Ask for your deposit back, in writing
Fill in a few details for a clear, polite letter that cites your state’s deposit law and deadline. Copy it, print it or email it. Nothing you type is sent to us.
Choose your state and move-out date, and your letter appears here as you fill in the rest.
Sending it
- Read it through, and change anything that doesn’t fit your situation.
- Send it by certified mail with a return receipt, so you can prove it arrived. Emailing a copy too is quicker.
- Keep a copy of the letter and the receipt.
Reply due
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What makes the letter work
01
It’s in writing
A letter is a record. If this ends up in small claims court, it shows you asked, when, and for how much.
02
It cites the law
Naming your state’s deposit law and its deadline tells your landlord you know the rules, and what happens if they ignore them.
03
It sets a date
A specific date to reply by turns a request into something they have to act on.
04
It gives your address
Your deposit has somewhere to go, and in some states, getting your address is what starts the clock.
Not sure of your deadline? Look it up for your state.
Your deposit isn’t the only money you’re waiting on
Refunds, rebates, reimbursements: OwedTab keeps a running tab of all of it, and nudges you when something’s late. Join the early-access list to try it on your iPhone before it’s out.
Questions
Do I need a lawyer to send this?
No. It’s a letter from you to your landlord. If it doesn’t work, small claims court is the next step, and you don’t need a lawyer there either.
How should I send it?
By certified mail with a return receipt, so you can prove when it arrived. Emailing a copy as well gets it to them sooner. Keep a copy of the letter and the receipt.
Can sending the letter start my landlord’s deadline?
In some states, yes. Arizona, Kansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and South Carolina count from when you ask for your deposit in writing, and Connecticut, Iowa, Minnesota, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Wyoming count from when your landlord has your forwarding address. This letter does both.
How long should I give my landlord to reply?
If the legal deadline has passed, 7 to 14 days is reasonable. If it hasn’t, the letter asks for your deposit by the deadline itself.
What if my landlord still doesn’t pay?
File a claim in small claims court in the county where you rented. Bring the letter, your proof of sending it, your lease and any move-in and move-out photos. Many states let a court award more than the deposit when a landlord keeps it without following the law.
Do you keep what I type?
No. The letter is written on this page, in your browser, and nothing you type is sent to us. If you add the reply date to your calendar, only that date is sent, to make the calendar file.
Sources
- Alabama: Ala. Code § 35-9A-201
- Alaska: AS 34.03.070(g)
- Arizona: A.R.S. § 33-1321(D)
- Arkansas: Ark. Code § 18-16-305
- California: Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(h)
- Colorado: C.R.S. § 38-12-103(1)
- Connecticut: C.G.S. § 47a-21(d)(2)
- Delaware: 25 Del. C. § 5514
- Florida: Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)
- Georgia: O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34
- Hawaii: HRS § 521-44(c)
- Idaho: Idaho Code § 6-321(2)
- Illinois: 765 ILCS 710/1
- Indiana: IC 32-31-3-12
- Iowa: Iowa Code § 562A.12(3)
- Kansas: K.S.A. 58-2550(b)
- Kentucky: KRS 383.580
- Louisiana: La. R.S. 9:3251
- Maine: 14 M.R.S. § 6033
- Maryland: Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203(e)
- Massachusetts: M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(4)
- Michigan: MCL 554.609
- Minnesota: Minn. Stat. § 504B.178, subd. 3
- Mississippi: Miss. Code § 89-8-21
- Missouri: Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.300
- Montana: MCA 70-25-202
- Nebraska: Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416
- Nevada: NRS 118A.242
- New Hampshire: RSA 540-A:7
- New Jersey: N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1
- New Mexico: N.M. Stat. § 47-8-18
- New York: N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108(1-a)
- North Carolina: N.C.G.S. § 42-52
- North Dakota: N.D.C.C. § 47-16-07.1
- Ohio: Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.16(B)
- Oklahoma: 41 O.S. § 115
- Oregon: ORS 90.300
- Pennsylvania: 68 P.S. § 250.512
- Rhode Island: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(b)
- South Carolina: S.C. Code § 27-40-410(a)
- South Dakota: SDCL 43-32-24
- Tennessee: Tenn. Code § 66-28-301
- Texas: Tex. Prop. Code §§ 92.103, 92.107
- Utah: Utah Code § 57-17-3
- Vermont: 9 V.S.A. § 4461(c)
- Virginia: Va. Code § 55.1-1226
- Washington: RCW 59.18.280
- Washington, DC: D.C. Code § 42-3502.17; 14 DCMR § 309
- West Virginia: W. Va. Code § 37-6A-2
- Wisconsin: Wis. Stat. § 704.28(4)
- Wyoming: Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-1208
Last checked October 14, 2026.
This letter is a template built from general information, not legal advice. Read it before you send it, and change anything that doesn’t fit your situation. For advice, talk to a lawyer or a local legal aid office.