Texas Security Deposit Deadline

Understand the Texas 30-day security deposit deadline and the forwarding-address rule that affects it.

Texas Security Deposit Deadline

Texas generally gives the landlord 30 days after the tenant surrenders the premises to return the security deposit.

If the landlord keeps part of the deposit, the landlord generally must send a written description and itemized list of deductions.


The trigger matters

The clock is tied to surrender of the premises.

That is why it helps to keep a clean record of:


The forwarding-address rule matters too

Texas also makes the tenant's written forwarding address important.

If you did not give your forwarding address in writing, the landlord's obligation to return the deposit or provide the written accounting may not have been triggered yet.

That is often the first thing to fix.


What to do if the deadline passed

  1. confirm the surrender date
  2. confirm that your forwarding address was given in writing
  3. gather the lease, photos, and messages
  4. check whether any refund or itemized deduction statement was sent
  5. move into the written notice sequence if the issue is still unresolved

Related Texas pages


Next step

If you want the Texas letters and timing already organized, start here:

Get the Texas Deposit Recovery System


Important

This page provides general information and not legal advice.