Georgia · GA · updated 2026
In Georgia, a landlord must return a security deposit within 30 calendar days
Quick answer
A Georgia landlord has 30 calendar days after the tenancy ends to return your deposit or send an itemized list of deductions. Miss it in bad faith and the landlord can end up owing you more than the deposit itself.
Under Georgia security deposit law, a Georgia landlord has 30 calendar days to return your security deposit, counted from when the tenancy ends. By statute, the deposit is capped at 2 months' rent. If the landlord misses the deadline or keeps money you are owed, you can push back in writing and, if needed, in small claims court.
- Return deadline
- 30 calendar days
- Deadline counted from
- the tenancy ends
- Itemized statement
- Required
- Move-in condition list
- Required of the landlord
- Maximum deposit
- 2 months' rent
- Interest on deposit
- Not required
Calculate your exact Georgia deadline
Enter your move-out date to see the exact calendar date the deadline lands on. It runs on your device, so nothing you type is uploaded.
What a Georgia landlord can deduct
- Unpaid rent and unpaid utilities you owe under the lease
- Repair of damage beyond ordinary wear and tear (not normal aging, fading, or minor marks)
- An itemized written statement of every deduction (Georgia requires it, so ask for it in writing)
If the landlord withholds in bad faith
3x the sum wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees; landlord liable only for the sum itself if it proves the withholding was an unintentional, bona fide error
How to get your deposit back in Georgia
- Document the unit's condition at move-out with dated photos of every room (a move-in / move-out checklist keeps it organized).
- Confirm your exact return deadline with the deadline calculator.
- If the deadline passes, send a written demand letter citing the statute and the amount owed.
- If it is still ignored, you can file in small claims court.
Common Georgia deposit disputes
- The deadline passed and you have heard nothing
- Send a written demand letter citing the statute and the amount owed. Keep proof you sent it.
- You got money back but disagree with the deductions
- Georgia requires an itemized statement, so ask for it in writing first, then dispute anything charged as ordinary wear and tear.
- You are still deciding whether the case is worth it
- Confirm the exact deadline below, gather your dated move-out photos, and read the penalty your state allows before you commit.
Frequently asked
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Georgia?
- In Georgia, a landlord must return a security deposit within 30 calendar days.
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Georgia?
- Georgia caps the security deposit at 2 months' rent.
- Can my Georgia landlord keep my deposit for cleaning or normal wear?
- Deductions are generally limited to unpaid rent and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Georgia requires the landlord to give an itemized statement of deductions.
- Does a Georgia landlord have to pay interest on my deposit?
- No. Georgia does not require the landlord to pay interest on the security deposit.
- What if my Georgia landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit?
- 3x the sum wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees; landlord liable only for the sum itself if it proves the withholding was an unintentional, bona fide error
Return within 30 days of the later of lease end or landlord regaining possession (§ 44-7-34). Move-in existing-damage list required before tenant pays deposit (§ 44-7-33). Failing lists/escrow forfeits right to withhold (§ 44-7-35). 2-month cap added 2024 by HB 404.