Question 1

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

No statutory cap. § 89-8-21 governs how deposits are held and returned but sets no maximum amount. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21)

Question 2

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

Within 45 days after the tenancy ends, the tenant delivers possession, and the tenant demands return. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3))

Question 3

Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

Not required. The statute has no interest requirement. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21)

Question 4

Does a landlord in Mississippi have to give an itemized list of deposit deductions?

Accepted Answer

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))

Question 5

What happens if a landlord in Mississippi wrongfully keeps a security deposit?

Accepted Answer

If a landlord keeps a deposit in violation of the statute and without good faith, the landlord can owe damages of up to $200 on top of any actual damages. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(4))

Question 6

How much notice does a landlord have to give before evicting for unpaid rent in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

3 days. The landlord may give written notice (or email/text, if the tenant agreed in writing to be notified that way) that the rental agreement will end if the rent is not paid within three days.
Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-13(5)(a)

Question 7

How much notice is required to evict for a lease violation in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

14 days to cure. The written notice must describe the breach and say the agreement will end on a date at least 14 days after the tenant receives it unless the breach is fixed within a reasonable time of no more than 14 days. If substantially the same breach happens again within 6 months, the agreement can be ended on at least 14 days' written notice with no chance to cure. No notice at all is required for a substantial violation that materially affects health or safety. (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-13(3), 89-8-19(4))

Question 8

How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month lease in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

30 days' written notice by either the landlord or the tenant before the termination date. A week-to-week tenancy needs 7 days' written notice by either side. A tenancy with no fixed term is week to week if rent is paid weekly and month to month in all other cases. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-19(1)–(3))

Question 9

Can a landlord enter without notice in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

No statute. The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act has no provision on landlord entry or advance notice before entry. (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-1 to 89-8-45 (no entry provision))

Question 10

Is there a limit on late fees in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

No statutory cap or grace period. The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act does not regulate late fees. (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-1 to 89-8-45 (no late-fee provision))

Question 11

Can a tenant repair and deduct from rent in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

Allowed. If the landlord has not repaired a specific, material defect within 30 days after the tenant's written notice, the tenant may make the repair and is owed reimbursement within 45 days after giving the landlord receipted bills. Conditions: the tenant has met their own duties under § 89-8-25, the cost is no more than one month's rent, the tenant has not used this remedy in the previous 6 months, and the tenant is current on rent. Reimbursement is limited to the usual and customary charge for the repair, and the cost may be offset against future rent. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-15)

Question 12

Can a tenant withhold rent for repairs in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

No statute authorizes rent withholding. The only statutory self-help remedy is repair-and-deduct under § 89-8-15, where the repair cost may be offset against future rent. A tenant may also end the tenancy for the landlord's material noncompliance after a 14-day notice (§ 89-8-13(2)–(3)). (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-13, 89-8-15)

Question 13

Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

Very limited. There is no general anti-retaliation statute and no presumption period. The only reference is in § 89-8-17(2): after a lease expires, a landlord may raise the rent only if the action's dominant purpose was not retaliation for the tenant's actions authorized under the Act, and the landlord had received written notice of each condition the tenant acted on. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-17(2))

Question 14

Is there rent control or a limit on rent increases in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

No rent control. State law bars cities and towns (§ 21-17-5(2)(h)) and counties (§ 19-3-40(3)(g)) from regulating, directly or indirectly, the rent charged for private residential property in which they have no property interest, unless the Legislature gives prior approval. (Miss. Code Ann. § 21-17-5(2)(h); § 19-3-40(3)(g))

Question 15

Can a landlord change the locks or shut off utilities in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act has no express ban on self-help lockouts or utility shutoffs and no damages remedy for them. The Act provides a court eviction process (§§ 89-8-31 to 89-8-39), and only a sheriff or constable may remove the tenant, under a warrant of removal issued after the move-out date. Since 2025, posting the warrant on the door does not count as executing it; law enforcement must remove the occupants. New in 2026: HB 1404 (approved March 25, 2026) makes it a crime to knowingly fail to apply tenant money collected under a lease for utilities to the utility bill within 60 days of receiving the bill. Penalties run from up to 6 months in jail or a $1,000 fine, up to 20 years or a $50,000 fine, depending on the amount, plus restitution. (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-31, 89-8-39(2) (as amended by Laws 2025, ch. 460); 2026 HB 1404 (Code section not yet assigned in the sources reviewed))

Question 16

What is the small claims court limit in Mississippi for a deposit dispute?

Accepted Answer

$3,500. Justice court has jurisdiction over suits for debts, damages, or personal property where the amount does not exceed $3,500. (Miss. Code Ann. § 9-11-9)

Question 17

How do you remove a squatter in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

Real Property Owners Protection Act (effective July 1, 2025). A 'squatter' is a trespasser who stays on the premises, or a tenant's invitee who stays after the rental agreement ends. Squatters do not get tenant eviction rights; people with heirship rights are excluded. Process: the owner or agent files a sworn affidavit with local law enforcement giving the property address, the filer's name, address and status, and supporting documents. Within 24 hours, law enforcement must serve a citation ordering the person to leave. The person has 24 hours to vacate, or 3 days to tell the municipal or justice court they will contest. If they do not contest, they may be removed immediately without a writ, and the owner and officers are not liable for damage to their property. If contested, a hearing is held within 7 days under a preponderance standard; a certified deed showing the complainant as owner of record leads to a squatter finding. The judge then orders the squatter out within 24 hours. Squatting after written notice to leave is a crime. Knowingly using false documents to claim or rent out someone else's property is a felony: 2-5 years in prison plus fines equal to rent lost or money collected. Landlord-tenant law (§ 89-8-3) does not give rights to trespassers. (2025 Miss. Laws HB 1200 (Real Property Owners Protection Act), approved Apr. 10, 2025, eff. July 1, 2025; Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-3 (as amended))

Question 18

What can a landlord do with a tenant's abandoned property in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

The summons must warn that belongings left behind after a court-ordered move-out may be thrown away. If the tenant leaves by the court's move-out date (normally 7 days after judgment) and leaves property behind, the landlord may dispose of it without further notice. If the tenant is removed under a warrant, the landlord must give reasonable access for 72 hours after the warrant is executed so the tenant can remove property, including a manufactured home. After 72 hours the landlord may move what remains to the curb, a garbage area, or another agreed location, and has no duty to preserve it. Posting the warrant on the door does not count as execution; officers must actually remove the occupants. (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-35(2), 89-8-39(1)-(3) (as amended by 2025 SB 2328); § 89-8-13(6))

Question 19

What does a Mississippi notice to pay rent or quit have to include?

Accepted Answer

Written notice stating that the rental agreement will end if rent is not paid within 3 days. The 14-day breach notice is not required for nonpayment. Delivery: in writing, or by email or text message if the tenant agreed in writing to be notified that way. The eviction affidavit or complaint must attach a copy of the notice and state the facts, the address, and the rent and fees owed. At the hearing, the judge must follow the signed rental agreement. (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-13(5), 89-8-33)

Question 20

What does a Mississippi notice to end a month-to-month tenancy have to include?

Accepted Answer

Month-to-month: written notice at least 30 days before the termination date. Week-to-week: at least 7 days. A tenancy is week-to-week if rent is paid weekly, otherwise month-to-month, unless the agreement fixes a term. No notice is required for a substantial violation that materially affects health or safety. For a fixed-term lease that has expired, the landlord may give written (or agreed email or text) notice that the tenant is holding over and that eviction will be filed no earlier than 3 days later. The eviction filing must attach the termination notice. (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-19, 89-8-17(2), 89-8-33(b)(ii))

Question 21

What must a Mississippi security deposit itemization include?

Accepted Answer

Written notice delivered to the tenant that itemizes the amounts claimed. Allowed deductions: unpaid rent, tenant-caused damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, cleaning at move-out, or other reasonable costs from the tenant's default, if the deposit was taken for those purposes. The rest must be returned within 45 days after the tenancy ends, possession is delivered, and the tenant demands it. Bad-faith retention: up to $200 plus actual damages. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3)-(4))

Question 22

How long does a landlord have to sue for unpaid rent in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

3 years for both written and oral leases. Unwritten contracts are expressly 3 years. Written contracts fall under the general 3-year catch-all for actions with no other limit. (Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49(1); § 15-1-29)

Question 23

Can a landlord accept rent during an eviction in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

In a possession judgment based only on nonpayment, the judge may not issue a removal warrant if (i) the tenant paid all unpaid rent and other sums in the judgment by the court-ordered move-out date, or (ii) the landlord accepted payment of those amounts after that date. The landlord must, in good faith, accept full payment tendered by the move-out date. The eviction summons must tell tenants they don't have to move if they pay everything owed before the hearing or by the move-out date. No statute addresses accepting rent after a notice but before judgment. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-39(4); § 89-8-35(2))

Question 24

Can you be evicted in the winter in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

No state statute limits evictions in winter or in cold weather. (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-31 to 89-8-41 (no seasonal limit))

Question 25

Can a landlord give notice by text or email in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

Landlord notices (3-day nonpayment, 14-day breach, 3-day holdover after the lease ends, and default notices for non-dwelling tenancies) must be in writing. They may be sent by email or text message only if the tenant has agreed in writing to that method. Month-to-month (30-day) and week-to-week (7-day) termination notices must be written. The eviction summons is served under the Mississippi Rules of Court. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-13(3), (5)(a); § 89-8-17(2); § 89-8-19; § 89-7-27; § 89-8-35(3))

Question 26

How much notice is required for a rent increase in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

No statute sets a rent-increase notice period. After a fixed-term lease expires, the landlord may demand a rent increase unless its main purpose is retaliation for a tenant's protected actions. A month-to-month tenancy can be ended (and so changed) with 30 days' written notice, or 7 days for week-to-week. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-17(2); § 89-8-19(2)-(3))

Question 27

Does a landlord have to fix mold in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

No statute — Mississippi has no mold disclosure or remediation law. The landlord's general statutory duty applies: comply with building and housing codes that materially affect health and safety, and maintain the unit and its plumbing, heating and cooling systems in substantially the same condition as at the start of the lease, reasonable wear and tear excluded. There is no duty for defects caused by the tenant's deliberate or negligent acts. Tenants must tell the landlord about conditions that may cause damage. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-23; § 89-8-25(g))

Question 28

Who pays for pest control and bed bugs in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

No statute — no state law assigns pest or bed bug treatment or requires disclosure. Pests are governed by the general duty to comply with health and safety housing codes and maintain the premises, and by the lease. Tenants must keep their part of the premises clean and safe and dispose of garbage properly. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-23(1); § 89-8-25(a)-(b))

Question 29

Does a landlord have to provide heat in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

No minimum temperature or heating season is set by state law. A landlord must maintain the heating system in substantially the same condition as at the start of the lease, reasonable wear and tear excluded, unless the tenant's deliberate or negligent actions damaged it, and must comply with applicable housing codes. The lease decides whether a heating system is provided at all. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-23(1)(b))

Question 30

Does a landlord have to provide air conditioning in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

No statute requires landlords to provide air conditioning or sets a maximum indoor temperature. But if the unit has a cooling system, the landlord must maintain it in substantially the same condition as at the start of the lease, reasonable wear and tear excluded, unless the tenant damaged it deliberately or negligently. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-23(1)(b))

Question 31

What can a landlord deduct from a deposit for cleaning or damage in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

Using a written, itemized notice, the landlord may claim from the deposit only amounts reasonably necessary to cover unpaid rent, to repair damage caused by the tenant 'exclusive of ordinary wear and tear,' to clean the premises at the end of the tenancy, or for other reasonable and necessary expenses from the tenant's default. These deductions are allowed only if the deposit was made for those purposes. Cleaning is expressly allowed. Wear and tear is not defined, and painting and carpet are not specifically addressed. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3))

Question 32

Can a landlord put cameras in or around a rental in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

No landlord-specific statute. It is a felony to photograph, film, videotape or record someone's image with lewd, licentious or indecent intent, without permission, where they would be undressed and reasonably expect privacy, including private dwellings, bathrooms and bedrooms. The penalty for an adult is up to 5 years and/or a $5,000 fine. Recording conversations is lawful if the recorder is a party or one party consents, unless done to commit a crime or tort. (Miss. Code Ann. § 97-29-63; § 41-29-531(e))

Question 33

Can a landlord limit guests or roommates in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

No statute — the lease governs guests, occupancy limits and roommates. The tenant must make guests on the premises behave so as not to disturb neighbors, and must not knowingly let others damage the premises. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-25(e)-(f); §§ 89-8-1 to 89-8-45 (checked))

Question 34

Can a landlord deny a service or emotional support animal in Mississippi?

Accepted Answer

A blind, mobility-impaired or hearing-impaired person, or a veteran diagnosed with PTSD, who uses a specially trained support animal is entitled to full and equal access to public conveyances, hotels, lodging places and other public accommodations. No fee or charge may be imposed for the animal. The statute does not expressly cover private rental housing. No state statute sets documentation rules or a misrepresentation penalty for assistance animals in housing. The federal Fair Housing Act governs, including reasonable accommodation for emotional support animals and no pet fees. (Miss. Code Ann. § 43-6-155)

Security deposit limit	No statutory cap. § 89-8-21 governs how deposits are held and returned but sets no maximum amount. § 89-8-21 has not been amended since 2022 (the 2025 amendments did not change it). Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2025, current through January 1, 2025). Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21
Deposit return deadline	Within 45 days after the tenancy ends, the tenant delivers possession, and the tenant demands return. All three conditions (termination, delivery of possession, tenant demand) start the 45-day clock. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2025, current through January 1, 2025). Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3)
Itemized deductions	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. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2025, current through January 1, 2025). Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3)
Interest on deposits	Not required. The statute has no interest requirement. The statute says nothing about interest. It does say the deposit is held for the tenant, and the tenant's claim to it comes before the claims of the landlord's creditors (§ 89-8-21(2)). Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2025, current through January 1, 2025). Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21
Penalty for withholding	If a landlord keeps a deposit in violation of the statute and without good faith, the landlord can owe damages of up to $200 on top of any actual damages. No multiple-of-deposit penalty and no attorney-fee provision appears in § 89-8-21. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2025, current through January 1, 2025). Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(4)

Notice for unpaid rent	3 days. The landlord may give written notice (or email/text, if the tenant agreed in writing to be notified that way) that the rental agreement will end if the rent is not paid within three days. Wording set by the 2022 SB 2461 (Laws 2022 ch. 501) and unchanged in the 2024 bring-forward text. Under § 89-8-13(5)(b), the judge in a nonpayment eviction must follow the terms of the signed rental agreement. The 3-day notice in § 89-7-27 now applies only to premises that are not dwelling units (nonresidential). Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-13(5)(a)
Notice for lease violations	14 days to cure. The written notice must describe the breach and say the agreement will end on a date at least 14 days after the tenant receives it unless the breach is fixed within a reasonable time of no more than 14 days. If substantially the same breach happens again within 6 months, the agreement can be ended on at least 14 days' written notice with no chance to cure. No notice at all is required for a substantial violation that materially affects health or safety. The same 14-day breach notice is available to a tenant against a landlord who fails to comply (§ 89-8-13(2)–(3)). Notice may go by email or text if the breaching party agreed in writing. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-13(3), 89-8-19(4)
Lockouts & utility shutoffs	The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act has no express ban on self-help lockouts or utility shutoffs and no damages remedy for them. The Act provides a court eviction process (§§ 89-8-31 to 89-8-39), and only a sheriff or constable may remove the tenant, under a warrant of removal issued after the move-out date. Since 2025, posting the warrant on the door does not count as executing it; law enforcement must remove the occupants. New in 2026: HB 1404 (approved March 25, 2026) makes it a crime to knowingly fail to apply tenant money collected under a lease for utilities to the utility bill within 60 days of receiving the bill. Penalties run from up to 6 months in jail or a $1,000 fine, up to 20 years or a $50,000 fine, depending on the amount, plus restitution. HB 1404 enrolled text: https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/1400-1499/HB1404SG.pdf. Its approval date comes from the Legislature's 2026 all-measures list. No Mississippi statute was found that expressly prohibits lockouts. Some secondary sites attribute a ban to § 89-7-27, but the official text of § 89-7-27 contains no such ban, and since 2022 that section applies only to nonresidential premises. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-31, 89-8-39(2) (as amended by Laws 2025, ch. 460); 2026 HB 1404 (Code section not yet assigned in the sources reviewed)

Repair and deduct	Allowed. If the landlord has not repaired a specific, material defect within 30 days after the tenant's written notice, the tenant may make the repair and is owed reimbursement within 45 days after giving the landlord receipted bills. Conditions: the tenant has met their own duties under § 89-8-25, the cost is no more than one month's rent, the tenant has not used this remedy in the previous 6 months, and the tenant is current on rent. Reimbursement is limited to the usual and customary charge for the repair, and the cost may be offset against future rent. Before repairing facilities shared with other units, the tenant must notify the other tenants (§ 89-8-15(3)). The remedy creates no lien on the property. A 2025 bill (HB 840) and a 2026 bill (HB 442) to revise this section both died in committee. Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-15
Withholding rent	No statute authorizes rent withholding. The only statutory self-help remedy is repair-and-deduct under § 89-8-15, where the repair cost may be offset against future rent. A tenant may also end the tenancy for the landlord's material noncompliance after a 14-day notice (§ 89-8-13(2)–(3)). Withholding rent is risky. The tenant must be current on rent to use repair-and-deduct, and a 3-day notice can follow any nonpayment. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2025, current through January 1, 2025). Source: Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-13, 89-8-15
Retaliation protection	Very limited. There is no general anti-retaliation statute and no presumption period. The only reference is in § 89-8-17(2): after a lease expires, a landlord may raise the rent only if the action's dominant purpose was not retaliation for the tenant's actions authorized under the Act, and the landlord had received written notice of each condition the tenant acted on. Every duty and condition precedent under the Act, including terminating or not renewing a tenancy, carries an obligation of good faith (§ 89-8-9). The wording of § 89-8-17(2) is awkward, so the plain-English summary is cautious. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (code year 2025, current through January 1, 2025). Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-17(2)

Mold	No statute — Mississippi has no mold disclosure or remediation law. The landlord's general statutory duty applies: comply with building and housing codes that materially affect health and safety, and maintain the unit and its plumbing, heating and cooling systems in substantially the same condition as at the start of the lease, reasonable wear and tear excluded. There is no duty for defects caused by the tenant's deliberate or negligent acts. Tenants must tell the landlord about conditions that may cause damage. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (FindLaw, code current as of January 1, 2025). Any local housing codes adopted by cities set more specific standards. Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-23; § 89-8-25(g)
Pests & bed bugs	No statute — no state law assigns pest or bed bug treatment or requires disclosure. Pests are governed by the general duty to comply with health and safety housing codes and maintain the premises, and by the lease. Tenants must keep their part of the premises clean and safe and dispose of garbage properly. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (FindLaw, code current as of January 1, 2025). Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-23(1); § 89-8-25(a)-(b)
Heat	No minimum temperature or heating season is set by state law. A landlord must maintain the heating system in substantially the same condition as at the start of the lease, reasonable wear and tear excluded, unless the tenant's deliberate or negligent actions damaged it, and must comply with applicable housing codes. The lease decides whether a heating system is provided at all. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (FindLaw, code current as of January 1, 2025). Landlord and tenant may agree in writing, in good faith, for the tenant to take on these duties (§ 89-8-23(3)). Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-23(1)(b)
Air conditioning	No statute requires landlords to provide air conditioning or sets a maximum indoor temperature. But if the unit has a cooling system, the landlord must maintain it in substantially the same condition as at the start of the lease, reasonable wear and tear excluded, unless the tenant damaged it deliberately or negligently. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (FindLaw, code current as of January 1, 2025). Tenants must use air conditioning and other facilities in a reasonable manner (§ 89-8-25(d)). Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-23(1)(b)

Cameras & privacy	No landlord-specific statute. It is a felony to photograph, film, videotape or record someone's image with lewd, licentious or indecent intent, without permission, where they would be undressed and reasonably expect privacy, including private dwellings, bathrooms and bedrooms. The penalty for an adult is up to 5 years and/or a $5,000 fine. Recording conversations is lawful if the recorder is a party or one party consents, unless done to commit a crime or tort. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (FindLaw, code current as of January 1, 2025). § 41-29-531: https://codes.findlaw.com/ms/title-41-public-health/ms-code-sect-41-29-531/. The landlord-tenant act has no landlord-entry provision. Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 97-29-63; § 41-29-531(e)
Guests & occupants	No statute — the lease governs guests, occupancy limits and roommates. The tenant must make guests on the premises behave so as not to disturb neighbors, and must not knowingly let others damage the premises. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (FindLaw, code current as of January 1, 2025). Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-25(e)-(f); §§ 89-8-1 to 89-8-45 (checked)
Service & support animals (state law)	A blind, mobility-impaired or hearing-impaired person, or a veteran diagnosed with PTSD, who uses a specially trained support animal is entitled to full and equal access to public conveyances, hotels, lodging places and other public accommodations. No fee or charge may be imposed for the animal. The statute does not expressly cover private rental housing. No state statute sets documentation rules or a misrepresentation penalty for assistance animals in housing. The federal Fair Housing Act governs, including reasonable accommodation for emotional support animals and no pet fees. Official code not freely readable online; text verified on a public code mirror (FindLaw, code current as of January 1, 2025). Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 43-6-155

Mississippi Landlord-Tenant Law

Quick answers for Mississippi

Security Deposits in Mississippi

Eviction in Mississippi

Notice to Vacate in Mississippi

Landlord Entry in Mississippi

Repairs & Habitability in Mississippi

Rent Increases & Late Fees in Mississippi

Squatters & Abandoned Property in Mississippi

Mold, Pests, Heat & AC in Mississippi

Privacy, Guests & Animals in Mississippi

How eviction works in Mississippi

What surprises people about Mississippi rental law

Federal law that also applies in Mississippi

Eviction by county in Mississippi

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Common Mississippi questions

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How Mississippi compares to neighboring states

Mississippi landlord-tenant FAQ

Official resources for Mississippi

State	Security deposit limit	Deposit return deadline	Notice for unpaid rent
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)	3 days. The landlord may give written notice (or email/text, if the tenant agreed in writing to be notified that way) that the rental agreement will end if the rent is not paid within three days. Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-13(5)(a)
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)	Written notice to terminate that states the rent and any late fees owed. The rental agreement terminates on a date not less than 7 business days after the tenant receives the notice, unless the tenant pays (cures) within the 7 business days. Ala. Code § 35-9A-421(b)
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	For a civil unlawful detainer, the landlord must give three days' written notice to vacate before filing. Ark. Code Ann. § 18-60-304
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	Written notice to vacate giving at least 5 days from delivery. Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays are not counted in a period this short, so in practice the tenant gets 5 business days. The lease may waive the notice, and many standard leases do. La. C.C.P. arts. 4701, 5059(C)(3); La. R.S. 1:55(E); La. C.C. art. 2704
Tennessee	No statutory cap on the amount of a security deposit. T.C.A. 66-28-301	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)	14 days. URLTA counties: written notice that the lease will end unless the rent is paid within 14 days after the tenant receives the notice. The tenant can cure by paying. Notice may be waived only by a waiver in 12-point or larger bold type in the lease, and the 5-day late-fee grace period still applies. Non-URLTA counties: 14 days' notice for rent that is due and in arrears, upon demand. The lease does not end if the tenant pays before the date in the notice. T.C.A. 66-28-505(a)(2), (b); 66-28-201(c); 66-7-109(a)