Security deposit return deadline in Maryland
A Maryland landlord has 45 days after the tenancy ends to return a security deposit or send a written list of what was kept.
- Deadline
- 45 days
- What the landlord must send
- If anything is kept, the landlord must mail a written list of damages with an itemized statement of costs within 45 days.
- If the landlord gets it wrong
- Withholding without a reasonable basis can cost up to three times the withheld amount, plus attorney fees.
- Deposit limit
- 1 month’s rent
- Interest
- Simple interest at the greater of 1.5% a year or the 1-year U.S. Treasury yield curve rate, on deposits of $50 or more.
A tenant who was evicted or abandoned the unit must request the deposit in writing within 45 days.
The law
Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203. Read the statute.
Checked against the statute in October 2026. Laws change, so confirm the current rule before you rely on it.
What to do next
If the deadline has passed, or the landlord kept money without a proper list, put your request in writing. Ask for the deposit back by a specific date, and keep a copy. The free first letter in the Deposit Demand Letters kit does this for Maryland, and the deadline calculator works out your exact date from your move-out day.
Other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
General information about Maryland law, not legal advice, and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Deposit Demand Letters is a self-help template kit from Kits For That.