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    Mississippi Security Deposit Law

    Mississippi sets no statutory limit on the amount of a residential security deposit (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21). It must refund the deposit, or an itemized list of deductions, within 45 calendar days after the triggering event.

    Last verified: · Researched and cited by MakeLease · not yet attorney-reviewed

    Mississippi deposit rules

    Mississippi security deposit rules at a glance
    RuleWhat the law says
    Deposit limitNo state capMiss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21 (no amount limit) (2024 H.B. 1580 text)
    Return deadline45 days after the triggering eventMiss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3) (2024 H.B. 1580 text)
    Itemized deductionsRequiredMiss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3) (2024 H.B. 1580 text)
    Interest on depositNot required statewideMiss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21 (silent on interest) (2024 H.B. 1580 text)

    Maximum deposit

    Mississippi sets no statutory limit on the amount of a residential security deposit (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21). (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21 (no amount limit) (2024 H.B. 1580 text))

    Return deadline

    Landlords must return any remaining deposit within 45 days after the tenancy ends, possession is delivered and the tenant demands it (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3)). (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3) (2024 H.B. 1580 text))

    Itemized statement of deductions

    A landlord keeping any part of the deposit must claim it by written notice that itemizes the amounts claimed (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3)). (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3) (2024 H.B. 1580 text))

    Interest on the deposit

    Mississippi law does not require landlords to pay interest on security deposits (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21). (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21 (silent on interest) (2024 H.B. 1580 text))

    Penalty for wrongful withholding

    A landlord who keeps a deposit in violation of the statute and in bad faith may owe up to $200 on top of actual damages (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(4)). (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(4) (2024 H.B. 1580 text))

    More Mississippi deposit rules

    Where the deposit is held

    Mississippi does not require a separate or escrow account for deposits, though the landlord holds the money for the tenant and the tenant's claim to it comes ahead of the landlord's creditors (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(2)). (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(2) (2024 H.B. 1580 text))

    Receipt or written notice of the deposit

    Mississippi's deposit statute does not call for a written receipt or any notice of where the deposit is held (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21). (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21 (no receipt rule) (2024 H.B. 1580 text))

    Move-in condition checklist

    Mississippi law sets no move-in inspection or condition-checklist requirement before a landlord may deduct for damage (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21). (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21 (no checklist rule) (2024 H.B. 1580 text))

    Pet deposits

    Mississippi has no pet-deposit statute, so money paid mainly to secure the lease, whatever it is called, follows the ordinary deposit rules (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(1)). (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(1) (2024 H.B. 1580 text))

    Nonrefundable fees

    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))

    Small-landlord exemptions

    Mississippi's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act has no small-landlord or owner-occupancy exemption; it excludes only arrangements such as institutional residence, transient hotel stays, contract-for-sale occupancy, condominium owners and agricultural tenancies (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-3(2)). (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-3 (as amended by 2022 SB 2461), Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-3 (2024 H.B. 1580 text), Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-3 (as amended by 2025 S.B. 2328, § 3))

    Deposit alternatives and installments

    No Mississippi statute addresses deposit-alternative products, surety bonds or paying a deposit in installments (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21). (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21 (2024 H.B. 1580 text))

    How Mississippi compares

    No statewide cap, like 20 other states among the 50 states and DC. Its 45 days return window: 40 faster, 3 longer.

    Mississippi and neighboring states: security deposit rules
    StateDeposit limitReturn deadlineItemized deductions
    MississippiNo state capMiss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21 (no amount limit) (2024 H.B. 1580 text)45 days after the triggering eventMiss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3) (2024 H.B. 1580 text)RequiredMiss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3) (2024 H.B. 1580 text)
    Alabama1 month's rent (with exceptions)60 days after move-outRequired
    Arkansas2 months' rent (with exceptions)60 days after the lease endsRequired
    LouisianaNo state cap30 days after the lease endsRequired
    TennesseeNo state capNo fixed deadlineRequired

    Mississippi deposit return deadline calculator

    Example: Deadline: Tuesday, March 17, 2026

    45 calendar days after the triggering event on Saturday, January 31, 2026.

    Weekend and holiday flags use the federal holidays in 5 U.S.C. § 6103; Mississippi state holidays are not checked.

    Put the deposit terms in a lease

    Write the deposit amount you choose and the 45-day return window into a Mississippi lease. Creating it is free with no card; an account is needed to save or e-sign.

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