Security deposits are one of the areas governed by Ohio landlord-tenant law, which sets baseline rules a lease cannot override. The deposit amount, the return deadline, allowable deductions, and interest all trace back to a single statute, R.C. 5321.16.
Is there a maximum security deposit in Ohio?
Ohio law does not cap security deposits. No section of the Revised Code limits how much a landlord can require, so the figure is set by the lease and by what the local rental market supports. That is different from states that tie the deposit to a month or two of rent.
Because the lease controls the amount, the deposit terms belong in the written agreement, where they give both sides a reference point when the tenancy ends. For the required and common terms of a rental contract, see what an Ohio residential lease must include.
The 30-day deadline to return your deposit
When the rental agreement ends and the tenant returns possession, the landlord has 30 days to send any deposit money that remains, along with an itemized written notice of any deductions, under R.C. 5321.16(B). The 30-day clock runs from the later of the termination and the return of the unit.
The tenant starts that clock by giving the landlord a forwarding address in writing. A tenant who never provides a forwarding address loses the right to the extra damages and attorney fees described below, though the base deposit is still owed.
A tenant ending a fixed-term lease early faces these same deposit rules once the unit is vacated. The mechanics of leaving before the term expires are covered in how to break a lease without penalty in Ohio.
What a landlord can deduct
A landlord may apply the deposit to two categories: unpaid rent, and the cost of damage caused by the tenant’s failure to meet the obligations in R.C. 5321.05 or the lease. Those tenant duties include keeping the occupied part of the premises safe and sanitary and not damaging the property.
Ordinary wear and tear is not a permitted deduction. The line turns on whether a condition came from normal use or from a tenant’s neglect or misuse. Since a landlord can charge only for damage beyond ordinary wear, a unit the landlord failed to keep habitable can complicate a deduction; the landlord’s own repair duties are set out in the Ohio warranty of habitability.
Each deduction has to be itemized in the written notice the landlord sends within the 30-day window. A general statement that the deposit was kept for “damages,” with no breakdown, does not meet the itemization requirement in R.C. 5321.16(B).
Interest on security deposits
Some Ohio deposits earn interest. Under R.C. 5321.16(A), a deposit greater than $50 or one month’s rent, whichever is larger, earns 5 percent interest per year on the amount above that threshold, but only if the tenant stays for at least six months. The interest is computed and paid once a year.
Smaller deposits, and tenancies shorter than six months, do not trigger the interest requirement. When it does apply, the 5 percent runs only on the portion of the deposit above the $50-or-one-month threshold, not on the whole deposit.
When a landlord wrongfully withholds your deposit
If a landlord keeps deposit money without meeting the 30-day itemization rule, R.C. 5321.16(C) allows the tenant to recover the amount wrongfully withheld plus an equal amount in damages, together with reasonable attorney fees. The added damages effectively double the wrongfully withheld portion.
Ohio courts have applied this remedy to the amount improperly kept rather than the entire deposit. A tenant who gave no forwarding address cannot recover the double damages or attorney fees, though the base deposit remains due.
Give a written forwarding address
Send the landlord a forwarding address in writing when the tenancy ends. This starts the 30-day return clock and preserves the right to double damages and attorney fees under R.C. 5321.16(C). Keep a dated copy.
Document the unit's condition
Photograph or video the unit after moving out, and keep the move-in condition records if any exist. This evidence shows whether a claimed deduction reflects real damage or ordinary wear.
Send a written demand
If 30 days pass with no deposit and no itemized notice, or the deductions look unjustified, send the landlord a written request for the balance that references R.C. 5321.16. A dated letter or email creates a record of the demand.
File in small claims if the deposit is not returned
A tenant can file in the small claims division of the local municipal or county court. The complaint can seek the withheld amount, the equal amount in damages, and attorney fees allowed under R.C. 5321.16(C).
Frequently asked questions
Is there a limit on how much a landlord can charge for a security deposit in Ohio?
No. Ohio has no statutory maximum on security deposits, so the amount is set by the lease. The Ohio Landlords and Tenants Act regulates how a deposit is held and returned, not how large it can be.
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Ohio?
Thirty days. Under R.C. 5321.16(B), the landlord must return the deposit and an itemized statement of any deductions within 30 days after the rental agreement ends and the tenant delivers possession and a written forwarding address.
Can a landlord keep a deposit for normal wear and tear?
No. A landlord may deduct for unpaid rent and for damage tied to the tenant’s noncompliance with R.C. 5321.05 or the lease, but not for ordinary wear and tear from normal use. Any deduction has to be itemized in writing.
What happens if the landlord misses the 30-day deadline?
A landlord who wrongfully withholds a deposit can be liable under R.C. 5321.16(C) for the amount kept, an equal amount in damages, and reasonable attorney fees. A tenant who did not provide a forwarding address is still owed the deposit but cannot recover the extra damages or fees.
Do Ohio security deposits earn interest?
Only some. A deposit over $50 or one month’s rent, whichever is greater, earns 5 percent per year on the excess if the tenant stays at least six months, under R.C. 5321.16(A). The interest is paid annually.