> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://josetijam.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Texas Security Deposit Laws: The 30-Day Return Rule and Your Rights - URL: https://josetijam.com/texas-security-deposit-laws/ - Published: 2026-10-13T05:52:12.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-13T15:49:09.000Z - Description: Texas landlords generally have 30 days after you surrender the unit to return your security deposit. Knowing what they can deduct and what you must do helps you get your money back. - Author: Housing Ledger Editorial - Tags: Texas renters, security deposit, tenant rights, Corpus Christi rent, #gce-faf29a25 Texas security deposit laws give you a clear deadline: your landlord must refund your deposit on or before the 30th day after you surrender the unit [\[1\]](https://guides.sll.texas.gov/landlord-tenant-law/security-deposits?ref=josetijam.com)[\[2\]](https://dallaslandlordlawyer.com/handling%5Fsecurity%5Fdeposits/?ref=josetijam.com). Section 92.103 sets that rule for residential landlords, so the date you hand back the unit is the one to plan around. To go further, see [Oklahoma Landlord Tenant Laws: A Practical Overview](https://josetijam.com/oklahoma-landlord-tenant-laws/). Texas also does not limit how large a deposit can be, since it has no cap on security deposits [\[3\]](https://texaslonestarpropertymanagement.com/blog/texas-landlord-tenant-law/?ref=josetijam.com). The amount you pay is set by your lease and your landlord, not by a state ceiling. The rest of this article covers what a landlord can keep, what you must provide to get your money back, and what happens if the landlord does not comply. ## When does the 30-day clock start? Your 30-day clock starts on the day you surrender the unit. Surrender means giving up possession, such as returning the keys and leaving. [\[2\]](https://dallaslandlordlawyer.com/handling%5Fsecurity%5Fdeposits/?ref=josetijam.com) Texas law counts from that date. Section 92.103 requires a residential landlord to return the deposit no later than the 30th day after the tenant surrenders the premises. [\[2\]](https://dallaslandlordlawyer.com/handling%5Fsecurity%5Fdeposits/?ref=josetijam.com) Counting is simple once you know the surrender date. A move-out on the 1st of the month puts the return deadline around the 31st. [\[2\]](https://dallaslandlordlawyer.com/handling%5Fsecurity%5Fdeposits/?ref=josetijam.com) For example, say you move out on March 1 and hand back your keys that same morning. Your landlord's refund deadline is then around March 31\. If you return the keys later in the day, use that day, not the day you carried out your last box. ### Keep a record of each date Write down your move-out date and the time you return the keys. Note the name of the person who takes them. Take dated photos of the empty unit and of the key handoff. Save any text or email that confirms the handoff. These notes matter if the refund is late. They show exactly when your clock started, so you can show that the deadline has passed. ![A close-up of a wall calendar with a circled date beside a set of apartment keys resting on a wooden table.](https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?q=tenant%20returning%20apartment%20keys%20beside%20wall%20calendar%20with%20circled%20date&w=800&h=450&rs=1&c=4) ## What can a landlord keep from your deposit? If you owe rent and there is no dispute over the amount, your landlord can keep your security deposit up to what you owe. [\[4\]](https://texaslawhelp.org/article/security-deposits?ref=josetijam.com) That limit is the key point: the landlord may keep only the amount you owe, not the whole deposit. Unpaid rent is the clearest example of an amount you owe. Suppose you move out and leave one month's rent unpaid. If you do not dispute that amount, the landlord can apply the deposit to it. [\[4\]](https://texaslawhelp.org/article/security-deposits?ref=josetijam.com) The rest of the deposit is not part of that debt. For example, say your lease requires rent through the end of the month, and you stopped paying two weeks early. The amount you owe is the rent for those two weeks, not a full month and not the whole deposit. A deduction for exactly that amount matches a real debt. Other deductions follow the same rule. Any charge taken from your deposit should match a real amount you owe, such as a specific unpaid bill or rent you can point to. A charge the landlord cannot tie to an amount you actually owe is where disputes usually start. The practical test is simple. Ask whether each deduction matches a debt you owe, and whether you agree with the amount. If the answer is no, the deduction is the part to challenge. ![A landlord with a clipboard examines a scuffed wall in an empty apartment, with light streaming through the windows.](https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?q=landlord%20inspecting%20scuffed%20wall%20in%20empty%20apartment%20with%20clipboard&w=800&h=450&rs=1&c=4) ## How do you get your deposit back? To get your deposit back, give the landlord a forwarding address, return every key on the day you leave, and wait for the refund period to run before you ask for payment in writing. 1. **Give the landlord a forwarding address.** Texas law requires this before the deposit can be returned to you. [\[5\]](https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/home-real-estate-and-travel/renters-rights?ref=josetijam.com) Put the address in writing, in a letter or email, and keep a copy. If you mail it, choose a method that gives you proof of delivery, such as certified mail with a return receipt. 2. **Return the keys on the move-out date.** Hand over every key, key card, and garage remote the day you leave. Ask the landlord or property manager to sign or email a receipt. For example, a dated email that says "Received keys for Unit 4B" shows when you gave up the unit. 3. **Wait out the 30-day period.** Do not follow up right away, because the landlord has until the end of that period to pay. [\[1\]](https://guides.sll.texas.gov/landlord-tenant-law/security-deposits?ref=josetijam.com) 4. **Send a written request if the refund is late.** If the period passes with no payment, send a letter or email saying the deposit is overdue. Include your name, the unit address, your move-out date, and your forwarding address. Ask for payment by a specific date, and keep a copy of everything you send. That written request gives you a dated record. You will need it if the landlord still does not pay and you take the next step. ## What if a landlord keeps your deposit in bad faith? If a Texas landlord keeps your deposit in bad faith, the landlord can owe you more than the amount withheld. A landlord who in bad faith retains a security deposit in violation of the law is liable under Texas law [\[6\]](https://american-apartment-owners-association.org/landlord-tenant-laws/texas/?srsltid=AU7gw4XGYZb64EXG0KuE-L3w2yp9wnR4HUKCKLyz1i7zec3tytYq0Kkk&ref=josetijam.com). The statutory amount starts at $100, plus further damages tied to the amount withheld [\[6\]](https://american-apartment-owners-association.org/landlord-tenant-laws/texas/?srsltid=AU7gw4XGYZb64EXG0KuE-L3w2yp9wnR4HUKCKLyz1i7zec3tytYq0Kkk&ref=josetijam.com). That means a deduction with no real basis can raise what the landlord owes you, not just what you get back. Your claim is easier to prove with records you gather before you leave. Keep these together in one folder: - **Your signed lease**, which shows the deposit amount and any move-out terms. - **Dated photos or video** of each room, taken before you hand back the keys. - **Proof of your forwarding address**, such as a text, an email, or a certified mail receipt. - **Any messages** where the landlord explains a deduction, or refuses to. Compare each deduction on the landlord's statement with your photos. If a charge has no matching damage or unpaid amount, write down the date and keep a copy with your records. A written demand letter is a clear first step. List the deposit, each disputed deduction, and the records you have. Send it in a way you can prove was delivered, and keep a copy for yourself. ## Does Texas limit deposits or require repairs? Texas does not limit how much a landlord can charge as a security deposit, and it has no rent control. [\[3\]](https://texaslonestarpropertymanagement.com/blog/texas-landlord-tenant-law/?ref=josetijam.com) The deposit amount is set by your lease and what you agree to, not by a state cap. Read the figure in the lease before you sign. For a closer look, read [Corpus Christi Rent by Bedroom: What Each Unit Size Costs](https://josetijam.com/corpus-christi-rent-by-bedroom/). ### Habitability still applies while you live there The lack of a cap does not remove the landlord's duties. Landlords must still maintain habitable conditions during your tenancy. [\[3\]](https://texaslonestarpropertymanagement.com/blog/texas-landlord-tenant-law/?ref=josetijam.com) A leaking roof, a broken water heater, or a failed air conditioner during a [Corpus Christi](https://josetijam.com/average-rent-in-corpus-christi-tx/) summer are the kinds of problems that fall under that duty. ### Deposits and repairs are separate questions Think of the deposit and the repairs as two separate questions. A larger deposit does not give the landlord a reason to delay a repair, so a big deposit is not a reason to accept a broken heater. If something breaks, put the request in writing and keep a copy with the date. Describe the problem, where it is, and when you first noticed it. For example, if you find mold under a bathroom sink in week three, send a dated written request that day. That record shows what you reported and when, which matters if the repair is delayed. ## What to do next The one thing to remember is that your refund timing depends on your move-out date, so settle that date before you leave. Write it down and keep proof of when you returned the keys. A clear date makes it much easier to show when any deadline started. Your next step is to give your landlord a forwarding address in writing before you move out. Send it by email or letter, and keep a copy with the date you sent it. Then check your city and county sources for local rules that apply to your unit, so you know what else applies to your deposit. ## Sources 1. [Guides: Landlord/Tenant Law: Security Deposits](https://guides.sll.texas.gov/landlord-tenant-law/security-deposits?ref=josetijam.com) 2. [Texas Security Deposit Handling | ยง 92.103 30-Day Return](https://dallaslandlordlawyer.com/handling%5Fsecurity%5Fdeposits/?ref=josetijam.com) 3. [Texas Landlord-Tenant Law: The Complete 2026 Guide](https://texaslonestarpropertymanagement.com/blog/texas-landlord-tenant-law/?ref=josetijam.com) 4. [Security Deposits](https://texaslawhelp.org/article/security-deposits?ref=josetijam.com) 5. [Renter's Rights | Office of the Attorney General](https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/home-real-estate-and-travel/renters-rights?ref=josetijam.com) 6. [Texas Landlord Tenant Laws](https://american-apartment-owners-association.org/landlord-tenant-laws/texas/?srsltid=AU7gw4XGYZb64EXG0KuE-L3w2yp9wnR4HUKCKLyz1i7zec3tytYq0Kkk&ref=josetijam.com)