Renters' Rights · Security Deposit
Security Deposit Laws in Indiana
The most a landlord can charge, how long they have to return it, and what it costs them to keep your money without cause in Indiana.
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What your landlord can hold, and when it's due back
Enter your rent for the Indiana maximum, plus the return-deadline clock.
Estimate only, based on Indiana's statutory cap. Your lease may set a lower deposit, and local ordinances can be stricter. Not legal advice.
The full rules, with the statute
Every requirement and where it comes from in the code.
Exceptions: Indiana Code 32-31-3 sets no ceiling on the deposit amount. Market norms are usually one to one-and-a-half months' rent, but the statute imposes no limit.
Penalties & recent changes
What happens if the landlord keeps your deposit wrongfully.
What Indiana renters get wrong
Indiana puts no cap on the deposit amount and requires no interest and no separate account, which makes it fairly landlord-friendly on the front end. The catch is on the back end. A landlord has 45 days after you move out to mail an itemized list of any damage claimed along with a check for the rest of your deposit. If the landlord blows that 45-day deadline, the statute treats it as an admission that nothing is owed, and the landlord must return the whole deposit, even if there was real damage. Miss it and lose it applies to the landlord, not the tenant. One condition triggers the clock: you must give the landlord a written mailing address, so send one when you leave. A tenant who has to sue can also recover reasonable attorney's fees.
Common questions
How long does a landlord have to return my security deposit in Indiana?
45 days after you move out and return possession. Within that window the landlord must mail an itemized list of any damages claimed along with a check for the remaining balance. The clock starts once you give the landlord a written mailing address.
Is there a limit on how much a landlord can charge for a deposit in Indiana?
No. Indiana Code 32-31-3 sets no maximum, so the deposit is whatever the lease specifies. It is commonly one to one-and-a-half months' rent, but that is market practice, not a legal cap.
What happens if my Indiana landlord misses the 45-day deadline?
Under IC 32-31-3-15 the landlord is treated as agreeing that no damages are owed and must return your entire deposit at once. If you have to sue to get it back, you can also recover the full deposit plus reasonable attorney's fees.
Does my Indiana landlord have to pay interest on my deposit or keep it in a separate account?
No on both. Indiana does not require interest on a residential security deposit and does not require a separate or escrow account, so the landlord may hold it with other funds.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.