Nebraska Security Deposit Deadline

Nebraska security deposit deadline guide explaining the 14-day return and itemization rule after termination of tenancy.

Nebraska has a short security deposit deadline: the landlord generally must deliver or mail the deposit balance and written itemization within 14 days after termination of the tenancy.

The key date is not a vague "sometime after move-out." The practical question is when the tenancy ended, then whether the landlord delivered or mailed the balance and itemization within 14 days after that date.

What the landlord must send

If the landlord keeps any money, the written itemization should explain the deductions. If nothing is properly owed, the balance should be returned.

The same 14-day period covers the balance and written itemization.

Address and mailing facts

It is still smart to give a current mailing address or delivery instructions in writing. That makes the record cleaner.

But Nebraska's statute also handles the missing-address situation. If the tenant gives no mailing address or instructions, the landlord must mail by first-class mail to the tenant's last-known mailing address.

What to keep

Keep:

the lease
deposit payment proof
the termination date
proof you returned possession or keys
your mailing address or instructions
the itemized statement, if one was sent
refund check or payment records
photos, videos, invoices, estimates, and messages about deductions

If the 14 days passed

Send a written follow-up asking for the deposit balance, the written itemization, and any support for deductions. If the landlord still does not comply, a stronger statute-backed notice may be appropriate.

Nebraska can allow recovery of the money due, court costs, and reasonable attorney fees. If the landlord's failure is willful and not in good faith, limited liquidated damages may also be available.

Sources used for this guide

Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 76-1416

Source reviewed: April 2026.

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Important

This page provides general educational information and is not legal advice.