New Jersey · NJ · updated 2026
In New Jersey, a landlord must return a security deposit within 30 calendar days
Quick answer
A New Jersey 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 New Jersey security deposit law, a New Jersey landlord has 30 calendar days to return your security deposit, counted from when the tenancy ends. By statute, the deposit is capped at 1.5 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
- Not required by statute
- Maximum deposit
- 1.5 months' rent
- Interest on deposit
- Required
Calculate your exact New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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 (New Jersey requires it, so ask for it in writing)
If the landlord withholds in bad faith
Court shall award tenant double the amount wrongfully withheld, plus court costs and, at court's discretion, reasonable attorney's fees (N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1).
How to get your deposit back in New Jersey
- 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 New Jersey 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
- New Jersey 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 New Jersey?
- In New Jersey, a landlord must return a security deposit within 30 calendar days.
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in New Jersey?
- New Jersey caps the security deposit at 1.5 months' rent.
- Can my New Jersey landlord keep my deposit for cleaning or normal wear?
- Deductions are generally limited to unpaid rent and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. New Jersey requires the landlord to give an itemized statement of deductions.
- Does a New Jersey landlord have to pay interest on my deposit?
- Yes. New Jersey requires the landlord to pay interest on the security deposit.
- What if my New Jersey landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit?
- Court shall award tenant double the amount wrongfully withheld, plus court costs and, at court's discretion, reasonable attorney's fees (N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1).
30 calendar days after end of tenancy, with itemized statement. Deposit capped at 1.5x rent. Must be held in interest-bearing account; interest belongs to tenant, paid/credited annually. Interest rate tracks prevailing bank savings rate, not fixed.