Montana · MT · updated 2026
In Montana, a landlord must return a security deposit within 30 calendar days
Quick answer
A Montana 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 Montana security deposit law, a Montana landlord has 30 calendar days to return your security deposit, counted from when the tenancy ends. By statute, Montana 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
- 30 calendar days
- Deadline counted from
- the tenancy ends
- Itemized statement
- Required
- Move-in condition list
- Required of the landlord
- Maximum deposit
- No statutory cap
- Interest on deposit
- Not required
Calculate your exact Montana 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 Montana 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 (Montana requires it, so ask for it in writing)
If the landlord withholds in bad faith
Tenant recovers the amount wrongfully withheld plus an equal amount as a penalty (effectively up to 2x), plus attorney's fees; landlord who skips the required damage list forfeits all right to withhold
How to get your deposit back in Montana
- 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 Montana 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
- Montana 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 Montana?
- In Montana, a landlord must return a security deposit within 30 calendar days.
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Montana?
- Montana statute sets no maximum on the security deposit a landlord can charge.
- Can my Montana landlord keep my deposit for cleaning or normal wear?
- Deductions are generally limited to unpaid rent and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Montana requires the landlord to give an itemized statement of deductions.
- Does a Montana landlord have to pay interest on my deposit?
- No. Montana does not require the landlord to pay interest on the security deposit.
- What if my Montana landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit?
- Tenant recovers the amount wrongfully withheld plus an equal amount as a penalty (effectively up to 2x), plus attorney's fees; landlord who skips the required damage list forfeits all right to withhold
10 days to return in full if no deductions claimed; 30 days if withholding, with itemized list. No statutory cap on deposit amount. Written statement of condition mandatory at lease signing; failure bars landlord from later damage claims.