Connecticut security deposit law

Security Deposit Laws in Connecticut: What Your Landlord Can and Cannot Keep

Your landlord has 21 days under Connecticut law to return your security deposit, or you may be owed more than what they withheld. If they keep more than they're legally allowed, you can dispute it.

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Connecticut security deposit return timeline

Deadline to return

21 days

Statute

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21(d)(2) (deadline and penalty)

*** CORRECTED — 21 DAYS, NOT 30. Public Act 23-207 shortened this effective October 1, 2023. Any form or template still saying 30 days is using a repealed number. *** CONDITIONAL, later of two clocks: not later than (a) TWENTY-ONE days after termination of the tenancy, or (b) FIFTEEN days after receiving written notification of the tenant's forwarding address, WHICHEVER IS LATER. If the tenant never gives a written forwarding address, the landlord need not return the deposit or give a notice of damages until fifteen days after receiving one — so the single most valuable step a Connecticut tenant can take is to send the forwarding address in writing, certified mail with return receipt. Within the deadline the landlord must deliver either (A) the full deposit plus accrued interest, or (B) the balance plus accrued interest after deductions, together with a written statement itemizing the nature and amount of the damages.

What can a landlord legally deduct in Connecticut?

Allowed

  • ✓Damages suffered by the landlord by reason of the tenant's failure to comply with the tenant's obligations, itemized as to nature and amount
  • ✓Unpaid rent and unpaid utility payments (included in the itemization requirement)

Not allowed

  • ✗Any amount not itemized as to nature and amount in the required written statement
  • ✗Accrued interest — Connecticut deposits bear interest that must be paid to the tenant; note tenants forfeit interest for any month they were more than ten days late on rent, unless a previously agreed late charge was imposed

What if your landlord keeps your deposit wrongfully in Connecticut?

'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.' NOTE this is twice the WHOLE DEPOSIT PAID, not twice the portion withheld — unusually strong for tenants. The interest-only exception is confirmed and quoted above.

How TenantNex helps

  1. 1. Tell us your move-out date, deposit amount, and landlord's address — two minutes.
  2. 2. We generate a demand letter citing Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21(d)(2) (deadline and penalty) and your exact deadline.
  3. 3. We mail it to your landlord via USPS Certified Mail with return receipt.
  4. 4. You track delivery on your case page, with day-7 and day-14 follow-up.

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Connecticut tenant rights resources

Every fact on this page is verified against Connecticut's official statutory text as of 2026-09-04. TenantNex prepares legal correspondence as a document preparation service, not as your attorney. For complex disputes, consult a licensed attorney in Connecticut.

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TenantNex is a document preparation and delivery service, not a law firm. We prepare and send correspondence using publicly available state statutes. We do not provide legal advice, legal representation, or guarantee any outcome. For complex legal matters, consult a licensed attorney in your state.