Deposit laws by state › Tennessee
State law · Tennessee
Tennessee 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: Tennessee's statute sets no fixed number of days to return the deposit. Instead it requires a move-out inspection and damage list, and limits damage claims to damage found within 30 days after move-out (or 7 days after a new tenant moves in, if sooner).
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Tennessee?
- Return deadline
- Tennessee's statute sets no fixed number of days to return the deposit. Instead it requires a move-out inspection and damage list, and limits damage claims to damage found within 30 days after move-out (or 7 days after a new tenant moves in, if sooner).Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301
- Itemized list
- The landlord and tenant inspect the unit on move-out day or within four days after and sign a damage list. If the tenant does not ask to attend, the landlord prepares the list and must mail it if the tenant asks in writing.Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301(b)
- Who these rules cover
- Tennessee's landlord-tenant act applies only in counties with more than 75,000 people in the 2010 census.Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-102(a)
Prefer a full page? Use the security deposit deadline calculator.
What happens if a Tennessee landlord misses the deadline?
- If the landlord misses it
- A landlord loses the right to keep any of the deposit only if it BOTH failed to keep the deposit in a separate account AND failed to provide the damage list.Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301(c)
- Penalty
- Tennessee has no double or triple damages for deposits. A tenant may recover damages and reasonable attorney's fees for a landlord's noncompliance with the act.Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-501
What can a Tennessee landlord deduct from your deposit?
What can be deducted: Unpaid debts and contractual damages, and physical damage found at the move-out inspection; a deposit does not secure ordinary wear and tear. (Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 66-28-104(13)(A), 66-28-301)
Normal wear and tear: A deposit secures damage other than ordinary wear and tear. (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-104(13)(A))
What the itemized list must include: A move-out inspection within four days of vacating, with a list of presently ascertainable damage and the estimated cost of repair; the tenant may inspect, and a court claim is limited to items the tenant disputed. (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301(b), (d))
More on common charges: normal wear and tear, cleaning, painting, and a missing itemized list.
Taking a deposit case to small claims court in Tennessee
Small-claims limit: Tennessee General Sessions Court hears civil cases up to $25,000. (Tennessee General Sessions jurisdiction)
Most deposit disputes never get that far. A clear demand letter, sent by certified mail, often settles them first.
Good to know
- This law applies only in Tennessee counties with more than 75,000 people (2010 census), such as Davidson, Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Rutherford, Williamson and Madison (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-102). In smaller counties, ordinary contract law and the lease govern instead.
- Because Tennessee has no fixed return deadline, a deposit dispute usually turns on the deductions and the 30-day damage-discovery limit rather than a missed deadline.
What to do if your Tennessee 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 Tennessee'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.
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 Tennessee.