Lease rules by state

Lease rules by state: security deposits, early exit and rent increases. General information about what each state's law says — not legal advice.

California

Deposit cap: One month's rent, on top of the first month's rent. A landlord who is a natural person (or an LLC of natural persons) and owns no more than two rental properties with four units in total may take up to two months' rent, but not from a servicemember. Applies to deposits taken on or after July 1, 2024.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Return deadline: 21 days after the tenant moves out, with an itemized statement of any deductions. A landlord who withholds in bad faith loses the right to keep any of it.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Interest: State law does not require interest on deposits. Some cities do.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Allowed deductions: Unpaid rent; repair of damage beyond ordinary wear and tear; cleaning needed to return the unit to its move-in level of cleanliness; and, if the lease allows it, restoring or replacing items the lease covers. Not ordinary wear and tear, and not damage that was there before the tenancy. The tenant can ask for an inspection before moving out. From April 1, 2025 the landlord must photograph the unit after move-out, and for tenancies starting on or after July 1, 2025 also at move-in.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Early exit / break-lease: If a tenant breaks the lease and leaves early, the lease ends and the landlord cannot recover rent the tenant shows could reasonably have been avoided (unless the lease uses the alternative the law allows in § 1951.4). A victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, elder abuse or certain other crimes (or whose household member is) can end the lease by written notice with a protective order, police report or qualified third-party statement, and owes rent for no more than 14 days after the notice.; Official source 1 Official source 2checked October 18, 2026
Rent increase / renewal notice: Month-to-month: at least 30 days' written notice for an increase of 10% or less in 12 months, and at least 90 days for more than 10%. To end a periodic tenancy, the landlord must give 60 days' notice, or 30 days if the tenant has lived there less than a year. Many units are also covered by a statewide cap: no more than 5% plus inflation, and never more than 10%, in any 12 months (until January 1, 2030).; Official source 1 Official source 2 Official source 3checked October 18, 2026
Local rules: Cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose have their own rent and deposit rules.; checked October 18, 2026

Texas

Deposit cap: State law sets no maximum.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Return deadline: On or before the 30th day after the tenant surrenders the unit. The landlord does not have to return it until the tenant gives a written forwarding address. A lease rule requiring advance notice of move-out as a condition of the refund counts only if it is underlined or in conspicuous bold print.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Interest: State law does not require interest on deposits.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Allowed deductions: Damages and charges the tenant is legally liable for under the lease or because of breaking it. Not normal wear and tear. Deductions must come with a written, itemized list, unless the tenant owes rent and the amount is not in dispute.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Early exit / break-lease: If a tenant leaves early, the landlord has a duty to mitigate damages, and a lease cannot waive it. A tenant protected by a family-violence order or documentation can end the lease by written notice; the release takes effect 30 days after the notice once the tenant has moved out. Servicemembers have a similar right under state law.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Rent increase / renewal notice: No state statute sets a notice period for a rent increase. A month-to-month tenancy ends on at least one month's notice from either side, unless both signed an agreement on a different period.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026

New York

Deposit cap: One month's rent, with narrow exceptions (for example, seasonal rentals).; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Return deadline: Within 14 days after the tenant moves out, with an itemized statement. A landlord who misses the 14 days loses the right to keep any of the deposit.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Interest: In buildings with six or more units, the deposit must be held in an interest-bearing account in New York; the tenant gets the interest, less a 1% yearly administrative fee the landlord may keep.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Allowed deductions: Unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear caused by the tenant, unpaid utilities owed to the landlord under the lease, and moving and storing the tenant's belongings — each reasonable and itemized. Not ordinary wear and tear, and not damage by a prior tenant. The tenant can ask for a move-in inspection and a pre-move-out inspection.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Early exit / break-lease: If a tenant leaves early, the landlord must take reasonable steps to re-rent the unit, and a lease cannot waive that duty. A victim of domestic violence can end the lease by written notice; the end date must be at least 30 days after the notice.; Official source 1 Official source 2checked October 18, 2026
Rent increase / renewal notice: Written notice is required before raising the rent by 5% or more, or before not renewing: at least 30 days if the tenant has lived there less than a year, 60 days for one to two years, and 90 days for two years or more. If the notice is late, the current terms continue until the notice period ends.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Local rules: Rent-stabilized units, and units covered by the state's Good Cause Eviction Law (in New York City and towns that opted in), have further limits on increases and non-renewal.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026

Florida

Deposit cap: State law sets no maximum.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Return deadline: Within 15 days after the lease ends if the landlord makes no claim. To make a claim, the landlord must send written notice by certified mail (or e-mail as the statute allows) within 30 days; the tenant then has 15 days to object in writing. A landlord who misses the 30-day notice loses the right to claim against the deposit.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Interest: Interest is owed only if the landlord holds the deposit in an interest-bearing account (at least 75% of the account's annualized average rate, or 5% simple interest a year, at the landlord's choice) or posts a surety bond (5% simple interest a year). The landlord must tell the tenant in writing, within 30 days of receiving the deposit, how it is held.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Early exit / break-lease: A lease may offer an early-termination fee or liquidated damages of no more than 2 months' rent with no more than 60 days' notice, but only if the tenant signed a separate addendum accepting it. A servicemember can end the lease with at least 30 days' written notice in the situations the statute lists, such as permanent change of station orders to move 35 miles or more. The landlord-tenant part of Florida law has no domestic-violence early-exit section.; Official source 1 Official source 2 Official source 3checked October 18, 2026
Rent increase / renewal notice: No state statute sets a notice period for a rent increase. A month-to-month tenancy ends on at least 30 days' written notice before the end of a monthly period. A fixed-term lease may require 30 to 60 days' notice of non-renewal from either side.; Official source 1 Official source 2checked October 18, 2026

Ohio

Deposit cap: State law sets no maximum.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Return deadline: Within 30 days after the lease ends and the tenant returns possession, with an itemized written notice of any deductions. The tenant must give a forwarding address in writing; a tenant who did can recover the amount wrongfully withheld, an equal amount in damages, and reasonable attorney's fees.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Interest: The part of a deposit above $50 or one month's rent (whichever is greater) earns 5% interest a year if the tenant stays six months or more, paid yearly.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Allowed deductions: Past-due rent, and damages caused by the tenant's failure to meet the tenant's duties under state law or the lease.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Rent increase / renewal notice: No state statute sets a notice period for a rent increase. A month-to-month tenancy ends on at least 30 days' notice before the next rent date, from either side.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026

New Jersey

Deposit cap: One and a half months' rent, and later yearly increases can't exceed 10% of the current deposit. Prepaid rent, including last month's rent, counts toward the cap.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Return deadline: Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, with interest and an itemized list of deductions, by personal delivery, registered or certified mail. A court can award double the amount wrongfully withheld.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Interest: The deposit must be held in an interest-bearing account at a New Jersey bank (larger landlords have other options). The interest belongs to the tenant and is paid or credited each year; the landlord must tell the tenant in writing where the money is held.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Allowed deductions: Damage beyond normal wear and tear, and other money owed under the lease. No deductions while the tenant is still living there.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Early exit / break-lease: A domestic-violence victim can end the lease with written notice and documentation; it ends 30 days after the notice. A tenant with a disabling illness or accident that cuts income, or a tenant 62 or older moving to assisted living or similar care, can end the lease with 40 days' written notice in the situations the law lists.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Rent increase / renewal notice: No statewide cap, but an increase must not be unconscionable and must follow any local rent-control ordinance. To evict for not paying an increase, the landlord must first serve a valid notice to quit and notice of the increase, at least one month before filing.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026
Local rules: Many New Jersey towns have rent-control ordinances.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026

All states

Early exit — military: Federal law (the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act) lets a servicemember end a residential lease after entering military service, or after receiving orders for a permanent change of station or a deployment of at least 90 days, by written notice with a copy of the orders. This applies in every state.; Official sourcechecked October 18, 2026

This checklist is general information about what these laws say, not legal advice. It doesn't decide whether a rule applies to your lease or whether your landlord followed it. Cities and counties can add their own rules, and laws change; check the linked official source, or talk to a licensed attorney about a specific dispute. Checked against official sources on October 18, 2026.

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