How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Tennessee?

Tennessee does not set a single fixed day count. Under Tenn. Code § 66-28-301, a landlord who fails to follow the statute's account and itemization requirements forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit.

Do I have to sue to get my security deposit back?

Often not. A formal written demand sent by certified mail puts your landlord on notice of the statute, the deadline they missed and the penalty attached to it — and gives you a dated record that they received it. Small claims court is the fallback if they ignore it.

Tennessee security deposit law

What your landlord is legally required to do after you move out, how long they have, and what it costs them if they get it wrong.

Deadline to return

See below

Governing statute

Tenn. Code § 66-28-301

The deadline

Tennessee does not set a single fixed day count in Tenn. Code § 66-28-301. Instead the statute works by forfeiture: a landlord who fails to meet its account and itemization requirements loses the right to keep any portion of your deposit.

Verification could not confirm a fixed numeric return deadline in § 66-28-301. The statute operates by forfeiture rather than a day count.

What it costs your landlord

Tenn. Code § 66-28-301 is reported to make a landlord who wrongfully withholds a deposit in Tennessee liable for forfeiture of the right to retain any portion of the deposit where the deposit was not held in a proper account and no itemized damage list was provided.

We have not been able to verify this against Tennessee's own published law.

Everything else on this site is quoted from a state legislature, court, or code revisor. This figure is not, which is why Tennessee has no letter: we will not put a number in a demand letter to your landlord that we could not read in the statute ourselves. Treat what is above as a starting point for your own research, not as something to rely on.

Important limit on who this law covers

Tennessee's URLTA applies only in counties with population over 75,000 per the 2010 census.

How to get your deposit back in Tennessee

1. Confirm the deadline has passed. Count from the day you moved out and returned possession.
2. Put your forwarding address in writing. In several states a landlord has no obligation until they have it, and having sent it protects your claim.
3. Gather your evidence. The lease, proof you paid the deposit, move-in and move-out photos, and any itemization they sent.
4. Send a written demand by certified mail. Cite Tenn. Code § 66-28-301, state the amount owed, and give a deadline to pay. Certified mail creates the delivery record a judge will want to see.
5. File in small claims if they ignore you. You don't need a lawyer. File in the county where the property is located.

Coming soon to Tennessee

We haven't opened Tennessee yet. Add your email and we'll tell you the day we do — states with the most signups go first.

Notify me

Other Tennessee tenant rights

Landlords who get one of these wrong often get another wrong too.

Tennessee rent late fee lawsWhat a landlord may charge for late rent, and when they may charge it.Tennessee landlord entry lawsHow much notice your landlord owes you before letting themselves in.

Security deposit laws in other states

These rules change at the state line. Every page is checked against that state's own published statute.

Common questions

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Tennessee?: Tennessee does not set a single fixed day count. Under Tenn. Code § 66-28-301, a landlord who fails to follow the statute's account and itemization requirements forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit.
What is the penalty if my landlord keeps my deposit in Tennessee?: Under Tenn. Code § 66-28-301, a landlord who wrongfully withholds may be liable for forfeiture of the right to retain any portion of the deposit where the deposit was not held in a proper account and no itemized damage list was provided.
Do I have to sue to get my security deposit back?: Often not. A formal written demand sent by certified mail puts your landlord on notice of the statute, the deadline they missed and the penalty attached to it — and gives you a dated record that they received it. Small claims court is the fallback if they ignore it.

How this page was checked

Read from the source. Every deadline, cap and penalty here was taken from the legislature's published text — the statute, session law or administrative code itself.
No legal-information websites. Commercial summaries were used only to find a provision, never as authority for it. An automated check fails our build if any state we serve cites a secondary source.
Locked against drift. The verified figures are pinned by regression tests, so a later edit cannot quietly change a deadline or a penalty.
Last verified September 1, 2026. Laws change — confirm the current text before relying on it.

General information, not legal advice. We are not a law firm.