Arkansas Security Deposit Law
Arkansas rules on security deposits for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: Two months' rent. Example: with rent of $500, the maximum deposit is $1,000. The deposit rules apply only to landlords who rent six or more dwellings. Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-16-303, 18-16-304
The rules in Arkansas
| Security deposit limit | Two months' rent. Example: with rent of $500, the maximum deposit is $1,000. The deposit rules apply only to landlords who rent six or more dwellings. Statute: a landlord may not demand or receive a deposit (however labeled) above two months' periodic rent (§ 18-16-304). Exemption (§ 18-16-303): units owned by an individual (with spouse, minor children, and entities they control) who owns five or fewer units, unless managed by a third party for a fee. The AG page phrases this as 'six or more.' Statute text verified on the FindLaw mirror (code current as of March 28, 2024; official A.C.A. only via LexisNexis). Act 459 of 2025 bars local governments from regulating rental deposit amounts except as provided in § 18-16-304. |
|---|---|
| Deposit return deadline | Within 60 days after the tenant moves out. Applies only to landlords covered by the deposit subchapter (six or more dwellings, per the AG). Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-305 |
| Itemized deductions | The landlord may deduct unpaid rent and the cost of repairing damage. Any deductions require a written, itemized list delivered to the tenant within 60 days of vacating. Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-305 |
| Interest on deposits | No statute — Arkansas law does not require a landlord to pay interest on a security deposit. Neither the security-deposit subchapter (§§ 18-16-301 to -306) nor the Landlord-Tenant Act's deposit section (§ 18-17-501) mentions interest; the lease governs. Checked §§ 18-16-301, -302, -303, -304, -305, -306 (the subchapter ends at -306) and § 18-17-501 as enacted by Act 1004 of 2007. Official A.C.A. is published only via LexisNexis; text verified on a public mirror (FindLaw, code current as of March 28, 2024 - older than 2025). arkleg 'Code Sections Amended' lists show no 2025R or 2026F acts amending §§ 18-16-301 to -306, Ch. 17, or §§ 18-60-301 et seq.; 2023R amended only § 18-60-307(b). |
| Penalty for withholding | If the landlord fails to comply with the deposit subchapter, the tenant may recover the property and money due plus damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld, plus court costs and reasonable attorney's fees. If the landlord proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the failure came from an error despite reasonable procedures to avoid it, or from a good-faith dispute over the amount due, the landlord owes only costs and the amount wrongly withheld. Applies only to landlords covered by the subchapter (see the § 18-16-303 exemption). Official A.C.A. is published only via LexisNexis; text verified on a public mirror (FindLaw, code current as of March 28, 2024 - older than 2025). arkleg 'Code Sections Amended' lists show no 2025R or 2026F acts amending §§ 18-16-301 to -306, Ch. 17, or §§ 18-60-301 et seq.; 2023R amended only § 18-60-307(b). Source: Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-306 |
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- Security Deposit Deadline Calculator — See when your landlord must return your deposit, and the penalty your state sets if they don't.
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Related questions
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit?
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit?
- What can a landlord charge for at move-out (cleaning, painting, carpet)?
Arkansas vs. neighboring states
| State | Security deposit limit | Deposit return deadline | Itemized deductions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | Two months' rent. Example: with rent of $500, the maximum deposit is $1,000. The deposit rules apply only to landlords who rent six or more dwellings. Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-16-303, 18-16-304 | Within 60 days after the tenant moves out. Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-305 | The landlord may deduct unpaid rent and the cost of repairing damage. Any deductions require a written, itemized list delivered to the tenant within 60 days of vacating. Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-305 |
| Louisiana | No statutory cap La. R.S. 9:3251-3254 | Within one month after the lease terminates. If the landlord keeps any part, the itemized statement is due within one month after the tenancy ends. As of Aug. 1, 2026, the landlord may instead send it within an additional 15 days after that one-month date. La. R.S. 9:3251(A), as amended by Acts 2026, No. 63 (HB 292), eff. Aug. 1, 2026 | If any part of the deposit is kept for the tenant's default or unreasonable wear, the landlord must send an itemized statement of the amounts kept and the reasons. It is due within one month after the tenancy ends, or within an additional 15 days after that date (2026 amendment). La. R.S. 9:3251(A) |
| Mississippi | No statutory cap. § 89-8-21 governs how deposits are held and returned but sets no maximum amount. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21 | Within 45 days after the tenancy ends, the tenant delivers possession, and the tenant demands return. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3) | Required. To keep any part of the deposit, the landlord must send the tenant a written notice itemizing each amount claimed. The landlord may keep only what is reasonably necessary for unpaid rent, damage the tenant caused beyond ordinary wear and tear, cleaning at the end of the tenancy, or other reasonable and necessary expenses caused by the tenant's default. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3) |
| Missouri | Landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit of more than two months' rent. RSMo 535.300.1 | Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the full deposit or send an itemized list of damages along with any remaining balance. Mailing to the tenant's last known address satisfies the duty. RSMo 535.300.3 | Required. Withholding must be listed in a written itemized list of damages. Allowed deductions: unpaid rent; restoring the unit beyond ordinary wear and tear; carpet cleaning if the lease contains the required notice and a receipt is provided within 30 days; actual losses from the tenant's inadequate termination notice if the landlord tried to mitigate. RSMo 535.300.3-.4 |
| Oklahoma | No statutory cap on the amount of a security deposit. 41 O.S. § 115 | 45 days after the tenancy ends, possession is delivered AND the tenant makes a written demand for the deposit. 41 O.S. § 115(B) | Deductions (accrued rent and damages from tenant noncompliance) must be itemized in a written notice delivered to the tenant by mail with return receipt requested or in person if the tenant can reasonably be found. 41 O.S. § 115(B) |
| Tennessee | No statutory cap on the amount of a security deposit. Outside URLTA counties, no statute regulates security deposits; the lease governs. T.C.A. 66-28-301; ch. 66-7 (checked) | No fixed number of days for returning the deposit. In URLTA counties, if the tenant leaves owing no rent and is due a refund, the landlord must send notice of the refund amount to the tenant's last known or reasonably determinable address. If the tenant does not respond within 60 days of that notice, the landlord may keep the deposit. Move-out inspection: on the move-out day or within 4 calendar days after it. T.C.A. 66-28-301(b)(1)(A), (f) | Deductions must be supported by a written listing of damages with estimated repair costs. The tenant has the right to inspect: after a request to vacate, or within 5 days of the tenant's notice to vacate, the landlord may notify the tenant of the right to attend the inspection. At a mutual inspection, both parties sign the listing, and their signatures are conclusive evidence that it is accurate. A tenant who refuses to sign must list in writing the items they dispute. The landlord may inspect alone if the tenant left without written notice, abandoned the unit, was judicially removed, did not respond, did not show up, or did not request an inspection. In that case, on the tenant's written request, the landlord must send a copy of the listing by certificate of mailing. The deposit may also be applied to unpaid rent. T.C.A. 66-28-301(b), (e) |
| Texas | No statutory cap. Tex. Prop. Code ch. 92, subch. C (92.101-92.113) | On or before the 30th day after the tenant surrenders the premises. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.103(a) | Required: written description and itemized list of all deductions, with the balance of the deposit. No deductions for normal wear and tear. Not required if the tenant owes rent at surrender and there is no dispute about the amount owed. Tex. Prop. Code Sec. 92.104 |
City rules that may add to state law
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Arkansas Security Deposit Law FAQ
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Arkansas?
Two months' rent. Example: with rent of $500, the maximum deposit is $1,000. The deposit rules apply only to landlords who rent six or more dwellings. (Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-16-303, 18-16-304)
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Arkansas?
Within 60 days after the tenant moves out. (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-305)
Does a landlord in Arkansas have to give an itemized list of deposit deductions?
The landlord may deduct unpaid rent and the cost of repairing damage. Any deductions require a written, itemized list delivered to the tenant within 60 days of vacating. (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-305)
Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in Arkansas?
No statute — Arkansas law does not require a landlord to pay interest on a security deposit. Neither the security-deposit subchapter (§§ 18-16-301 to -306) nor the Landlord-Tenant Act's deposit section (§ 18-17-501) mentions interest; the lease governs. (Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-16-301 to 18-16-306; § 18-17-501)
What happens if a landlord in Arkansas wrongfully keeps a security deposit?
If the landlord fails to comply with the deposit subchapter, the tenant may recover the property and money due plus damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld, plus court costs and reasonable attorney's fees. If the landlord proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the failure came from an error despite reasonable procedures to avoid it, or from a good-faith dispute over the amount due, the landlord owes only costs and the amount wrongly withheld. (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-16-306)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.