Montana Security Deposit Law: How Many Days and What to Do

In Montana, a landlord has 30 days after the required dates below to return a security deposit or send an itemized list (Mont. Code Ann. §§ 70-25-201 to 70-25-206). Most states allow 30 days; Montana is the same.

Last checked 2026-07-14

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Details of the return rules

In Montana, a landlord has 10 calendar days (after inspection there are no damages, no cleaning required, no unpaid rent, and tenant demonstrates no unpaid utilities) or 30 calendar days (ordinary path when deductions or itemized list of rent/damage/cleaning charges apply) to return a security deposit.

Montana statutory deadlines
When it applies	Deadline	Starts from
after inspection there are no damages, no cleaning required, no unpaid rent, and tenant demonstrates no unpaid utilities	10 days	after termination / inspection path with no charges
ordinary path when deductions or itemized list of rent/damage/cleaning charges apply	30 days	subsequent to the termination of a tenancy or subsequent to surrender and acceptance of the leasehold premises, whichever occurs first

Montana return rule: 10 calendar days (after inspection there are no damages, no cleaning required, no unpaid rent, and tenant demonstrates no unpaid utilities). Check the dates you entered above.

Key facts

Deadline	10 calendar days (after inspection there are no damages, no cleaning required, no unpaid rent, and tenant demonstrates no unpaid utilities); trigger: after termination / inspection path with no charges
Additional deadline 2	30 calendar days (ordinary path when deductions or itemized list of rent/damage/cleaning charges apply); trigger: subsequent to the termination of a tenancy or subsequent to surrender and acceptance of the leasehold premises, whichever occurs first
Penalty formula	failure to provide the required written list of damage and cleaning charges: landlord forfeits all rights to withhold any portion of the security deposit for damages or cleaning charges (MCA 70-25-203)
Bad faith required	No
Statute citation	Mont. Code Ann. §§ 70-25-201 to 70-25-206 (esp. §§ 70-25-202, 70-25-203)

How does Montana's deadline compare with other states?

Montana's return deadline is 10 days. The middle of the comparable state deadlines is ≈30 days. Use the dates and questions above to see which deadline applies to you.

Strip plot · Montana · return deadline · 10 days vs ≈30 day median · verified 2026-07-14 — Primary return rules from state statute records.

Montana and nearby deadlines
State	Return rule
Montana	10 days
Alaska	14 days
Arizona	14 days
Hawaii	14 days
Kansas	14 days
Nebraska	14 days

See all 51 jurisdictions

All state return rules
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

What happens if the landlord misses the deadline?

failure to provide the required written list of damage and cleaning charges: landlord forfeits all rights to withhold any portion of the security deposit for damages or cleaning charges (MCA 70-25-203) The statutory amount depends on the facts and any conditions in Mont. Code Ann. §§ 70-25-201 to 70-25-206 (esp. §§ 70-25-202, 70-25-203); it is separate from the deposit owed.

Montana is one of 10 states where the law names another remedy, such as forfeiture, fees, or damages.

Deposit penalty rules across the 50 states and DC
Rule	States	Share
The law sets a multiple of the deposit	36	71%
The law names another remedy (forfeiture, fees, damages) ← Montana	10	20%
Read the cited remedy; no multiple is set	5	10%

Source: Mont. Code Ann. §§ 70-25-201 to 70-25-206 (esp. §§ 70-25-202, 70-25-203) · checked 2026-07-14 · n=51 · method: computed from state records · computed, not measured · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6

What do you have to do before you can claim the penalty?

Send the required information to start the clock.

Does the deadline move if it falls on a weekend or holiday?

Montana's general rule for counting legal time periods says: ... be performed upon a particular day that falls upon a holiday or a Saturday, such act may be performed upon the next business day with the same effect as if it had been performed upon the day appointed. (MCA § 1-1-307). Whether a court applies it to a landlord's deposit deadline depends on the case, so this page does not move the deadline for you.

To be safe: if the last day falls on a weekend or holiday, treat the deadline as passed only after the next business day. Example: October 10, 2026 is a Saturday, so wait until October 12, 2026 before saying the deadline has passed.

What Montana law requires of the landlord

The deposit return rule is 10 calendar days (after inspection there are no damages, no cleaning required, no unpaid rent, and tenant demonstrates no unpaid utilities) or 30 calendar days (ordinary path when deductions or itemized list of rent/damage/cleaning charges apply). The law also requires an itemized statement when deductions are made.

Return window: 10 calendar days (after inspection there are no damages, no cleaning required, no unpaid rent, and tenant demonstrates no unpaid utilities) or 30 calendar days (ordinary path when deductions or itemized list of rent/damage/cleaning charges apply)
Itemization: Required
Receipts threshold: No separate threshold recorded
Interest: No statewide interest requirement in the verified data.

Is interest owed on a deposit in Montana?

Montana is one of 37 states where interest is not required by state law.

Deposit interest rules across the 50 states and DC
Rule	States	Share
Required by state law	3	6%
Owed only in some cases	11	22%
Not required by state law ← Montana	37	73%

Montana security deposit deductions

FAQ

How do I confirm the Montana deadline?

Use the questions above to match your dates to Mont. Code Ann. §§ 70-25-201 to 70-25-206 (esp. §§ 70-25-202, 70-25-203), and keep proof of each date.

What is the small claims limit in Montana?

See the applicable court limits and jurisdictions in the state court guide. Montana court guide

City data on this page currently includes Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman, Butte, Helena, Kalispell, Belgrade.

Statute text, sources and changes

Statute says

Each landlord, within 30 days subsequent to the termination of a tenancy or within 30 days subsequent to a surrender and acceptance of the leasehold premises, whichever occurs first, shall provide the departing tenant with a written list of any rent due and any damage and cleaning charges... Delivery of the list must be accompanied by payment of the difference, if any, between the security deposit and the permitted charges... If after inspection there are no damages to the premises, no cleaning required, and no rent unpaid and if the tenant can demonstrate that no utilities are unpaid by the tenant, the landlord shall return the security deposit within 10 days.

Mont. Code Ann. §§ 70-25-201 to 70-25-206 (esp. §§ 70-25-202, 70-25-203)

What this means

Sources

https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0700/chapter_0250/part_0020/section_0020/0700-0250-0020-0020.html · accessed 2026-07-14
https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0700/chapter_0250/part_0020/section_0030/0700-0250-0020-0030.html · accessed 2026-07-14
https://www.montanalawhelp.org/resource/how-protect-your-security-deposit-faq · accessed 2026-07-14
https://courts.mt.gov/courts/lcourt · accessed 2026-07-14

Download these values (CSV)

Changes

2026-07-14: Record verified against the cited statute.

Verified 2026-07-14 · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6