Proprietio
Start free trial

Tennessee security deposit law

Read from the statute itself on 2026-11-09. Statewide rule; a city or county can add its own.

Maximum deposit
No statutory cap
Return deadline
See the rule
Interest
Not required by the statute

No cap; the deposit rules apply only in the same counties as the late-fee rule. It must be held in a separate account at a regulated institution; a landlord who did not do so and gave no damage listing forfeits it. Move-out inspection within 4 calendar days of vacating if the tenant asked to attend.

Source: Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301 · read on 2026-11-09

Calculate it for your rent

No statutory cap
Tennessee's statute sets no maximum: the amount is whatever the lease says. We show no « maximum » we would have to invent.
Return deadline
See the rule
No fixed deadline. When a refund is due, the landlord notifies the tenant at the last known address; if the tenant does not respond within 60 days, the landlord may keep the deposit.
Interest required
No
Not required by the statute
Tennessee: No cap; the deposit rules apply only in the same counties as the late-fee rule. It must be held in a separate account at a regulated institution; a landlord who did not do so and gave no damage listing forfeits it. Move-out inspection within 4 calendar days of vacating if the tenant asked to attend.
Source: Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301 · read on 2026-11-09

Tennessee: common questions

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Tennessee?

Tennessee's statute sets no maximum. No cap; the deposit rules apply only in the same counties as the late-fee rule. It must be held in a separate account at a regulated institution; a landlord who did not do so and gave no damage listing forfeits it. Move-out inspection within 4 calendar days of vacating if the tenant asked to attend.

Not legal advice. Confirm with a local landlord-tenant attorney before relying on a figure.

For associations, blogs and resource pages

Add this calculator to your website

Free, no signup, no tracking form inside. Paste this code where you want it; it opens on Tennessee, and your readers can switch to any other.

Security deposit law by state

Start free trial — no card to start