Connecticut Security Deposit: Your Deadline and Next Step
In Connecticut, a landlord has until the later of 21 days after your lease ends or 15 days after your landlord gets your new address in writing (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21). The dates you enter below give your date.
- Your deadline is whichever comes later: 21 days after your tenancy ended, or 15 days after your landlord got your new address in writing.
Last checked 2026-07-14
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Details of the return rules
In Connecticut, the landlord must return the deposit within 21 calendar days (ordinary path when tenant has provided forwarding address (or later of 21 days after termination or 15 days after written forwarding address, whichever is later)) or 15 calendar days (applies when this later date is after the 21-day post-termination period; statutory rule is the later of 21 days after termination or 15 days after written forwarding address).
| When it applies | Deadline | Starts from |
|---|---|---|
| ordinary path when tenant has provided forwarding address (or later of 21 days after termination or 15 days after written forwarding address, whichever is later) | 21 days | after termination of a tenancy |
| applies when this later date is after the 21-day post-termination period; statutory rule is the later of 21 days after termination or 15 days after written forwarding address | 15 days | after landlord receives written notification of tenant's forwarding address |
Connecticut return rule: 21 calendar days (ordinary path when tenant has provided forwarding address (or later of 21 days after termination or 15 days after written forwarding address, whichever is later)). Check the dates you entered above.
Key facts
| Deadline | 21 calendar days (ordinary path when tenant has provided forwarding address (or later of 21 days after termination or 15 days after written forwarding address, whichever is later)); trigger: after termination of a tenancy |
|---|---|
| Additional deadline 2 | 15 calendar days (applies when this later date is after the 21-day post-termination period; statutory rule is the later of 21 days after termination or 15 days after written forwarding address); trigger: after landlord receives written notification of tenant's forwarding address |
| Penalty formula | landlord liable for twice the amount of any security deposit paid; if the only violation is failure to deliver accrued interest, liability is $10 or twice the accrued interest, whichever is greater |
| Bad faith required | No |
| Itemization required | Yes |
| Interest on deposit | Yes |
| Maximum deposit | Not more than two months' rent for tenants under age 62; not more than one month's rent for tenants age 62 or older. If a tenant becomes 62 after paying more than one month, landlord must return the excess on request. |
| Forwarding address required | Yes |
| Small claims limit | $5,000 (Superior Court small claims session (general claims)); $15,000 (home improvement / new home construction contracts only) in Superior Court (Small Claims Session) |
| Statute citation | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21 |
The landlord says you owe more than the deposit. What now?
Answer the landlord in writing and identify each disputed charge. Choose the "My landlord says I owe more" tab above. Ask for an itemized explanation and keep your response in writing.
A debt collector's notice and a credit report dispute have separate federal rules. Check whether those situations apply to you:
A debt collector's validation notice must state that the debt is assumed valid unless you dispute it within 30 days after receiving the notice. 15 U.S.C. § 1692g(a)(3): unless the consumer, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt, or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector
If you dispute the debt in writing within that 30-day period, the collector must stop collecting the disputed part until it mails you verification. 15 U.S.C. § 1692g(b): If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection (a) that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt
If a disputed debt appears on your credit report, you can dispute it with the credit reporting agency, which must reinvestigate free of charge. 15 U.S.C. § 1681i(a)(1)(A): if the completeness or accuracy of any item of information contained in a consumer's file at a consumer reporting agency is disputed by the consumer and the consumer notifies the agency directly, or indirectly through a reseller, of such dispute, the agency shall, free of charge, conduct a reasonable reinvestigation
What can a landlord deduct in Connecticut?
Connecticut law names a specific rule for 2 of 6 common charges (cleaning and unpaid rent and fees). For the others, the general wear-and-tear rule applies.
| Charge | Can the landlord deduct it? | Rule | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning | Only if this condition is met: Keep all that part of the premises occupied and used by the tenant as clean and sanitary as the condition of the premises permits; | Landlord may deduct the value of damages suffered as a result of the tenant’s failure to comply with tenant’s obligations. Tenant’s obligations include rent/utility payments… | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-21(a)(13), 47a-21(d), 47a-11 |
| Carpet replacement | Only if the cited general rule permits the charge | General rule: normal wear and tear cannot be charged | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21 |
| Painting | Only if the cited general rule permits the charge | General rule: normal wear and tear cannot be charged | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21 |
| Nail holes and wall damage | Only if the cited general rule permits the charge | General rule: normal wear and tear cannot be charged | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21 |
| Pet damage | Only if the cited general rule permits the charge | General rule: normal wear and tear cannot be charged | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21 |
| Unpaid rent and fees | Yes | Tenant’s obligations expressly include the amount of any rental or utility payment due the landlord from a tenant, so unpaid rent and utilities are deductible… | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21(a)(13), (d) |
I never did a move-in inspection. How do I prove the condition?
Collect move-out photos, messages, witnesses, and repair invoices. Put them in date order before responding.
Where do you file if the letter does not work?
Small claims limits in Connecticut depend on the court and the claim: $5,000 (Superior Court small claims session (general claims)); $15,000 (home improvement / new home construction contracts only). Security deposit claims may invoke a special double-damages rule that makes the general claim limit noncomparable. Check the court and fees.
The state record lists a 6-year period to sue. Check when your claim accrued before counting from it.
County small claims courts
| County | Court and city | Limit | Filing fee | E-filing | Court link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield County | Bridgeport Judicial District and Housing Session, Bridgeport | $5,000 (Superior Court small claims session (general claims)); $15,000 (home improvement / new home construction contracts only) | County filing fee: $95, per the Connecticut judiciary Small Claims FAQ. | Yes | Official court website Court page check not recorded |
| Hartford County | Hartford Judicial District and Housing Session, Hartford | $5,000 (Superior Court small claims session (general claims)); $15,000 (home improvement / new home construction contracts only) | Statewide filing fee: $95. | Yes | Official court website Court page check not recorded |
| New Haven County | New Haven Judicial District and Housing Session, New Haven | $5,000 (Superior Court small claims session (general claims)); $15,000 (home improvement / new home construction contracts only) | Statewide filing fee: $95. | Yes | Official court website Court page check not recorded |
See all 8 county small claims courts and filing fees
Connecticut security deposit interest rules and calculator
What happens if the landlord misses the deadline?
landlord liable for twice the amount of any security deposit paid; if the only violation is failure to deliver accrued interest, liability is $10 or twice the accrued interest, whichever is greater Keep statutory damages separate from the deposit and other actual damages.
Connecticut is one of 36 states where the law sets a multiple of the deposit.
How does Connecticut's deadline compare with other states?
Connecticut's return deadline is 21 days. The middle of the comparable state deadlines is ≈30 days. Use the dates and questions above to see which deadline applies to you.
| State | Return rule |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | 21 days |
| California | 21 days |
| Idaho | 21 days |
| Minnesota | 21 days |
| South Dakota | 21 days |
| Wisconsin | 21 days |
See all 51 jurisdictions
| State | Return rule |
|---|---|
| Montana | 10 days |
| Alaska | 14 days |
| Arizona | 14 days |
| Hawaii | 14 days |
| Kansas | 14 days |
| Nebraska | 14 days |
| New York | 14 days |
| Vermont | 14 days |
| Florida | 15 days |
| Delaware | 20 days |
| Rhode Island | 20 days |
| California | 21 days |
| Connecticut | 21 days |
| Idaho | 21 days |
| Minnesota | 21 days |
| South Dakota | 21 days |
| Wisconsin | 21 days |
| Colorado | 30 days |
| Georgia | 30 days |
| Iowa | 30 days |
| Louisiana | 30 days |
| Maine | 30 days |
| Massachusetts | 30 days |
| Michigan | 30 days |
| Missouri | 30 days |
| Nevada | 30 days |
| New Hampshire | 30 days |
| New Jersey | 30 days |
| New Mexico | 30 days |
| North Carolina | 30 days |
| North Dakota | 30 days |
| Ohio | 30 days |
| Pennsylvania | 30 days |
| South Carolina | 30 days |
| Texas | 30 days |
| Utah | 30 days |
| Washington | 30 days |
| Wyoming | 30 days |
| Oregon | 31 days |
| District of Columbia | 45 days |
| Illinois | 45 days |
| Indiana | 45 days |
| Maryland | 45 days |
| Mississippi | 45 days |
| Oklahoma | 45 days |
| Virginia | 45 days |
| Alabama | 60 days |
| Arkansas | 60 days |
| West Virginia | 60 days |
| Kentucky | No fixed return deadline |
| Tennessee | No fixed return deadline |
Source: state statute records · checked 2026-07-14 · n=48 fixed rules among 51 jurisdictions · method: first listed return deadline; calendar months plotted as ≈30 days · computed, not measured · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6
FAQ
How do I confirm the Connecticut deadline?
Use the questions above to match your dates to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21, and keep proof of each date.
What is the small claims limit in Connecticut?
See the applicable court limits and jurisdictions in the state court guide. Connecticut court guide
City data on this page currently includes Bridgeport, Stamford, New Haven, Hartford, Waterbury, Norwalk, Danbury, New Britain.
Tenant resources
What's next?
What to do if there is no response · How to send your letter · How to write a demand letter
Statute text, sources and changes
Statute says
Not later than twenty-one days after termination of a tenancy or fifteen days after receiving written notification of such tenant's forwarding address, whichever is later, each landlord other than a rent receiver shall deliver to the tenant or former tenant at such forwarding address either (A) the full amount of the security deposit paid by such tenant plus accrued interest, or (B) the balance of such security deposit and accrued interest after deduction for any damages suffered by such landlord by reason of such tenant's failure to comply with such tenant's obligations, together with a written statement itemizing the nature and amount of such damages. Any landlord who violates any provision of this subsection shall be liable for twice the amount of any security deposit paid by such tenant, except that, if the only violation is the failure to deliver the accrued interest, such landlord shall be liable for ten dollars or twice the amount of the accrued interest, whichever is greater.
What this means
Sources
- https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_831.htm · accessed 2026-07-14
- https://portal.ct.gov/dob/rental-security-deposits/rental-security-deposits/rental-security-deposits · accessed 2026-07-14
- https://www.jud.ct.gov/faq/smallclaims.html · accessed 2026-07-14
Changes
- : Record verified against the cited statute.
Verified 2026-07-14 · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6