Security Deposit Calculator

Maximum deposit = monthly rent × months of rent allowed by the state
Months of rent you are charging = total deposit ÷ monthly rent

• Months allowed comes from the cited statute in our state-law data. 30 of the 51 jurisdictions in the data cap the deposit as a number of months of rent; the rest have no month-based state cap.
• Exceptions are situations the statute treats differently, such as furnished units, pets, or small landlords. The calculator lists each one with its own figure when the statute gives a number of months.
• Total deposit should include every refundable deposit you plan to collect. Whether pet deposits or other fees count toward the limit depends on the state, so read the state summary shown with the result.

The calculator starts with $1,800 monthly rent and a planned deposit of $3,600, which is 2 months of rent. How that works out depends on the state:

• California allows 1 month's rent in general: $1,800 × 1 = $1,800. The $3,600 deposit is $1,800 over it, unless an exception applies. One listed exception allows 2 months' rent ($3,600) when: Landlord is a natural person (including a settlor or beneficiary of a family trust) or an LLC whose members are all natural persons, and owns no more than two residential rental properties with no more than four units offered for rent in total; not available if the prospective tenant is a service member.
• Florida has no month-based cap in the data: Florida law sets no limit on the amount of a residential security deposit; the amount is set by the lease (Fla. Stat. § 83.49). State law does not limit the $3,600 deposit, though a local rule could.

Pick a state in the calculator to run the same check, and read the exceptions carefully: they often turn on who the landlord is or what kind of unit it is.

Never more than your state allows, counting every deposit the state counts. Within that limit, many landlords charge one month's rent, and some charge more for applicants with thin credit or for units with pets. A deposit large enough to cover a missed month and normal turnover damage protects you, but one far above local norms can slow down leasing.

The deposit also comes with duties at the end of the lease: a deadline to return it and, in many states, an itemized list of deductions. Document the unit's condition at move-in with the move-in/move-out checklist, and use the security deposit return letter to itemize deductions. The security deposit laws by state page compares limits, deadlines and interest rules for every state.

• Adding a pet deposit or cleaning deposit on top of the security deposit in a state that counts them toward the limit.
• Using an old limit after a law change. Check the verified date shown with the state result.
• Relying on an exception without checking every condition it lists.
• Calling part of the deposit "last month's rent" without checking whether your state counts prepaid rent toward the cap.
• Ignoring city or county rules, which can set a lower limit or require interest on deposits.
• Missing the return deadline, which in many states carries a penalty.

Applicants usually pay the deposit and the first month's rent at signing. For a mid-month move-in, the first payment is often prorated; the prorated rent calculator works it out. Put the deposit amount, where it is held if your state requires it, and how it will be returned in the lease, which you can build with the lease agreement generator.

Do pet deposits and other fees count toward the cap?

In some states they do, and in others they are treated separately. The calculator shows each state's own summary of the rule with its citation. Read it before adding a pet deposit, key deposit or cleaning fee on top of the security deposit.

What if my state has no limit?

Then state law does not cap the amount, but a city or county may, and a very large deposit can make the unit harder to rent. Many landlords in states without a cap still charge one or two months' rent.

Is the limit based on the first month's rent or the average rent?

Most month-based limits are written in terms of the periodic rent in the lease. If rent changes during the lease or includes a discount, read your state's rule for which figure to use. This calculator multiplies the monthly rent you enter.

When do I have to return the deposit?

Each state sets its own deadline, usually measured from move-out or the end of the lease. The calculator shows your state's deadline from the state-law data, and the security deposit return letter helps you itemize deductions.

• Late Fee Calculator

  Flat or percent late fee plus daily fees, checked against your state's statutory cap.

• Rent-to-Income Ratio Calculator

  Rent ÷ gross income for one or more applicants, and the income a 3x (or any) rule requires.

• Prorated Rent Calculator

  Rent owed for a partial month, by days-in-month, 365-day or 30-day method.

• Rent Increase Calculator

  Percent change between two rents, or the new rent from a percent, with your state's notice rule.

See all landlord and investor calculators

• How to Return a Security Deposit: Deadlines, Itemized Deductions and Penalties