Deposit laws by state › Nebraska
State law · Nebraska
Nebraska 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: Within 14 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must deliver or mail the balance with a written itemization of anything kept.
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Nebraska?
- Return deadline
- Within 14 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must deliver or mail the balance with a written itemization of anything kept.Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416(2)
- Itemized list
- The written itemization is due within the same 14 days.Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416(2)
Prefer a full page? Use the security deposit deadline calculator.
What happens if a Nebraska landlord misses the deadline?
- If the landlord misses it
- Nebraska's remedy is liquidated damages for willful noncompliance rather than a stated forfeiture.Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416
- Penalty
- If the failure is willful and not in good faith, the tenant recovers the money due, plus liquidated damages of one month's rent or twice the deposit, whichever is less, court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416(3)
Penalties that depend on bad faith or willfulness are possible, not automatic. Only a judge can make that finding.
What can a Nebraska landlord deduct from your deposit?
What can be deducted: Rent and the damages the landlord suffered from the tenant's failure to meet the tenant's duties. (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416(2))
What the itemized list must include: A written itemization. (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416(2))
Nebraska'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 Nebraska?
A landlord may not demand or receive a deposit of more than one month's rent. (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416(1))
An added pet deposit of up to one-fourth of a month's rent is allowed.
Taking a deposit case to small claims court in Nebraska
Small-claims limit: Nebraska small claims judgments may not exceed $7,500. (Nebraska Judicial Branch)
Most deposit disputes never get that far. A clear demand letter, sent by certified mail, often settles them first.
What to do if your Nebraska 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 Nebraska'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.
- Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416: nebraskalegislature.gov
- Nebraska Judicial Branch: nebraskajudicial.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 Nebraska.