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Security Deposit Refund Calculator

Calculate the exact refund owed to a tenant at move-out. Carpet and paint are prorated by remaining useful life — landlords can only charge the unconsumed portion. Includes statutory interest in states that require it.

Security deposit held

Statutory interest owed %

0% in most states

Months deposit was held

Unpaid rent or fees

Cleaning beyond ordinary

Damage repair (beyond wear)

Carpet/flooring replacement

Carpet age at move-out (yrs)

Prorate by useful life

Carpet useful life (yrs)

Painting (if beyond wear)

Tenant length of stay (yrs)

Painting wear allowance

Other lawful deductions

Refund due to tenant

$1,775

Tenant owes landlord

Total lawful deductions

$425

Statutory interest owed

Carpet — landlord can charge

Paint — landlord can charge

How the math works

Most state security-deposit statutes require itemized return within 14 to 30 days. Landlords may deduct unpaid rent, repairs beyond ordinary wear, cleaning above move-in standard, and other lease-stipulated charges. Carpet and paint are routinely prorated by remaining useful life — you cannot charge the tenant for the full cost of a carpet that was already 5 of 7 years through its life.

Failure to itemize and refund within statutory windows triggers steep penalties — many states allow tenants to recover 2x or 3x the wrongfully withheld amount plus attorney fees. Always send a written itemization with receipts. Some states (IL, MA, NY, others) require deposits in interest-bearing trust accounts and pay annual or terminal interest to the tenant.

Editorial noteMaintained by EveryCalc - Reviewed June 2026

EveryCalc calculators are designed for fast, practical estimates with transparent inputs and no required account. We use plain formulas, visible assumptions, and related tools so visitors can check the result from more than one angle.

Results are informational only. For financial, tax, legal, medical, construction, or other high-impact decisions, verify the output against primary sources or a qualified professional.

Learn more about our review process on the EveryCalc methodology page.

How this calculator works

What this page estimates

This Security Deposit Refund Calculator is built to give a quick, browser-based estimate for security deposit refund. Calculate the exact refund owed to a tenant at move-out. Carpet and paint are prorated by remaining useful life — landlords can only charge the unconsumed portion. Includes statutory interest in states that require it. The inputs stay on the page during normal use, and the result should be treated as an estimate for planning, comparison, or education rather than professional advice.

Calculation approach

The calculator applies the standard relationship implied by the inputs, then formats the answer so it can be checked and reused. For finance tools, the most important step is using consistent units, rates, time periods, and assumptions before comparing the result with another calculator or outside quote.

Example workflow

For example, start with a realistic value you already know, change one input at a time, and watch how the answer moves. That makes it easier to tell whether the result is being driven by the main amount, the rate, the time period, or a unit conversion.

Practical checks

Use current, real-world numbers when the result affects money, health, tax, or legal decisions.
Run a low, base, and high case when the inputs are estimates.
Check the related calculators below when the next decision depends on a different assumption.

How to interpret the security deposit refund result

Best use

Use the result as a planning number for comparing payments, rates, returns, tax reserves, or cash-flow choices before you request a quote or make a commitment.

Cross-check

Compare the answer with the contract, lender estimate, tax form, brokerage statement, payroll record, or invoice that will control the real-world outcome.

Watch for

Do not rely on a single optimistic rate, return, or fee assumption. Money pages work best when you run low, base, and high cases and keep professional advice separate from the estimate.

This page belongs to the Finance calculator library, so the answer should be read in the context of the decision you are modeling rather than as a universal rule.

Before relying on this security deposit refund estimate

Most calculator mistakes come from the inputs, not the arithmetic. Use this short audit before you reuse the answer in a spreadsheet, quote, application, or important conversation.

Confirm source numbers

Match balances, rates, fees, taxes, income, and payment dates against the lender quote, payroll record, tax form, statement, invoice, or contract.

Separate cash flow from total cost

A lower monthly payment can still cost more over time if fees, interest, taxes, or a longer term are hidden in the structure.

Run conservative cases

Test at least one higher-cost or lower-return case before using the output for a purchase, refinance, investment, loan, or tax decision.

Rerun this page when the rate, price, term, fee, tax rule, income, expense, or expected holding period changes.

How to Use

Enter the original security deposit and any statutory interest rate.
Enter how many months the deposit was held.
Itemize unpaid rent, cleaning above ordinary, and damage repairs.
Enter carpet replacement cost and its current age and useful life.
Enter painting cost and tenant length of stay.
Add other lawful deductions per the lease.
Read refund or amount tenant owes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can a landlord lawfully deduct?

Unpaid rent and lease-stipulated fees, cleaning above ordinary, and repair of damage beyond normal wear and tear. You cannot deduct for normal wear (faded paint, worn carpet from foot traffic, minor scuffs, nail holes from hanging pictures with reasonable density).

How does carpet proration work?

Most carpet has a 5-10 year useful life under residential use. If you replace 5-year-old carpet with a 7-year useful life, you can only charge the tenant for the 2 years they cost you (≈29% of replacement). This is required in CA, OR, WA, MA, and case law in many other states.

When is paint chargeable?

Most jurisdictions treat paint as a 2-3 year wear item. After 2 years of tenancy, paint refresh is generally landlord-borne. Tenant-caused damage (large stains, holes patched poorly, unauthorized colors) can still be charged at full cost regardless of stay length.

What if I don't refund within the deadline?

Severe penalties. Many states allow tenants to recover 2x the deposit (CA, MA), 3x the wrongfully withheld amount (TX, NY), plus attorney fees. Some states forfeit your right to deduct anything if the itemized statement isn't sent on time. Always certified-mail the itemization with receipts.