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District of Columbia security deposit: 45 days to get it back

Within 45 days after the tenancy ends, the housing provider must either return the deposit with accrued interest or give the tenant written notice of intent to withhold for expenses. If withholding, it must then deliver the remaining deposit plus interest and an itemized statement within 30 days after that notice (up to about 75 days in all).

Double-check before you rely on this. Parts of this page come from legal-aid and other secondary summaries instead of the official statute text. Confirm the deadline and penalty in D.C. Code § 42-3502.17 and 14 DCMR §§ 308-311, and check whether a local ordinance changes the rules.

What the law requires

Itemized statement: The itemized statement must list the repairs or other uses of the money and the cost of each. Reportedly, the notice of intent to withhold must be delivered personally or by certified mail. Deductions are allowed for unpaid rent and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, as the lease provides. Deposits must earn interest at no less than the bank statement savings rate.
Forwarding address: Not required to start the 45 days. Since Aug. 14, 2026 (D.C. Law 26-156) the housing provider must request a forwarding mailing or email address when the tenancy ends.
If the landlord breaks the rules: Missing the notice/refund deadlines is prima facie evidence that the tenant is entitled to a full refund with interest. A provider who wrongfully withholds is liable for the amount withheld, or for treble damages if the refusal is in bad faith (frivolous or unfounded and driven by a fraudulent, deceptive, dishonest or unreasonably self-serving purpose).
Loss of the right to deduct: Missing the 45-day deadline is treated as prima facie evidence the tenant is entitled to the full deposit plus interest; the Rental Housing Commission has described this as losing the right to withhold. Based on summaries of 14 DCMR § 309.3.
Deposit cap: One month's rent, charged only once (14 DCMR § 308). A refundable pet deposit of up to 15% of monthly rent may be added under D.C. Code § 42-3505.10(b-3) for leases beginning after Oct. 1, 2025, but the Code annotation says that law is not yet implemented pending budget funding.
Small claims limit: $10,000 in Superior Court of D.C., Small Claims and Conciliation Branch
Statute: D.C. Code § 42-3502.17; 14 DCMR §§ 308-311 (especially § 309)

Recent changes

Aug. 14, 2026 (D.C. Law 26-156): new § 42-3502.17(e) requires a forwarding-address request and written notice within 45 days of any alleged unpaid amounts (with documentation and 30 days to dispute) before debt-collection referral; the statute does not mention the deposit itself. Mar. 21, 2025 (D.C. Law 25-308): pet deposit up to 15% of rent, pending funding.

If your landlord misses the deadline

Write down your dates and gather proof: move-out date, the date you gave your forwarding address, the deposit amount, and anything the landlord sent. Photos and receipts help.
Send a written demand by certified mail, keep the receipt, and cite D.C. Code § 42-3502.17 and 14 DCMR §§ 308-311. Give a date to respond.
If you still aren't paid, file in Superior Court of D.C., Small Claims and Conciliation Branch. Deposit claims up to $10,000 can be filed there, usually without a lawyer. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.

What a District of Columbia demand letter looks like

Re: Demand for return of security deposit / Rental address: [Street address, unit, city, state ZIP]

Dear [Landlord name]:

I rented the property above from you under a lease that began on [lease start date]. I paid a security deposit of $[deposit amount] on [date paid]. I moved out and returned possession on [move-out date].

My forwarding address is [forwarding address]. Please send my deposit and any required statement to that address.

[A.] I have not received my deposit or an itemized statement of deductions. Under D.C. Code § 42-3502.17 and 14 DCMR §§ 308-311, a landlord must return a tenant's security deposit, or send an itemized statement of any deductions, within 45 days after the tenant moves out. That deadline passed on [deadline date].

Preview of the first part of letter one. Yellow marks the parts you fill in.

Common questions

How long does a landlord in District of Columbia have to return a security deposit?

What happens if a District of Columbia landlord keeps the deposit wrongfully?

Missing the notice/refund deadlines is prima facie evidence that the tenant is entitled to a full refund with interest. A provider who wrongfully withholds is liable for the amount withheld, or for treble damages if the refusal is in bad faith (frivolous or unfounded and driven by a fraudulent, deceptive, dishonest or unreasonably self-serving purpose). Missing the 45-day deadline is treated as prima facie evidence the tenant is entitled to the full deposit plus interest; the Rental Housing Commission has described this as losing the right to withhold. Based on summaries of 14 DCMR § 309.3.

Do I have to give my District of Columbia landlord a forwarding address?

Not required to start the 45 days. Since Aug. 14, 2026 (D.C. Law 26-156) the housing provider must request a forwarding mailing or email address when the tenancy ends.

Where do I sue for my deposit in District of Columbia?

Deposit claims up to $10,000 can be filed in Superior Court of D.C., Small Claims and Conciliation Branch. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.

Other states

Rules reviewed October 2026. Laws change, so confirm with the statute before you rely on this page.