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Texas security deposit rules

30 days
to return your deposit or send an itemized list
$100 plus 3x the amount withheld plus attorney fees; bad faith presumed if late
possible penalty if they don't follow the rules

Clock starts once you've moved out AND given a written forwarding address.

Give your landlord your forwarding address in writing. In Texas it affects the deadline or the penalty.

What to do to get your deposit back

  1. Photograph every room when you move out (walls, floors, appliances, inside cabinets). Keep your move-in photos too.
  2. Send your forwarding address in writing, with the date.
  3. Mark the deadline: 30 days after you move out.
  4. If it's late or the deductions look wrong, send a written demand letter that cites Tex. Prop. Code 92.103.
  5. Still nothing? Small claims court is built for this, and you usually don't need a lawyer.
Let Stoop handle it.

Text Stoop your move-out date. It tracks your Texas deadline, saves your photos, and writes the demand letter if your landlord is late. Free, no app.

Text Stoop or text (855) 254-5250

Law: Tex. Prop. Code 92.103. Updated November 2026. General information, not legal advice. Laws change; check the current statute or a local tenant organization for your situation.