Deposit laws by state › Kansas
State law · Kansas
Kansas security deposit law
How long your landlord has to return your deposit, what they can deduct, and what happens if they get it wrong.
Short answer: The landlord must return the balance within 14 days after determining the amount of any charges, and in no event more than 30 days after the tenancy ends, the tenant returns possession, and the tenant demands the deposit.
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Kansas?
- Return deadline
- The landlord must return the balance within 14 days after determining the amount of any charges, and in no event more than 30 days after the tenancy ends, the tenant returns possession, and the tenant demands the deposit.K.S.A. 58-2550(b)
- Itemized list
- Deductions must be itemized in a written notice delivered with the balance, within the same period.K.S.A. 58-2550(b)
- Your demand starts the clock
- The 30-day outer limit runs from the tenant's demand.K.S.A. 58-2550(b)
Prefer a full page? Use the security deposit deadline calculator.
What happens if a Kansas landlord misses the deadline?
- If the landlord misses it
- Kansas's remedy is extra damages rather than a stated forfeiture.K.S.A. 58-2550(c)
- Penalty
- If the landlord does not comply, the tenant recovers the deposit due plus damages equal to one and a half times the amount wrongfully withheld.K.S.A. 58-2550(c)
What can a Kansas landlord deduct from your deposit?
What can be deducted: Accrued rent and damages from the tenant's failure to meet the tenant's duties and the lease. (K.S.A. 58-2550(b))
What the itemized list must include: Deductions must be itemized in a written notice. (K.S.A. 58-2550(b))
Kansas's deposit statute does not separately define normal wear and tear. See what counts as normal wear and tear for how it is generally treated.
More on common charges: normal wear and tear, cleaning, painting, and a missing itemized list.
Is there a limit on security deposits in Kansas?
A landlord may not collect a deposit of more than one month's rent for an unfurnished unit, or one and one-half months' rent for a furnished unit. (K.S.A. 58-2550(a))
An added pet deposit of up to half a month's rent is allowed.
Deadlines and steps on your side
Kansas also sets rules for tenants. Missing one of these can cost you part of your claim, so check them early.
Move-in condition report: Within five days of move-in, the landlord and tenant must jointly inventory the premises. The statute states no penalty, and courts allow damage evidence without it. (K.S.A. 58-2548)
Taking a deposit case to small claims court in Kansas
Small-claims limit: Kansas small claims covers claims under $4,000. (Kansas Legal Services small-claims guide)
Most deposit disputes never get that far. A clear demand letter, sent by certified mail, often settles them first.
Good to know
- Kansas's small-claims limit is under $4,000. A claim that includes the extra one-and-a-half times damages may need to be capped to stay in small claims.
What to do if your Kansas landlord kept your deposit
- Pin down your dates. When you moved out, returned the keys, and gave a forwarding address in writing. Compare them with the deadline above.
- Gather your evidence. Move-in and move-out photos, the lease, the landlord's list of deductions, receipts and messages. The case checklist covers what matters.
- Send a demand letter by certified mail. Ask for the money, cite Kansas's rules, and give a deadline to pay. What a demand letter does.
- If they still don't pay, consider small claims court. You don't need a lawyer there.
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Sources
These rules come from the same verified table the Demand Letter Companion uses, checked against the sources below on October 25, 2026. Laws change; check the current official text before relying on a date.
- K.S.A. 58-2550: ksrevisor.gov
- K.S.A. 58-2548: ksrevisor.gov
Other states: see the guides for all 50 states and DC
This page is general legal information, not legal advice. Local ordinances can add rules, and your lease and facts matter. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in Kansas.