Real estate & rental
Rental Security Deposit Calculator
Works a security deposit, where state law governs the amount and the handling.
Result
Tenancy rules are set by state and often by city, and they are among the most locally variable areas of law there is. Deposit limits, notice periods, late fee caps, interest on deposits and rent increase restrictions all differ and change. This is arithmetic, not legal advice; check your own jurisdiction before relying on any of it. Deposit law is strict and unforgiving. Most states set a deadline for returning the deposit with an itemised statement, commonly 14 to 30 days, and failing it can forfeit the right to deduct anything and expose the landlord to multiple damages. Fair wear and tear is never deductible.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
The deposit as a multiple of monthly rent, with any additional deposits shown separately. The arithmetic is trivial and the law is not: states cap the amount, regulate how the money must be held, set deadlines for returning it, and require an itemised statement of any deductions, with penalties for non-compliance that can exceed the deposit itself.
What moves the number
- The state or local cap on the amount.
- Whether the deposit must be held in a separate or interest-bearing account.
- The deadline for return after move-out.
- What may lawfully be deducted.
Where this one goes wrong
Normal wear and tear generally cannot be deducted, only damage beyond it, and the distinction is where most deposit disputes live. A documented move-in condition report with photographs is what makes a deduction defensible later. The return deadline and itemisation requirement are the other traps, since missing them can forfeit the right to deduct anything at all regardless of the damage, and several states impose additional penalties.
Before you quote
- Check your state's cap, holding requirements and return deadline.
- Document condition at move-in with dated photographs.
- Provide an itemised statement within the required period.
Questions
About this calculator
Is there a limit on security deposits?
In many states yes, expressed as a multiple of monthly rent, and some cities add their own limits. Exceeding the cap is unlawful regardless of the tenancy, so the local rule is the first thing to establish rather than the last.
What can be deducted from a deposit?
Generally damage beyond normal wear and tear, and unpaid rent where the law allows. Worn carpet from ordinary use is usually not deductible while a burn in it may be, and a dated move-in condition report with photographs is what makes the distinction defensible.
What happens if the deposit is returned late?
Several states forfeit the right to deduct anything and impose additional penalties, sometimes a multiple of the deposit. The deadline and the itemisation requirement are strict, which makes a calendar reminder at move-out worth setting.
The formula
return = deposit + any required interest - itemised deductions
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How to use this calculator
- Deposit held ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $2,400.
- Unpaid rent ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $0.
- Damage beyond fair wear and tear ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $450.
- Cleaning beyond normal ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $180.
- Other charges allowed by the lease ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $0.
- Interest the state requires (%). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 0%.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to to return to the tenant, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Deposit held | $2,400 |
| Unpaid rent | $0 |
| Damage beyond fair wear and tear | $450 |
| Cleaning beyond normal | $180 |
| Other charges allowed by the lease | $0 |
| Interest the state requires | 0% |
| Years held | 2 |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| To return to the tenant main result | $1,770.00 |
| Total deductions | $630 |
| Interest owed | $0.00 |
| Owed beyond the deposit | $0 |
| Deposit as months of rent | 0.0 |
Return $1,770.00 after $630 of deductions. Every deduction needs itemising in writing within the deadline your state sets.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only deposit held, this is what happens to to return to the tenant. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Deposit held ($) | To return to the tenant |
|---|---|
| $1,200 | $570.00 |
| $1,800 | $1,170.00 |
| $2,400 example above | $1,770.00 |
| $3,600 | $2,970.00 |
| $4,800 | $4,170.00 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Deposit held ($)
- A money amount, starting at $2,400.
- Unpaid rent ($)
- A money amount, starting at $0.
- Damage beyond fair wear and tear ($)
- A money amount, starting at $450.
- Cleaning beyond normal ($)
- A money amount, starting at $180.
- Other charges allowed by the lease ($)
- A money amount, starting at $0.
- Interest the state requires (%)
- A percentage, between 0 and 10, starting at 0%.
- Years held
- A number, between 0 and 30, starting at 2.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| To return to the tenant | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Total deductions | A money figure. |
| Interest owed | A money figure. |
| Owed beyond the deposit | A money figure. |
| Deposit as months of rent | A decimal figure. |
What is not in this number
Property figures here exclude the costs that decide whether a deal works: vacancy, maintenance, management, capital expenditure and the transaction costs at both ends. A return that looks strong before those frequently does not survive them.
Estimating is the easy part
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