped deposit, except a background or credit check fee of the lesser of actual cost or $20, and the deposit itself is refundable except for lawful deductions (N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(1); N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108(1-a)(b)). | N.Y. Real Prop. Law § 238-a(1) |
| North Carolina | Apart from a reasonable pet fee, North Carolina treats tenant deposits as refundable money that may be used only for the purposes listed in the statute and must be fully accounted for at move-out (N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-51, 42-52, 42-53). | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-51 |
| North Dakota | North Dakota has no statute addressing nonrefundable move-in or cleaning fees, so nothing in the leasing chapter expressly bans or authorizes them (N.D.C.C. § 47-16-07.1). | N.D.C.C. § 47-16-07.1 |
| Ohio | Ohio statutes neither ban nor regulate nonrefundable move-in fees; only money meeting the definition of a security deposit is subject to the return rules (R.C. 5321.01(E), 5321.16). | Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.01(E) |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma statutes neither ban nor regulate nonrefundable fees or deposits in residential leases (41 O.S. § 115). | 41 O.S. § 115 |
| Oregon | Oregon landlords may charge only the fees ORS 90.302 lists (such as late, dishonored-check and certain rule-violation fees) and may not charge an up-front fee for anticipated landlord expenses (ORS 90.302(1)-(3)). | ORS 90.302 |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania state law does not regulate nonrefundable move-in or pet fees; the Act governs only money deposited in escrow for damages or unpaid rent (68 P.S. §§ 250.511a–250.512). | 68 P.S. §§ 250.511a–250.512 (Act §§ 511.1–512) |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island requires every fee beyond rent to be disclosed next to the rent in the lease, or in writing when there is no lease, with 30 days' written notice before a fee changes (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15(a)(1)-(2)). | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15(a) |
| South Carolina | South Carolina's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act does not ban or limit nonrefundable fees (S.C. Code §§ 27-40-310, 27-40-410). | S.C. Code §§ 27-40-310, 27-40-410 |
| South Dakota | South Dakota law does not ban or regulate nonrefundable fees; only money that secures performance of the lease counts as a capped, returnable security deposit (SDCL § 43-32-6.1). | SDCL § 43-32-6.1 |
| Tennessee | Nothing in Tennessee's deposit statute bans or limits nonrefundable deposits or fees, so whether a payment is refundable turns on the lease (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301). | Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301 (as amended by 2011 Pub. Ch. 272) |
| Texas | Texas law neither bans nor caps nonrefundable move-in fees; it only treats money intended primarily to secure the tenant's performance as a refundable security deposit (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.102). | Tex. Prop. Code § 92.102 |
| Utah | Utah lets a landlord make part of a deposit nonrefundable only if, under a written agreement, that is stated in writing to the renter when the deposit is collected (Utah Code § 57-17-2). | Utah Code § 57-17-2 |
| Vermont | Vermont landlords may not charge any application fee to apply for a residential rental, and upfront money taken to secure a tenancy is treated as a refundable deposit (9 V.S.A. §§ 4456a(a), 4461(a)). | 9 V.S.A. § 4456a(a) |
| Virginia | Virginia caps the nonrefundable application fee at $50 plus actual third-party screening costs ($32 for HUD-regulated units) and, since July 2026, bars fees for maintenance or repairs unless the tenant caused the damage (Va. Code §§ 55.1-1203(C), 55.1-1208(C)). | Va. Code § 55.1-1203 |
| Washington | Nonrefundable fees are allowed in Washington only under a written lease that clearly says they are nonrefundable, and they can never be labeled a deposit (RCW 59.18.285). | RCW 59.18.285 |
| West Virginia | West Virginia lets a landlord keep a pet fee or application fee as nonrefundable only if the tenant expressly agrees in writing that it is nonrefundable (W. Va. Code § 37-6A-1(14)). | W. Va. Code § 37-6A-1(14) |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin treats every payment a tenant gives as security as refundable, so a deposit cannot simply be labeled nonrefundable (Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.02(11), 134.06(3); Wis. Stat. §§ 704.28, 704.085). | Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.02(11) ('security deposit' = total of all payments given as security) |
| Wyoming | Wyoming allows part of a deposit to be nonrefundable, but only if the lease says so and the renter is told in writing when the deposit is taken (Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1207). | Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1207 |
Generated from the MakeLease state-law dataset (51 jurisdictions, statutes last checked 2026-10-30). Researched and cited by MakeLease · not yet attorney-reviewed. City and county rules can be stricter.
Fees for things you must provide anyway
A newer trend bans fees for services the landlord is already required to provide. D.C. bars fees for services needed to keep the unit habitable (D.C. Law 26-156). Colorado's 2026 junk-fee law bans fees for the landlord's own habitability duties and common-area upkeep (C.R.S. § 6-1-737), and since July 2026 Virginia bars requiring tenants to pay any fee for maintenance or repairs unless the repair results from the tenant's own violation (Va. Code § 55.1-1208(C)). A recurring "cleaning" or "maintenance" fee for common areas is risky in these places.
Get landlord guides by email
New guides on leases, notices, taxes and rental laws. Unsubscribe any time.
How to document a cleaning deduction
A cleaning charge is only as strong as your records. For each one:
- Record the move-in condition. A signed move-in/move-out checklist with dated photos is the baseline every cleaning claim is measured against. Our move-in inspection guide lists which states require one.
- Photograph at move-out, room by room, before any cleaning starts. Capture the specific problems: inside the oven, the refrigerator, behind the toilet, carpet stains.
- Get an invoice or keep a time log. Use a cleaner's invoice, or if you clean yourself, log the hours and a reasonable hourly rate.
- Itemize clearly. "Cleaning: $250" invites a dispute. "Oven and range degreasing, 1.5 hours at $40: $60; removal of food and trash left in the refrigerator and pantry: $45" doesn't.
- Send it on time. Miss your state's deadline and you may lose the right to keep anything. Check yours under security deposit laws by state.
You can fill in an itemized security deposit return letter and print it. The deposit return guide walks through the full process and the penalties for getting it wrong.
What to put in the lease
Set expectations at signing so a cleaning charge doesn't come as a surprise:
- Move-out condition: "Tenant will return the premises in the same clean condition as received, except for normal wear and tear."
- What "clean" means: a short move-out cleaning list (appliances emptied and wiped, floors swept and mopped, bathrooms cleaned, trash removed).
- How charges are calculated: actual invoices, or a stated hourly rate for your own time.
- Carpet cleaning: only if your state allows a lease-agreed charge, and stated plainly.
- No unlawful fees: don't add a nonrefundable cleaning fee in a state that bans or recharacterizes it.
Send tenants a move-out cleaning checklist with your notice-to-vacate confirmation. Most tenants would rather clean than pay, and it saves you the work and the dispute.
A hypothetical example
A hypothetical example: a Washington landlord's lease includes a $150 nonrefundable cleaning fee, clearly described as nonrefundable in the written lease and not called a deposit, which RCW 59.18.285 allows (RCW 59.18.285). At move-out the oven and refrigerator are filthy and the tenant left a carpet stain beyond normal use. The landlord can't charge the routine turnover cleaning a second time, since the fee was meant to cover it, but can deduct the documented extra cost of the stain from the deposit, with photos and the invoice, on Washington's schedule.
The same fee in California would be treated as refundable security, so a California landlord would instead rely on a documented deduction limited to restoring move-in condition.
Sources
Official sources cited above (checked 2026-10-27), plus the state statutes linked in the table:
Frequently asked questions
Can I charge a nonrefundable cleaning fee at move-in?
It depends on the state. California treats cleaning fees as refundable security, Montana presumes any cleaning fee is a deposit, and Massachusetts bans nonrefundable move-in charges; Nevada allows a reasonable nonrefundable cleaning charge and Washington allows one only if the written lease clearly says it is nonrefundable.
Can I deduct professional carpet cleaning from every deposit?
Not automatically. California limits cleaning deductions to restoring move-in condition and excludes professional carpet cleaning unless reasonably necessary for that; Missouri allows lease-agreed carpet-cleaning charges from the deposit if the lease warns the tenant.
Returning a deposit?
Fill in a security deposit return letter with itemized deductions and the refund, then print it. Free, no account needed.
Learn more and tools
Never miss an update
Join landlords getting tips on leases, taxes and rental laws.