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In Ohio, you have 30 days after the lease ends and the tenant gives back possession to return the security deposit. If you keep any of it, send a written notice itemizing each deduction along with the balance. The tenant must give you a forwarding address in writing. A landlord who misses the deadline owes the amount wrongfully withheld, plus an equal amount in damages, plus reasonable attorney's fees. That penalty doesn't apply if the tenant never gave a written forwarding address. Ohio also has a rule that catches some landlords off guard: interest is owed on large deposits.
All of this is in a single statute, Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16. For the state's other deposit facts, see the Ohio security deposit laws page.
Ohio deposit rules in one table
| Question | Ohio rule |
|---|---|
| Deadline | 30 days after the rental agreement ends and the tenant delivers possession |
| Itemization | Each deduction itemized and identified in a written notice delivered with the amount due |
| What you can deduct | Past-due rent, and damages from the tenant's breach of the lease or of the tenant duties in R.C. 5321.05 |
| Forwarding address | Tenant must provide one in writing; without it, the tenant can't collect damages or attorney's fees |
| Penalty | Money due, plus damages equal to the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees |
| Interest | 5% a year on the portion above the greater of $50 or one month's rent, if the tenant stays 6+ months |
| Maximum deposit | No statutory cap |
Step 1: Start the 30-day clock correctly
The deadline runs from the later of two events: termination of the rental agreement and delivery of possession (§ 5321.16(B)). If a tenant on a lease ending June 30 hands back the keys on June 25, count from June 30. If they hold over and return the keys on July 5, count from July 5. Write down the date you got the keys.
Step 2: Ask for the forwarding address in writing
The statute puts the address duty on the tenant. A tenant who doesn't provide one in writing loses the right to the double-damages penalty and attorney's fees (§ 5321.16(B)). They don't lose the deposit itself, so still send the refund to the best address you have, and keep proof of mailing.
Step 3: Itemize deductions you can support
Ohio allows deductions for past-due rent and for damage caused by the tenant's breach of the lease or of the statutory tenant duties (R.C. 5321.05). Those duties include keeping the unit safe and sanitary, using electrical and plumbing fixtures properly, and not destroying or damaging any part of the premises. Normal wear and tear from ordinary living isn't a breach. Photos from move-in and move-out, plus invoices, are your evidence. See normal wear and tear examples for common cases.
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Step 4: Pay any interest owed
This is the part of Ohio law landlords most often miss. Interest is owed if both of these are true (§ 5321.16(A)):
- The deposit is larger than $50 or one month's rent, whichever is greater.
- The tenant has been in possession for six months or more.
Interest is 5% a year on the excess only, computed and paid every year. A hypothetical example: rent is $1,200 and the deposit is $1,800. The excess over one month's rent is $600, and 5% of $600 is $30 a year. A deposit of one month's rent or less never triggers interest.
Step 5: Send the notice and refund within 30 days
Send the written notice, listing each deduction and its amount, together with the balance, to the forwarding address. A hypothetical example:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Deposit held | $1,800 |
| Interest owed for the final year ($600 × 5%) | +$30 |
| Unpaid utility bill the lease made the tenant's responsibility | −$95 |
| Repair drywall damage in living room (invoice) | −$210 |
| Refund due | $1,525 |
Our security deposit return letter lays out the itemized notice, and the security deposit calculator checks the arithmetic.
If you miss the deadline
A tenant can recover the money due, plus damages equal to the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees, as long as they gave you a written forwarding address (§ 5321.16(C)). In practice, a $500 deduction that wasn't itemized on time can cost $1,000 plus the tenant's lawyer.
Local rules
Ohio law bars cities from regulating matters the state landlord-tenant chapter already covers (R.C. 5321.19). Some cities have passed their own tenant ordinances anyway; Columbus, for example, has deposit installment and receipt rules. Whether those ordinances can be enforced against § 5321.19 is unsettled, so check your city code.
For the general process across states, see how to return a security deposit. If the tenant left owing rent and you're still in court, how to evict a tenant in Ohio covers the eviction side. The Ohio landlord-tenant law page has the state's other rules, and the Ohio lease agreement page shows the deposit terms to include.
Sources
Official sources cited above (checked 2026-10-30):
Frequently asked questions
Do Ohio landlords have to pay interest on security deposits?
Only on the part of a deposit above the greater of $50 or one month's rent, and only if the tenant stays six months or more. Interest is 5% a year on that excess, paid annually (R.C. 5321.16(A)).
What if an Ohio tenant doesn't give a forwarding address?
You still owe the refund and itemized notice, but a tenant who didn't provide a written forwarding address can't collect the double-damages penalty or attorney's fees (R.C. 5321.16(B)).
Returning a deposit?
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