What will it cost to get the keys?
Enter the rent and what the landlord is asking for. The ruler shows the total in months of rent, with your state's legal deposit cap marked on it; the ledger lists every line and what the law says about each.
Cash due at signing
Which states cap security deposits?
29 states and DC limit how much a landlord can collect; the rest set no statutory cap. Return deadlines run from 14 days (Arizona, Hawaii, Nebraska, New York, Vermont) to 60 (Alabama, Arkansas, West Virginia).
| State | Max deposit | Return deadline | Interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 month's rent | 60 days | — |
| California | 1 month's rent | 21 days | — |
| Delaware | 1 month's rent | 20 days | — |
| District of Columbia | 1 month's rent | 45 days | Yes |
| Hawaii | 1 month's rent | 14 days | — |
| Kansas | 1 month's rent | 30 days | — |
| Maryland | 1 month's rent | 45 days | Yes |
| Massachusetts | 1 month's rent | 30 days | Yes |
| Nebraska | 1 month's rent | 14 days | — |
| New Hampshire | 1 month's rent | 30 days | Yes |
| New Mexico | 1 month's rent | 30 days | — |
| New York | 1 month's rent | 14 days | Yes |
| North Dakota | 1 month's rent | 30 days | — |
| Rhode Island | 1 month's rent | 20 days | — |
| South Dakota | 1 month's rent | 14 days / 45 | — |
| Arizona | 1.5 months' rent | 14 days | — |
| Michigan | 1.5 months' rent | 30 days | — |
| New Jersey | 1.5 months' rent | 30 days | Yes |
| Alaska | 2 months' rent | 14 days / 30 | — |
| Arkansas | 2 months' rent | 60 days | — |
| Colorado | 2 months' rent | 30 days / 60 | — |
| Connecticut | 2 months' rent | 21 days | Yes |
| Iowa | 2 months' rent | 30 days | — |
| Maine | 2 months' rent | 30 days / 21 | — |
| Missouri | 2 months' rent | 30 days | — |
| North Carolina | 2 months' rent | 30 days / 60 | — |
| Pennsylvania | 2 months' rent | 30 days | Yes |
| Virginia | 2 months' rent | 45 days | — |
| Nevada | 3 months' rent | 30 days | — |
Full 50-state table with statutes
What goes into move-in cash
Rent up front
First month's rent is universal. "Last month's rent" is a second month collected as prepaid rent — legal in most states, barred in New York beyond the one-month combined cap, and counted toward the deposit cap in California.
Deposit
Refundable, held against damage and unpaid rent. Capped at one to three months in 29 states and DC; uncapped elsewhere, but still refundable and still subject to a return deadline.
Fees
Application fees (capped or banned in nine states), pet deposits or pet rent, broker fees (mainly New York City and Boston), utility deposits, and the move itself.
Security deposit rules by state
Frequently asked questions
How much is a typical move-in cost?
First month's rent plus a deposit equal to one month is the floor — about two months' rent in cash. Add a last month's rent where it's collected, pet deposit, application fee and utility deposits, and three months' rent is common. In New York City a broker fee of one month or 12–15% of annual rent can push it to four.
Can a landlord ask for more than the state cap?
No. A deposit above the statutory cap is unlawful in the 29 capped states and DC; tenants can usually recover the excess, and several states add penalties. In uncapped states the landlord may set any amount, but it stays refundable.
Is "last month's rent" the same as a deposit?
No. A deposit is held and returned; last month's rent is prepaid rent applied to your final month. The distinction matters because deposit caps, interest rules and return deadlines apply to deposits, and because some states (California, New York) count prepaid rent against the cap.
When does my landlord have to return the deposit?
It depends on the state: 14 days in Arizona, Hawaii, Nebraska, New York and Vermont; 21 in California and Wisconsin; 30 in most states; 45 in Maryland, Virginia, Indiana, Oklahoma and DC; 60 in Alabama, Arkansas and West Virginia. Tennessee sets no fixed deadline. Most states require an itemized list of deductions with the refund.
Are application fees legal?
Massachusetts and Vermont ban them. New York caps them at $20, Maryland at $25, DC and Virginia at $50 plus screening costs, Wisconsin at $25 or the report cost, Delaware at 10% of rent or $50. California, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington limit them to the actual cost of screening. Elsewhere there is no statutory cap. Application fee rules