Security deposit return deadline in New York
A New York landlord has 14 days after the tenancy ends to return a security deposit or send a written list of what was kept.
- Deadline
- 14 days
- What the landlord must send
- Within 14 days after move-out the landlord must give an itemized statement of any amount kept and return the rest.
- If the landlord gets it wrong
- Missing the 14 days forfeits the right to keep any part; willful violations can bring punitive damages up to twice the deposit.
- Deposit limit
- 1 month’s rent
Before move-in, the landlord must offer the tenant a chance to inspect the unit and sign a written record of its condition.
The law
N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-108. 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 New York, 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
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- 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 New York 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.