Idaho · ID · updated 2026
In Idaho, a landlord must return a security deposit within 21 calendar days
Quick answer
A Idaho landlord has 21 calendar days after you move out 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 Idaho security deposit law, a Idaho landlord has 21 calendar days to return your security deposit, counted from when you move out. By statute, Idaho sets no statutory cap on how much a landlord can charge. 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
- 21 calendar days
- Deadline counted from
- you move out
- Itemized statement
- Required
- Move-in condition list
- Not required by statute
- Maximum deposit
- No statutory cap
- Interest on deposit
- Not required
Calculate your exact Idaho 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 Idaho 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 (Idaho requires it, so ask for it in writing)
If the landlord withholds in bad faith
Treble (3x) actual damages under Idaho Code § 6-317, available in a tenant action for failure to timely return a security deposit brought under § 6-320(a)(4); § 6-321 itself contains no separate penalty clause.
How to get your deposit back in Idaho
- 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 Idaho 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
- Idaho 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 Idaho?
- In Idaho, a landlord must return a security deposit within 21 calendar days.
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Idaho?
- Idaho statute sets no maximum on the security deposit a landlord can charge.
- Can my Idaho landlord keep my deposit for cleaning or normal wear?
- Deductions are generally limited to unpaid rent and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Idaho requires the landlord to give an itemized statement of deductions.
- Does a Idaho landlord have to pay interest on my deposit?
- No. Idaho does not require the landlord to pay interest on the security deposit.
- What if my Idaho landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit?
- Treble (3x) actual damages under Idaho Code § 6-317, available in a tenant action for failure to timely return a security deposit brought under § 6-320(a)(4); § 6-321 itself contains no separate penalty clause.
Refund within 21 days if the agreement fixes no time, and in any event within 30 days after surrender. Full refunds need no itemization; partial refunds need a signed itemized statement. No cap; no interest. Verified via Wayback snapshots of the official legislature pages.