Utah security deposit: 30 days to get it back
The owner must mail, deliver or (if the renter gave a means) electronically send the deposit balance, prepaid rent balance and an itemized explanation of any deductions no later than 30 days after the renter vacates and returns possession. If not, the renter may serve a statutory notice, and the owner then has five business days to comply.
What the law requires
- Itemized statement
- If anything is deducted, the owner must send a written notice that itemizes and explains the reason for each deduction, to the renter's last known address or electronically by a means the renter provided. No receipt thresholds in the section.
- Forwarding address
- No forwarding-address requirement in the statute; the owner sends to the renter's last known address or an electronic means the renter provided. The renter must serve the statutory notice to qualify for relief.
- If the landlord breaks the rules
- If the owner has not complied within five business days after the renter's notice, the renter may recover the full deposit and prepaid rent plus a $100 civil penalty, and may sue to enforce. Fees go to the prevailing party only if the court finds bad faith. Renter must have served the notice to get relief.
- Loss of the right to deduct
- The statute does not use the word forfeit, but it lets the renter recover the 'full deposit' if the owner does not timely return the balance after the renter's notice, which functions as loss of deductions.
- Deposit cap
- No statutory cap found in Utah Code ch. 17 (sections 1-5 reviewed).
- Small claims limit
- $20,000 in Small Claims (Justice Court or District Court)
Recent changes
H.B. 480 (2025), eff. May 7, 2025: electronic delivery of deposit and itemization; renter's notice form gives owner five business days. § 57-17-5 text was amended by Laws 2023 ch. 401, effective July 1, 2024 (what changed was not compared).
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 Utah Code §§ 57-17-3, 57-17-5. Give a date to respond.
- If you still aren't paid, file in Small Claims (Justice Court or District Court). Deposit claims up to $20,000 can be filed there, usually without a lawyer. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.
What a Utah 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 Utah Code §§ 57-17-3, 57-17-5, a landlord must return a tenant's security deposit, or send an itemized statement of any deductions, within 30 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 Utah have to return a security deposit?
The owner must mail, deliver or (if the renter gave a means) electronically send the deposit balance, prepaid rent balance and an itemized explanation of any deductions no later than 30 days after the renter vacates and returns possession. If not, the renter may serve a statutory notice, and the owner then has five business days to comply.
What happens if a Utah landlord keeps the deposit wrongfully?
If the owner has not complied within five business days after the renter's notice, the renter may recover the full deposit and prepaid rent plus a $100 civil penalty, and may sue to enforce. Fees go to the prevailing party only if the court finds bad faith. Renter must have served the notice to get relief. The statute does not use the word forfeit, but it lets the renter recover the 'full deposit' if the owner does not timely return the balance after the renter's notice, which functions as loss of deductions.
Do I have to give my Utah landlord a forwarding address?
No forwarding-address requirement in the statute; the owner sends to the renter's last known address or an electronic means the renter provided. The renter must serve the statutory notice to qualify for relief.
Where do I sue for my deposit in Utah?
Deposit claims up to $20,000 can be filed in Small Claims (Justice Court or District Court). Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.
Other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
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- Iowa
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- Kentucky
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- North Dakota
- Ohio
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- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- District of Columbia
Rules reviewed October 2026. Laws change, so confirm with the statute before you rely on this page.