Texas security deposit return statement
Texas landlords have 30 days after the tenant surrenders the property to refund the deposit with a written itemization. This generator pre-selects Texas and tracks the deadline.
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- Deadline
- 30 days after surrender, once the tenant gives a forwarding address
- Penalty
- 3× the wrongfully withheld amount plus attorney fees
- Bad faith
- Presumed if you keep the deposit past 30 days without an itemization
- Statute
- Tex. Prop. Code § 92.101 et seq.
Enter your move-out date above to see your deadline
Property & Parties
Security Deposit
Required in some states: NY, IL, others
Deductions
Add state + move-out date
What the statement has to say
Texas Property Code § 92.103 gives you 30 days from surrender of the premises to refund the deposit. The clock is tied to the tenant providing a written forwarding address — but do not treat a missing address as permission to keep the money. Document your attempts to obtain it and send the statement as soon as you have one.
The penalty is the harshest of the large states. A landlord who acts in bad faith is liable for $100, plus three times the portion of the deposit wrongfully withheld, plus the tenant's reasonable attorney fees. Bad faith is presumed if you retain the deposit past the 30-day window without sending a written description and itemized list of deductions.
You may deduct unpaid rent and damage beyond normal wear and tear, but not normal wear and tear itself. An itemized list is required whenever you keep any portion of the deposit — a refund with no deductions needs no list, but sending a zero-deduction statement anyway creates a clean paper trail.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Texas landlord have to return a security deposit?
30 days after the tenant surrenders the property, provided the tenant has given a written forwarding address. Both the refund and the itemized list of deductions must be sent within that window.
What is the penalty for withholding a deposit in Texas?
A landlord acting in bad faith is liable for $100 plus three times the wrongfully withheld portion, plus the tenant's reasonable attorney fees. Bad faith is presumed after 30 days with no itemization.
What if the tenant never gave a forwarding address?
Your duty to refund is not triggered until you have one, but the safest practice is to prepare the statement on time, mail it to the last known address by certified mail, and keep proof of the attempt.
Can I charge a Texas tenant for normal wear and tear?
No. Texas expressly excludes normal wear and tear — deterioration from ordinary use without negligence, carelessness, accident, or abuse. Repainting a lightly scuffed wall is wear and tear; patching gouges is damage.
Related guides
- California security deposit return statement →
Generate a California security deposit itemization before the 21-day deadline. Covers receipt rules, proration, and the 2× bad-faith penalty.
- Landlord deposit itemization form →
Fill out a landlord security deposit itemization form online and download a printable PDF. Itemized deductions, deposit accounting, and your state's return deadline.
Deciding whether to renew instead?
Field Renewal compares the true cost of a lease renewal against a turnover — vacancy days, make-ready, leasing fees — so you know whether raising rent is worth the risk of a move-out.
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