South Carolina Security Deposits

Get Your Deposit Back

South Carolina deposit disputes usually turn on termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, tenant demand, the written forwarding address, lawful deductions, and whether the landlord sent a proper itemized written notice.

This site shows you the South Carolina rule, the records that matter, and how to move forward without guessing.

Start based on your situation

What South Carolina law is built around

South Carolina requires the landlord to return the deposit, less lawful deductions, after the tenancy ends. If deductions are claimed, the landlord must itemize them in a written notice and send any amount due within 30 days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, and tenant demand, whichever is later.

The tenant should provide a written forwarding address. That address matters because the statute says the tenant must provide the landlord in writing with a forwarding address.

If the landlord fails to comply, South Carolina can support recovery of the money due, three times the amount wrongfully withheld, and reasonable attorney's fees when the statutory conditions are met.

Read the full law overview

This is a sequence, not one magic letter

One letter is sometimes enough, but often it is not.

  1. Document move-out, possession delivery, demand, and your forwarding address before the dispute hardens
  2. Send a clear deposit-due notice after the South Carolina deadline matters
  3. Follow up with the statute, deduction limits, itemization rule, and your proof
  4. Send a final demand before deciding whether to file in Magistrate Court

Step 1 is preventive. It helps make the demand and address record clear before the landlord decides what to do with your deposit.

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Important: This site provides general information and is not legal advice.