How to get your security deposit back
Getting your security deposit back comes down to proof and timing: give notice exactly as your lease requires, leave the unit clean and empty, match your move-out photos to your move-in record, return every key, and give the landlord a forwarding address in writing. Most states set a deadline for returning the deposit or an itemized list of deductions, so note the date you left.
About 20 minutes to learnTake care: injury or damage if careless
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How to do it
- Give move-out notice in writing by the date and method your lease sets.
- Ask the landlord for a walk-through before you leave, and fix what you can from the list.
- Clean the unit fully and take dated photos that match your move-in record.
- Return every key and remote, and ask for a written receipt.
- Give the landlord your forwarding address in writing.
- Look up your state's deadline for returning deposits or sending an itemized list, and mark it on your calendar.
- If deductions arrive, compare each item with your photos and reply in writing to any you dispute.
Stop and call a professional if
- The deadline passes with no deposit and no itemized list, or deductions are for damage you documented on move-in: contact a local tenant rights group or small claims court help desk about your state's rules.
Common mistakes
- Giving notice by a text when the lease asks for a letter.
- Leaving without a forwarding address, so the check has nowhere to go.
- Arguing by phone instead of in writing with your photos attached.
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Teach: How to get your security deposit back
What to say
Getting your security deposit back comes down to proof and timing: give notice exactly as your lease requires, leave the unit clean and empty, match your move-out photos to your move-in record, return every key, and give the landlord a forwarding address in writing. Most states set a deadline for returning the deposit or an itemized list of deductions, so note the date you left.
What to show, in order
- Give move-out notice in writing by the date and method your lease sets.
- Ask the landlord for a walk-through before you leave, and fix what you can from the list.
- Clean the unit fully and take dated photos that match your move-in record.
- Return every key and remote, and ask for a written receipt.
- Give the landlord your forwarding address in writing.
- Look up your state's deadline for returning deposits or sending an itemized list, and mark it on your calendar.
- If deductions arrive, compare each item with your photos and reply in writing to any you dispute.
When to stop and call a professional
- The deadline passes with no deposit and no itemized list, or deductions are for damage you documented on move-in: contact a local tenant rights group or small claims court help desk about your state's rules.
The check question
Ask: What should you give the landlord in writing before you leave?
Related skills
- How to clean an apartment when you move out
- How to document an apartment on move-in day
- What to check before signing a lease
- Every skill in Renting and Moving
Words on this page
Sources
- State and city tenant rights guidance for renters, 2026. Checked September 28, 2026.
Last reviewed . First published .