Maryland security deposit law
Your landlord has 45 days under Maryland 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.
Deadline to return
45 days
Statute
Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203; § 8-203(e)(1), (e)(4), (f)(1), (g)(1)-(2), (h)
45 days after the END of the tenancy, returned WITH accrued interest. If any portion is withheld, the landlord must additionally send BY FIRST-CLASS MAIL to the tenant's last known address, within the same 45 days, a written list of damages claimed plus an itemized statement of costs incurred (§ 8-203(g)(1)). SEPARATE TRACK — THIS IS THE TRAP: under § 8-203(h)(1) the 45-day rules in (e)(1), (e)(4), (g)(1) and (g)(2) are INAPPLICABLE to a tenant who was evicted or ejected for breach before termination, or who ABANDONED the premises before termination. Such a tenant must first DEMAND return by written notice by first-class mail within 45 days of eviction/ejection/abandonment, specifying a new address; the landlord then has 45 days FROM RECEIPT OF THAT DEMAND. A demand letter for an evicted or abandoning tenant that cites the ordinary 45-day rule cites an INAPPLICABLE subsection. INSPECTION TRACK: tenant may compel an attended move-out inspection by notifying the landlord by CERTIFIED MAIL of intent to move, moving date, and new address at least 15 days before moving; the landlord must then notify the tenant by certified mail of the inspection time, which must fall within 5 days before or after the moving date.
Allowed
Not allowed
If the landlord, WITHOUT A REASONABLE BASIS, fails to return any part plus accrued interest within 45 days after termination, the tenant has an action of UP TO THREEFOLD of the withheld amount, plus reasonable attorney's fees (§ 8-203(e)(4)). Both qualifiers are operative statutory words: the 3x is a CEILING ('up to'), not automatic, and is gated on absence of a reasonable basis. The same up-to-threefold remedy is separately provided at (h)(3)(ii) for the evicted/abandoning track. Two independent forfeitures favor the tenant: failing to send the damages list within 45 days forfeits the right to withhold ANY part for damages (§ 8-203(g)(2)); failing to advise the tenant in writing of inspection rights when the deposit was paid likewise forfeits that right (§ 8-203(f)(1)(vi)-(vii)). INTEREST: simple interest at the greater of the daily U.S. Treasury yield curve rate for 1 year (as of the first business day of each year) or 1.5% per year, accruing monthly, not compounded; none unless held at least 6 months, none for a partial month, payable only on deposits of $50 or more.
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See what your landlord can legally keep →Every fact on this page is verified against Maryland'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 Maryland.
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