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

In Virginia, a landlord has 45 days to return a security deposit. The clock starts after the required dates below; the landlord must return the deposit or send an itemized list (Va. Code § 55.1-1226). Most states allow 30 days; Virginia is longer.

Last checked 2026-07-06

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Details of the return rules

Virginia statutory deadlines
When it applies	Deadline	Starts from
Deposit return	45 days	Termination date of the tenancy or the date the tenant vacates the dwelling unit, whichever occurs last

Virginia return rule: 45 days. Check the dates you entered above.

Key facts

Deadline	45 days
Deadline trigger	Termination date of the tenancy or the date the tenant vacates the dwelling unit, whichever occurs last
Penalty formula	No statutory 2x/3x multiplier. If the landlord WILLFULLY fails to comply with the itemization/45-day requirement, a court "shall order the return of the security deposit to the tenant, together with actual damages and reasonable attorney fees" (unless tenant owes rent, in which case the deposit amount is instead credited against rent owed). Non-willful (e.g., merely late/negligent) noncompliance does not trigger this specific penalty under § 55.1-1226, though general VRLTA remedies (e.g., attorney fees to prevailing party under § 55.1-1259) may still apply.
Bad faith required	Yes
Statute citation	Va. Code § 55.1-1226 (Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Title 55.1, Chapter 12)

How does Virginia's deadline compare with other states?

Virginia's return deadline is 45 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 · Virginia · return deadline · 45 days vs ≈30 day median · verified 2026-07-06 — Primary return rules from state statute records.

Virginia and nearby deadlines
State	Return rule
Virginia	45 days
District of Columbia	45 days
Illinois	45 days
Indiana	45 days
Maryland	45 days
Mississippi	45 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 2026-07-06 · 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?

No statutory 2x/3x multiplier. If the landlord WILLFULLY fails to comply with the itemization/45-day requirement, a court "shall order the return of the security deposit to the tenant, together with actual damages and reasonable attorney fees" (unless tenant owes rent, in which case the deposit amount is instead credited against rent owed). Non-willful (e.g., merely late/negligent) noncompliance does not trigger this specific penalty under § 55.1-1226, though general VRLTA remedies (e.g., attorney fees to prevailing party under § 55.1-1259) may still apply. The statutory amount depends on the facts and any conditions in Va. Code § 55.1-1226 (Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Title 55.1, Chapter 12); it is separate from the deposit owed.

Virginia 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) ← Virginia	10	20%
Read the cited remedy; no multiple is set	5	10%

Source: Va. Code § 55.1-1226 (Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Title 55.1, Chapter 12) · checked 2026-07-06 · 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?

Virginia's general rule for counting legal time periods says: ... that an act be performed or an action be filed on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday or on any day or part of a day on which the state or local government office where the act to be performed or the action to be filed is closed, the act may be performed or the action may be filed on the next business day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or day on which the state or local government office is closed. (Va. Code § 1-210(E)). 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 Virginia law requires of the landlord

The deposit return rule is 45 days. The law also requires an itemized statement when deductions are made.

Return window: 45 days
Itemization: Required
Receipts threshold: None - itemization is required for any and all deductions, damages, and charges taken from the deposit, regardless of dollar amount
Interest: No statewide interest requirement in the verified data for ordinary residential leases under the VRLTA.

Is interest owed on a deposit in Virginia?

Virginia 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 ← Virginia	37	73%

Virginia security deposit deductions

FAQ

How do I confirm the Virginia deadline?

Use the questions above to match your dates to Va. Code § 55.1-1226 (Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Title 55.1, Chapter 12), and keep proof of each date.

What is the small claims limit in Virginia?

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

City data on this page currently includes Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Arlington, Norfolk, Richmond, Newport News, Alexandria, Hampton, Suffolk, Roanoke, Portsmouth, Lynchburg, Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Danville.

Statute text, sources and changes

Statute says

"The security deposit and any deductions, damages, and charges shall be itemized by the landlord in a written notice given to the tenant, together with any amount due to the tenant, within 45 days after the termination date of the tenancy or the date the tenant vacates the dwelling unit, whichever occurs last... If the landlord willfully fails to comply with this section, the court shall order the return of the security deposit to the tenant, together with actual damages and reasonable attorney fees, unless the tenant owes rent to the landlord, in which case the court shall order an amount equal to the security deposit credited against the rent due to the landlord."

Va. Code § 55.1-1226 (Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Title 55.1, Chapter 12)

What this means

Sources

https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title55.1/chapter12/section55.1-1226/ · accessed 2026-07-06
https://ipropertymanagement.com/laws/virginia-security-deposit-returns · accessed 2026-07-06
https://www.hemlane.com/resources/virginia-security-deposit-laws/ · accessed 2026-07-06
https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title16.1/chapter6/article5/ · accessed 2026-07-06

Download these values (CSV)

Changes

2026-07-06: Record verified against the cited statute.

Verified 2026-07-06 · release 5c9b10e6dffc94d70cee7a2f28ed0379eb3ce9d6