Self-help legal document preparation
Every state has a security deposit law. Most landlords violate it. Almost no renter knows the numbers. DepositBack calculates your exact recovery — including statutory penalties up to 3x your deposit — and generates a demand letter citing the exact law.
$59 flat. No lawyers. Money goes straight to you.
How it works
Enter your state, deposit amount, move-out date, and what your landlord did — kept it all, made deductions, or went silent past the deadline. Upload your lease and any deduction letter.
DepositBack checks your state's deadline, classifies each deduction as legitimate or contestable, and calculates your total recoverable amount — including the statutory penalty multiplier.
A complete demand letter citing the exact statute, your deadline violation or contested deductions, the calculated demand amount, and a response deadline. Plus certified-mail instructions and a "what happens next" guide.
The process
Eight steps. No surprises. No hidden fees.
Recovery calculator
Select your state and deposit amount to estimate your total recovery including statutory penalties.
Deposit laws by state
| State | Return deadline | Penalty for bad faith | Key statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 21 days | Up to 2x deposit | Civil Code § 1950.5 |
| Texas | 30 days | 3x deposit + $100 | Prop. Code § 92.109 |
| New York | 14 days | Forfeiture + 2x damages | GOL § 7-108 |
| Washington | 21 days | Forfeiture + actual damages | RCW 60.28.055 |
| Florida | 15 days | Up to $50/day + damages | Stat. § 83.59 |
| Illinois | 30 days | Actual damages + attorney fees | 765 ILCS 710 |
Last reviewed June 2026. Statutory amounts may change — verify with your state's current code before filing.
"Most renters don't know there's a statute that says their landlord owes them two or three times the deposit if the deadline gets missed. The information is public. The letters aren't being written. That's the gap."
DepositBack exists to close that gap. We prepare the documents that assert your rights — we don't give legal advice, we don't promise outcomes, and we don't take a cut of what you recover. The money is yours. We just make the letter easier to write.
This service provides self-help legal document preparation and public legal information. It is not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created. Results depend on your specific facts and applicable law.
Every day you wait is a day your landlord hopes you give up. The statutes are clear. The deadlines are hard. The penalties are real. DepositBack puts the letter together — cite the law, state the number, set the deadline.
Know Your Rights
Everything tenants should know before writing a single letter.
In most states, landlords have 14–45 days after you move out to return your deposit or provide an itemized statement of deductions. California landlords have 21 days (Civil Code §1950.5); Texas landlords have 30 days (Property Code §92.103); Florida landlords have 15 days if there are no deductions, 30 days if there are. If your landlord misses the deadline or fails to itemize deductions, they may lose the right to keep any portion of your deposit — and in many states, you'll be entitled to statutory damages on top of the deposit itself.
Landlords can only deduct for three things: unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear (like holes in walls, broken fixtures, or pet stains), and cleaning costs if the unit was left significantly dirtier than when you moved in. They cannot charge you for normal wear and tear — faded paint, worn carpet, or small nail holes — or for improvements or upgrades that happened regardless of tenancy. Any deduction over $125 in California requires itemized receipts; most states require a written statement listing every deduction. If your landlord can't explain why they're keeping money, that's a problem.
A security deposit demand letter needs five things: (1) your forwarding address so the landlord knows where to send payment, (2) the amount you paid and the move-out date, (3) a citation to your state's security deposit statute, (4) a specific demand for the amount owed and a deadline to respond (typically 14 days), and (5) a statement that you intend to file in small claims court if they don't comply. Keep a copy and send it via certified mail with return receipt — that proof of delivery matters if you end up in court. DepositBack generates a state-specific demand letter with the correct statute language and penalty calculations for a flat $59.
If your landlord doesn't respond to a written demand letter, you can file a claim in small claims court — no lawyer required. Most states cap small claims at $5,000–$20,000, and filing fees run $30–$150. If the court finds your landlord acted in bad faith, statutory penalties kick in: in California, up to twice your deposit; in Texas, up to three times plus attorney fees. The demand letter itself is critical — it puts the landlord on formal notice and makes a bad-faith finding much more likely if they still refuse to pay. Most security deposit disputes settle after tenants file a small claims court demand, not before.
Yes — small claims court is designed for exactly this. You don't need an attorney to file or to argue your case in front of a judge. The process is: send a demand letter, wait the statutory period (usually 14 days), then file online or at your local courthouse. Filing fees are typically $30–$75. In most states you can recover your deposit plus statutory penalties — in California that's up to twice your deposit on top of what you're owed, and in Texas that's three times the amount wrongfully withheld. That's often more money than you'd recover hiring a lawyer, without the lawyer's cost.
Every state has a statutory penalty for landlords who wrongfully withhold deposits — and most tenants don't know to ask for them. In California, a court can award up to twice your deposit if the landlord acted in bad faith (Civil Code §1950.5(m)). In Texas, you can recover three times the amount withheld plus a $100 civil penalty and your attorney fees (Property Code §92.109). Massachusetts and Washington allow up to three times the deposit; Pennsylvania allows up to double. Bad faith is typically presumed when the landlord misses the statutory return deadline or fails to provide itemized deductions. The penalty often exceeds the deposit itself — which is why demand letters work.