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State-by-state deposit caps

Security Deposit Limits by State

Security deposit caps are not uniform across the U.S. Some states use a one-month limit, others allow one-and-a-half or two months, and some add tenancy-length, pet or other exceptions. This directory includes only states where RentBillCheck already has a dedicated source-verified deposit-limit topic.

Calculate Move-In Cost →All State Guides
24dedicated state topics
Sourceverified before inclusion
50state fallback layer
Why this is not a 50-page template

Only states with a dedicated source-verified topic appear below. If a state does not add an exact rule for this issue, use the broader state source layer instead of a thin page that repeats generic advice.

Alabama — One-Month Deposit Limit
General one-month security limit with statutory exceptions.Alaska — Two-Month Deposit Limit
Dedicated Alaska deposit-cap topic.Arkansas — Two-Month Deposit Limit
Dedicated Arkansas deposit-cap topic.Delaware — One-Month Deposit Limit
Dedicated Delaware limit topic with scope caveats.Georgia — Two-Month Deposit Limit
Source-verified Georgia deposit cap.Hawaii — One-Month Deposit Limit
General security-deposit cap with separate pet-deposit treatment.Iowa — Two-Month Deposit Limit
Dedicated Iowa deposit-cap topic.Kansas — Deposit Limits
Kansas limits vary with furnishing and pet circumstances.Maine — Two-Month Deposit Limit
Dedicated Maine deposit cap.Maryland — One-Month Deposit Limit
Current Maryland source layer for the one-month cap.Massachusetts — One-Month Deposit Limit
Massachusetts security deposit is capped at one month’s rent.Michigan — 1.5-Month Deposit Limit
Dedicated Michigan security-deposit cap.Nebraska — One-Month Deposit Limit
General cap with a separate pet-deposit topic.Nevada — Three-Month Deposit Limit
Dedicated Nevada security-deposit cap topic.New Hampshire — Deposit Limit
State-specific cap and statutory framework.New Jersey — 1.5-Month Deposit Limit
Dedicated New Jersey cap topic.New Mexico — One-Month Limit for Shorter Tenancies
Exact New Mexico limit topic for qualifying tenancy duration.New York — One-Month Deposit Limit
Source-verified New York deposit cap.North Carolina — Deposit Limits
Cap varies with tenancy type under the state framework.North Dakota — One-Month Deposit Limit
General limit with separate statutory exception and pet-deposit topics.Pennsylvania — Deposit Limits
Pennsylvania limit changes with tenancy duration.Rhode Island — One-Month Deposit Limit
Dedicated Rhode Island general security cap.South Dakota — One-Month Deposit Limit
General cap with statutory special-condition exceptions.Virginia — Two-Month Deposit Limit
Dedicated Virginia security-deposit cap topic.

A cap does not answer every move-in-cost question

A security-deposit cap may not classify every upfront payment as “security.” Application fees, pet charges, prepaid rent, surety products and other amounts can have different definitions or exceptions. Identify the payment category before applying a numerical cap.

What to compare before paying

  • Base monthly rent used for the cap calculation.
  • Lease term and tenancy type.
  • Whether the payment is refundable security, prepaid rent or a separate fee.
  • Pet-related deposit or fee treatment.
  • Any statutory exception shown on the state page.
  • The exact lease, application and receipt language.
Educational information only. A state rule, company charge sheet or invoice does not by itself decide an individual dispute. The exact lease, condition, dates, evidence and local rules can change the result.