Texas · TX · updated 2026
In Texas, a landlord must return a security deposit within 30 calendar days
Quick answer
A Texas landlord has 30 calendar days after you surrender possession 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 Texas security deposit law, a Texas landlord has 30 calendar days to return your security deposit, counted from when you surrender possession. By statute, Texas 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
- you surrender possession
- Itemized statement
- Required
- Move-in condition list
- Not required by statute
- Maximum deposit
- No statutory cap
- Interest on deposit
- Not required
Calculate your exact Texas 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 Texas 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 (Texas requires it, so ask for it in writing)
If the landlord withholds in bad faith
Bad-faith retention: liable for $100 plus three times the portion of the deposit wrongfully withheld plus the tenant's reasonable attorney's fees. Bad-faith failure to give the itemized list forfeits the right to withhold. Failure to refund/itemize within 30 days is presumed bad faith.
How to get your deposit back in Texas
- 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 Texas 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
- Texas 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 Texas?
- In Texas, a landlord must return a security deposit within 30 calendar days.
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Texas?
- Texas statute sets no maximum on the security deposit a landlord can charge.
- Can my Texas landlord keep my deposit for cleaning or normal wear?
- Deductions are generally limited to unpaid rent and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Texas requires the landlord to give an itemized statement of deductions.
- Does a Texas landlord have to pay interest on my deposit?
- No. Texas does not require the landlord to pay interest on the security deposit.
- What if my Texas landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit?
- Bad-faith retention: liable for $100 plus three times the portion of the deposit wrongfully withheld plus the tenant's reasonable attorney's fees. Bad-faith failure to give the itemized list forfeits the right to withhold. Failure to refund/itemize within 30 days is presumed bad faith.
Landlord has 30 days after the tenant surrenders possession to refund the deposit or send an itemized deduction list; normal wear and tear is not deductible. Bad-faith withholding equals $100 plus 3x the amount wrongfully withheld plus attorney's fees. No statutory cap, no interest.