The rule
- Deposit limit
- 1 month’s rent
- Return deadline
- 45 days
- Interest owed
- Required
- Itemized deductions
- Required
- The limit
- Up to 2 months’ rent if the tenant qualifies for utility assistance, pays utilities to the landlord, and both agree in writing.
- The deadline
- 45 days after the tenancy ends.
- Interest
- Simple interest at the greater of the 1-year U.S. Treasury yield (as of the first business day of the year) or 1.5% a year. Due on deposits of $50 or more held at least 6 months.
- Deductions
- The landlord must give you an itemized list of anything kept from the deposit.
- If it isn’t returned
- Withholding without a reasonable basis: up to 3 times the withheld amount plus attorney’s fees. Missing the 45-day itemized list forfeits the right to withhold for damages.
Law: Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-203
Last reviewed September 30, 2026
Not legal advice. Statutes change; check the linked section.