Renter guide · Deposit deductions

What can a landlord deduct from a security deposit?

There is no single nationwide list. State law and your lease matter. In many states, the key questions are whether the charge is allowed, tied to a tenant responsibility, beyond ordinary use, and supported by an explanation or records required by local law.

Reviewed September 26, 2026 · Sources linked below are primary state law or court resources.

Review each line item in four steps

1. Identify the exact work. Ask what was repaired, cleaned, or replaced, where it was, and when. “Repairs” alone does not explain a charge.
2. Compare condition at move-in and move-out. Look for dated photos, inspection forms, messages, and move-out video. Routine fading or small scuffs can differ from a specific break, stain, or hole; context and state law control.
3. Check the amount and responsibility. Compare the charge with an invoice, receipt, or reasonable description of work where your state requires it. Check whether the lease and local law allow that category of charge. A landlord generally cannot make a tenant pay to improve the unit beyond its prior condition, but the rule and evidence are state-specific.
4. Check the deadline and accounting. Save the date you surrendered the unit, when and how the statement was sent, and your written forwarding address if required. Deadlines and documentation rules vary.

Example: a $200 repainting charge

Suppose the deposit was $1,000 and the statement keeps $200 for repainting, leaving $800 returned. Ask which room and wall needed work, whether the condition is shown in move-in and move-out records, how the $200 was calculated, and whether the applicable state rule permits the charge. Ordinary use over time and a specific tenant-caused mark are different facts; the label “paint” alone does not settle it.

For a Texas rental, Property Code §§ 92.104 and 92.107 prohibit retaining a deposit for normal wear and tear and condition the return obligation on a written forwarding address. The Texas Attorney General says ordinary wear such as carpet becoming worn from walking is not chargeable, while abnormal damage may be. For California, Civil Code § 1950.5 limits deductions to specified purposes and requires reasonable amounts; its list and documentation requirements differ from Texas. These examples do not decide whether a particular repainting bill is valid.

Keep the evidence together

• Lease, move-in checklist, and any inspection report.
• Dated photos or video from move-in and move-out, including wide shots and close-ups.
• Deposit receipt, surrender date, forwarding-address notice, and delivery proof.
• Itemized statement, envelopes or email timestamps, and receipts or estimates received.
• A short note beside each disputed line saying what you observed and which photo or record supports it.

Check the rule for your state

Recoup currently has sourced deadline guides for Texas, California, New York, Washington, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. Coverage is not available for every state yet. The free checker compares the deposit amount, dates, itemization status, and deduction categories with supported state rules, then links its result to the source.

This is general legal information, not legal advice. A flagged line is a reason to review the facts, not a legal conclusion. State and local law, lease terms, records, and court findings can change the result. Recoup does not promise recovery.