Nebraska security deposit law
Security Deposit Laws in Nebraska
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When did you move out?
This is the one that matters. Your clock starts the day you handed back the keys — not the day your landlord replies.
Statute-verified in 50 U.S. jurisdictions and counting — everywhere else, a specialist prepares your case by hand until verification clears.
Nebraska security deposit return timeline
Deadline to return
14 days
Statute
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 (subsec. (2) deadline; subsec. (3) remedies)
SETTLED: the balance and a written itemization must be delivered or mailed to the tenant within 14 days after THE DATE OF TERMINATION OF THE TENANCY. The older 'after demand and designation of the location where payment may be made' language is NOT in the current text — NO tenant demand is required to start the clock. If the tenant provides no mailing address or instructions, the landlord must mail the balance and itemization by first-class mail to the last-known address; a landlord cannot use the absence of a forwarding address as an excuse. If the mailing is returned undeliverable, or the balance stays outstanding one year, it becomes abandoned property payable to the State Treasurer.
What can a landlord legally deduct in Nebraska?
Allowed
- ✓Rent
- ✓The amount of damages the landlord has suffered by reason of the tenant's noncompliance with the rental agreement or § 76-1421
Not allowed
- ✗Ordinary wear and tear (via the § 76-1421 tenant-duty standard incorporated by reference)
What if your landlord keeps your deposit wrongfully in Nebraska?
TWO TIERS under subsec. (3). TIER 1 (no willfulness needed): if the landlord fails to comply with subsec. (2), the tenant may recover the property and money due, COURT COSTS, and REASONABLE ATTORNEY'S FEES. TIER 2 (additional): if the failure is WILLFUL AND NOT IN GOOD FAITH, the tenant may also recover, as liquidated damages, an amount equal to one month's periodic rent OR TWO TIMES THE AMOUNT OF THE SECURITY DEPOSIT, WHICHEVER IS LESS. SETTLED: the multiplier base is the SECURITY DEPOSIT, not the amount withheld.
How TenantNex helps
- 1. Tell us your move-out date, deposit amount, and landlord's address — two minutes.
- 2. We generate a demand letter citing Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 (subsec. (2) deadline; subsec. (3) remedies) and your exact deadline.
- 3. We mail it to your landlord via USPS Certified Mail with return receipt.
- 4. You track delivery on your case page, with day-7 and day-14 follow-up.
$39 per case — founding price, one flat fee, no subscription.
Nebraska tenant rights resources
- HUD — tenant rights and resources
- Find your state's consumer protection / Attorney General office
- Key statute: Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 (subsec. (2) deadline; subsec. (3) remedies) — verified against the official text on 2026-09-04.
Every fact on this page is verified against Nebraska's official statutory text as of 2026-09-04. TenantNex is not a law firm and this is not legal advice. For complex disputes, consult a licensed attorney in Nebraska.
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FREE · 30 secondsYour money is due back
14 days
Nebraska law sets this deadline — your landlord must return your deposit or itemize deductions by then.
If they wrongfully withhold
up to 2× your deposit
Add your deposit amount above for the exact figure.
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 (subsec. (2) deadline; subsec. (3) remedies) — verified against the official statute 2026-09-04
Your 14 days started the day you moved out — that clock is running right now whether or not your landlord acts, and the 2× penalty only exists if you demanded it in writing before it closed.
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Used by renters in 4 states — 15 people in the past two weeks found out exactly what they're owed this way.
We don't stop at mailing it. If your landlord doesn't respond, we follow up at day 7 and day 14 — and help you build the evidence and paperwork for small claims if it comes to that. Real result: we helped Kathleen A. (Ohio) recover her full $3,000 deposit this way.
Pay once. We handle the rest.
One case, one price — the letter, the certified mailing, the tracking, and the follow-up. No subscription, no recurring anything.
| Option | Price | Effort | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | — | All of it | You chase |
| TenantNex | $39 | Done for you | We chase |
| Small-claims services | $149–448 | — | — |
| Hire an attorney | $300–2,000+ | — | — |
An attorney starts at $300. Filing services charge $149 for the letter alone. We prepare the whole claim for $39.
Recover
We run your claim until you are paid — or you are ready to file.
- Step 1 — certified demand letter citing your state statute, deadline and penalty
- Mailed USPS Certified with return receipt, tracked to your landlord’s door
- Step 2 — day-14 notice of intent to file, the one most landlords act on
- Step 3 — your small-claims packet: the right form for your county, filled in
- Where to file, what it costs, and how to serve your landlord
- Evidence checklist, with your certified receipt as Exhibit A
- Counter-response letter if your landlord disputes or underpays
- Attorney referral if it is still unresolved after 21 days
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What TenantNex is — and isn't
TenantNex is 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.