Georgia Security Deposit Law
Georgia rules on security deposits for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: 2 months' rent. No landlord may demand or receive a security deposit that exceeds the equivalent of two months' rent. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-30.1 (added by HB 404, 2024 Safe at Home Act, Act 392)
The rules in Georgia
| Security deposit limit | 2 months' rent. No landlord may demand or receive a security deposit that exceeds the equivalent of two months' rent. Verified from the enrolled text of HB 404 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) on legis.ga.gov: signed 4/22/2024 as Act 392, effective 7/1/2024; the Act applies to residential leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2024. The small-landlord exemption in § 44-7-36 (per public mirror, current as of 3/28/2024) lists §§ 44-7-31, -32, -33 and -35 and does not list § 44-7-30.1, so the cap appears to apply to all landlords. Also stated in the DCA Landlord-Tenant Handbook (rev. 8-29-24), p. 8. |
|---|---|
| Deposit return deadline | Within 30 days after the landlord obtains possession of the unit. The landlord complies by mailing the statement and any refund by first-class mail to the tenant's last known address. If the mailed refund is returned undeliverable and the tenant cannot be located after reasonable effort, it becomes the landlord's property 90 days after mailing. Official O.C.G.A. is published only via LexisNexis; text verified on a public mirror (code year 2024, current as of March 28, 2024 — older than 2025). Not amended by HB 404 (2024) or by the 2025-2026 bills checked. The DCA Handbook (rev. 8-29-24), p. 15, phrases it as 30 days after the lease ends or the tenant moves out, whichever is later. Applies to all landlords (§ 44-7-34 is not in the § 44-7-36 exemption list). Source: O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34(a) |
| Itemized deductions | If any amount is kept, the landlord must give a written statement of the specific reasons within 30 days, with the itemized damage list if damage is claimed, and the balance due. No deduction for normal wear and tear. Landlords with more than 10 units or a fee-paid management agent must also give a move-in damage list and do a move-out inspection within 3 business days, giving the tenant a signed damage list; the tenant may inspect within 5 business days and sign or note disagreements. Official code not freely readable online; §§ 44-7-33 and 44-7-34 text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2024, current as of March 28, 2024). The Legislative Counsel's summaries of general statutes enacted in 2025 and 2026 list no amendment to these sections. A tenant who signs the move-out list, or does not dissent item by item in writing, generally cannot later contest those deductions, if the lists told the tenant of the duty to sign or dissent (§ 44-7-33(c)). Source: O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-33, 44-7-34 |
| Interest on deposits | No statutory requirement to pay interest on security deposits identified. Deposits must be held in an escrow account used only for that purpose at a state- or federally regulated bank or lending institution (or covered by a surety bond under § 44-7-32), and the tenant must be told in writing where the escrow account is located. Official O.C.G.A. is published only via LexisNexis; text verified on a public mirror (code year 2024, current as of March 28, 2024 — older than 2025). § 44-7-31 contains no interest language, and the DCA Handbook (rev. 8-29-24) mentions interest only as a remedy (interest on a wrongfully withheld deposit, p. 16). The Legislative Counsel's summaries of general statutes enacted in 2025 and 2026 show no new deposit-interest law. Source: O.C.G.A. § 44-7-31 |
| Penalty for withholding | Landlord who fails to return any part of a deposit required to be returned is liable for 3 times the amount improperly withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees, unless the landlord shows by a preponderance of the evidence that the withholding was unintentional and a bona fide error despite procedures reasonably adapted to avoid it (then only the amount withheld). Failing to keep the escrow/bond or provide the required damage lists forfeits the right to withhold any part of the deposit. These penalties do not apply to owners of 10 or fewer units without a fee-paid manager, who can still be sued for the amount, interest while withheld, attorney's fees, and filing costs. Official O.C.G.A. is published only via LexisNexis; text verified on a public mirror (code year 2024, current as of March 28, 2024 — older than 2025). |
Free calculators
- 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)?
Georgia vs. neighboring states
| State | Security deposit limit | Deposit return deadline | Itemized deductions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 2 months' rent. No landlord may demand or receive a security deposit that exceeds the equivalent of two months' rent. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-30.1 (added by HB 404, 2024 Safe at Home Act, Act 392) | Within 30 days after the landlord obtains possession of the unit. The landlord complies by mailing the statement and any refund by first-class mail to the tenant's last known address. If the mailed refund is returned undeliverable and the tenant cannot be located after reasonable effort, it becomes the landlord's property 90 days after mailing. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34(a) | If any amount is kept, the landlord must give a written statement of the specific reasons within 30 days, with the itemized damage list if damage is claimed, and the balance due. No deduction for normal wear and tear. Landlords with more than 10 units or a fee-paid management agent must also give a move-in damage list and do a move-out inspection within 3 business days, giving the tenant a signed damage list; the tenant may inspect within 5 business days and sign or note disagreements. O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-33, 44-7-34 |
| Alabama | One month's periodic rent. Additional deposits are allowed only for pets, changes to the premises, or increased liability risks to the landlord or premises. Ala. Code § 35-9A-201(a) | Within 60 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant gives up possession. The landlord mails the refund and/or itemized accounting by first-class mail to the forwarding address the tenant gave in writing, or to the last known address or the rental address if none was given. Ala. Code § 35-9A-201(b)-(e) | If the landlord does not refund the whole deposit, the landlord must give the tenant an itemized list of the amounts withheld within the 60-day period. Deductions are limited to accrued rent and damages from the tenant's failure to meet the duties in § 35-9A-301. Ala. Code § 35-9A-201(b)-(c) |
| Florida | No statutory cap on the amount of a security deposit. Fla. Stat. § 83.49 | 15 days after the lease ends if the landlord makes no claim. If the landlord intends to keep any part, written notice of the claim must be sent within 30 days (certified mail to last known address, or e-mail under § 83.505); tenant then has 15 days to object, and the balance is due within 30 days of the notice. Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(a)-(b) | Written notice of intention to impose a claim, stating the amount and reason, sent within 30 days of termination in the statutory form; tenant has 15 days after receipt to object in writing. Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(a)-(b) |
| North Carolina | 2 weeks' rent (week-to-week tenancy); 1.5 months' rent (month-to-month); 2 months' rent (terms longer than month-to-month) N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-51(b) | 30 days after the tenancy ends and possession is delivered. If the landlord's claim can't be determined in 30 days, an interim accounting is due in 30 days and a final accounting within 60 days. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-52 | Landlord must itemize any damage in writing and mail or deliver it with the balance of the deposit. Deductions allowed only for: unpaid rent and certain utility charges, damage (including to smoke/CO alarms), damages from breaking the rental period, unpaid bills that become a lien, re-renting costs after breach, removal/storage after summary ejectment, court costs, and fees permitted by § 42-46. No deductions for normal wear and tear or above actual damages. N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-51(a), 42-52 |
| South Carolina | No statutory cap on the amount of a security deposit. S.C. Code § 27-40-410 | 30 days after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession and demand by the tenant. S.C. Code § 27-40-410(a) | Written notice itemizing the amounts withheld (accrued rent and damages from tenant noncompliance), delivered with any balance due within the 30 days. S.C. Code § 27-40-410(a) |
| 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) |
City rules that may add to state law
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Georgia Security Deposit Law FAQ
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Georgia?
2 months' rent. No landlord may demand or receive a security deposit that exceeds the equivalent of two months' rent. (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-30.1 (added by HB 404, 2024 Safe at Home Act, Act 392))
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Georgia?
Within 30 days after the landlord obtains possession of the unit. The landlord complies by mailing the statement and any refund by first-class mail to the tenant's last known address. If the mailed refund is returned undeliverable and the tenant cannot be located after reasonable effort, it becomes the landlord's property 90 days after mailing. (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34(a))
Does a landlord in Georgia have to give an itemized list of deposit deductions?
If any amount is kept, the landlord must give a written statement of the specific reasons within 30 days, with the itemized damage list if damage is claimed, and the balance due. No deduction for normal wear and tear. Landlords with more than 10 units or a fee-paid management agent must also give a move-in damage list and do a move-out inspection within 3 business days, giving the tenant a signed damage list; the tenant may inspect within 5 business days and sign or note disagreements. (O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-33, 44-7-34)
Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in Georgia?
No statutory requirement to pay interest on security deposits identified. Deposits must be held in an escrow account used only for that purpose at a state- or federally regulated bank or lending institution (or covered by a surety bond under § 44-7-32), and the tenant must be told in writing where the escrow account is located. (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-31)
What happens if a landlord in Georgia wrongfully keeps a security deposit?
Landlord who fails to return any part of a deposit required to be returned is liable for 3 times the amount improperly withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees, unless the landlord shows by a preponderance of the evidence that the withholding was unintentional and a bona fide error despite procedures reasonably adapted to avoid it (then only the amount withheld). Failing to keep the escrow/bond or provide the required damage lists forfeits the right to withhold any part of the deposit. These penalties do not apply to owners of 10 or fewer units without a fee-paid manager, who can still be sued for the amount, interest while withheld, attorney's fees, and filing costs. (O.C.G.A. §§ 44-7-35, 44-7-36; Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (DCA, rev. 8-29-24), pp. 15-16)
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.