Oregon · OR · updated 2026
In Oregon, a landlord must return a security deposit within 31 calendar days
Quick answer
A Oregon landlord has 31 calendar days after the tenancy ends and possession is returned 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 Oregon security deposit law, a Oregon landlord has 31 calendar days to return your security deposit, counted from when the tenancy ends and possession is returned. By statute, Oregon 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
- 31 calendar days
- Deadline counted from
- the tenancy ends and possession is returned
- Itemized statement
- Required
- Move-in condition list
- Not required by statute
- Maximum deposit
- No statutory cap
- Interest on deposit
- Not required
Calculate your exact Oregon 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 Oregon 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 (Oregon requires it, so ask for it in writing)
If the landlord withholds in bad faith
If the landlord fails to provide a written accounting within 31 days, or in bad faith fails to return all or part of a deposit or prepaid rent due, the tenant may recover twice the amount wrongfully withheld or unaccounted for (ORS 90.300(16)).
How to get your deposit back in Oregon
- 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 Oregon 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
- Oregon 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 Oregon?
- In Oregon, a landlord must return a security deposit within 31 calendar days.
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Oregon?
- Oregon statute sets no maximum on the security deposit a landlord can charge.
- Can my Oregon landlord keep my deposit for cleaning or normal wear?
- Deductions are generally limited to unpaid rent and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Oregon requires the landlord to give an itemized statement of deductions.
- Does a Oregon landlord have to pay interest on my deposit?
- No. Oregon does not require the landlord to pay interest on the security deposit.
- What if my Oregon landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit?
- If the landlord fails to provide a written accounting within 31 days, or in bad faith fails to return all or part of a deposit or prepaid rent due, the tenant may recover twice the amount wrongfully withheld or unaccounted for (ORS 90.300(16)).
31 days after tenancy terminates AND tenant delivers possession; written accounting of any withholding required (90.300(12)-(13)). No cap, no interest requirement. Confirmed from official statute: ORS 90.300 has no move-in checklist requirement (Portland's is a city ordinance, not state law).