FREE TOOL
Enter the move-out date and any deductions. You'll get the date your state says the deposit is due, how to deliver it, and an itemized letter ready to print.
Your letter — updates as you type
Your name
Your address
Thursday, October 1, 2026
Tenant's name
Forwarding address
Re: Rental property address
Your tenancy ended on Thursday, October 1, 2026. This letter accounts for your security deposit of $1,500.00.
| Deduction | Amount |
|---|---|
| Repaint bedroom wall (crayon marks) | $180.00 |
| Total deductions | $180.00 |
| Refund due to you | $1,320.00 |
This itemized list is provided under Texas Property Code § 92.104.
It depends on the state, and the clock starts on move-out, not when you get around to inspecting. In the three states this tool covers:
| State | Deadline | Starts from |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 30 days | the day the tenant surrenders (moves out of) the property |
| Washington | 30 days | the day the rental agreement ends and the tenant has moved out (or the day you learn they abandoned the unit) |
| Florida | 15 days to refund in full, or 30 days to send a notice of claim | the day the rental agreement ends |
Put the date on your calendar the day the keys come back. The penalties for missing it are built to hurt: in Texas a late refund is presumed to be bad faith; in Washington you can owe the whole deposit; in Florida you lose the right to deduct anything at all.
Damage beyond normal wear and tear, and money the tenant owes under the lease — unpaid rent, an unpaid utility bill they were responsible for, the cost of removing things they left behind. You can't charge for the ordinary aging of a home: faded paint, light scuffs, carpet worn by walking on it.
The cleanest way to settle the line is a dated move-in checklist with photos, compared against a move-out walkthrough. In Washington it's more than a good idea — you can't deduct for anything that wasn't on the written move-in checklist.
Use a method you can prove later. Florida requires certified mail (or e-mail, only if your tenant agreed to e-mail notices). Washington allows personal delivery or first-class mail. Texas doesn't specify — certified mail with a return receipt costs a few dollars and settles any argument about whether it arrived.
QUESTIONS
In Texas, the landlord must refund the deposit, with an itemized list of any deductions, on or before the 30th day after the tenant surrenders the property. The clock effectively waits for a written forwarding address. Missing the deadline creates a presumption of bad faith.
Washington landlords have 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant moves out to send the refund with a full and specific statement of any deductions, plus copies of invoices or estimates for damage. Missing it can make you liable for the full deposit.
In Florida, if you're not keeping anything, return the deposit within 15 days after the lease ends. If you intend to keep part of it, you must send a notice of claim by certified mail within 30 days; the tenant then has 15 days to object.
The tenant's name and forwarding address, the property address, the move-out date, the original deposit amount, each deduction with a short reason and amount, the total deducted, and the refund enclosed. Attach receipts or estimates for damage — Washington requires them.
