Tennessee · TN · updated 2026
Tennessee sets no fixed number of days for a landlord to return a security deposit
Quick answer
Tennessee sets no fixed number of days to return a security deposit, so your lease and any local rule control. Keep your move-out photos and follow up in writing if the money does not come back.
Under Tennessee security deposit law, Tennessee law does not set a fixed deadline. By statute, Tennessee 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.
This may not apply everywhere in Tennessee
Tennessee's URLTA (Title 66, ch. 28) applies only in larger counties (population threshold, commonly cited ~68,000). Smaller counties have no statutory deposit rules.
- Return deadline
- No fixed statutory deadline
- Deadline counted from
- Not specified
- Itemized statement
- Required
- Move-in condition list
- Not required by statute
- Maximum deposit
- No statutory cap
- Interest on deposit
- Not required
Calculate your exact Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 (Tennessee requires it, so ask for it in writing)
If the landlord withholds in bad faith
Landlord forfeits the right to retain any portion of the deposit if it was not held in a proper account and a written listing of damages was not provided. No statutory multiplier.
How to get your deposit back in Tennessee
- 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 Tennessee 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
- Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
- Tennessee sets no fixed number of days for a landlord to return a security deposit.
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Tennessee?
- Tennessee statute sets no maximum on the security deposit a landlord can charge.
- Can my Tennessee landlord keep my deposit for cleaning or normal wear?
- Deductions are generally limited to unpaid rent and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Tennessee requires the landlord to give an itemized statement of deductions.
- Does a Tennessee landlord have to pay interest on my deposit?
- No. Tennessee does not require the landlord to pay interest on the security deposit.
- What if my Tennessee landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit?
- Landlord forfeits the right to retain any portion of the deposit if it was not held in a proper account and a written listing of damages was not provided. No statutory multiplier.
No fixed number of days to return the deposit. Where the act applies, the landlord must give a written listing of damages or forfeit the right to withhold, and notify the tenant of inspection rights within 5 days of a vacate notice.