Mississippi Security Deposit Law
Mississippi rules on security deposits for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short 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
The rules in Mississippi
| 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) |
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)?
Mississippi vs. neighboring states
| State | Security deposit limit | Deposit return deadline | Itemized deductions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
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Mississippi Security Deposit Law FAQ
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in 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)
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Mississippi?
Within 45 days after the tenancy ends, the tenant delivers possession, and the tenant demands return. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3))
Does a landlord in Mississippi have to give an itemized list of deposit 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. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21(3))
Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in Mississippi?
Not required. The statute has no interest requirement. (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21)
What happens if a landlord in Mississippi wrongfully keeps a security deposit?
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))
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.