§PlainStatute

Renters' Rights · Security Deposit

Security Deposit Laws in Vermont

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 Vermont.

Draft entry: figures pending statute verificationStatute §4461Source legislature.vermont.gov

Prefer a calculator? Run your rent and move-out date through the Vermont security deposit calculator →

Security deposit at a glance · Vermont
No cap
Vermont sets no statutory maximum on a residential security deposit. Your lease sets the amount.
Maximum depositNo cap
Return deadline14 days (60 seasonal)
Interest to tenantNot required (state)
Separate accountNot required (state)
ItemizationRequired
PenaltyForfeit; 2x + fees if willful
Statute§4461

What your landlord can hold, and when it's due back

Enter your rent for the Vermont maximum, plus the return-deadline clock.

Deposit calculator · Vermont
Most a landlord can hold
No legal maximum
Vermont sets no statutory cap; the lease controls the amount.
Return clock: 14 days (60 days for seasonal, non-primary rentals)
The deadline runs from the date the tenant vacates, or the date the landlord learns the tenant has vacated or abandoned the unit. Give your landlord a written forwarding address at move-out so the clock starts.

Estimate only, based on Vermont'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.

Maximum deposit
No statutory limit

Exceptions: Vermont sets no statewide limit on the size of a residential security deposit (9 V.S.A. 4461). A landlord can ask for any amount, though one to two months of rent is typical. Local rules can be stricter: the City of Burlington caps the deposit at roughly one month of rent and adds its own handling requirements.

Return deadline
14 days, or 60 days for a seasonal rental that is not a primary residence
Interest to tenant
Not requiredState law does not require a landlord to pay interest on a security deposit. Local rules can differ: Burlington requires deposits to be held in an interest-bearing account, so check your city ordinance.
Separate account
Not requiredState law does not require the deposit to be held in a separate or escrow account. Burlington does require deposits to be placed in a Vermont bank, credit union, or savings and loan, so check your local ordinance.
Itemization
Required whenever any amount is withheld. Within the return deadline the landlord must give the tenant a written statement itemizing every deduction, delivered by hand or mailed to the tenant’s last known address along with any balance owed. Allowed deductions are limited to unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, unpaid utility or other charges the tenant agreed to pay, and the cost of removing abandoned property.
Local ordinances
Some Vermont cities add stricter rules. Burlington caps the deposit at about one month of rent, requires it to be held in an interest-bearing account at a Vermont bank, bars using it as last month’s rent, and lets tenants bring disputes to the Burlington Housing Board of Review. Check your city ordinance.

Penalties & recent changes

What happens if the landlord keeps your deposit wrongfully.

If the landlord withholds wrongfully
A landlord who fails to return the deposit with an itemized statement within 14 days forfeits the right to withhold any part of it and must return the full amount. If the failure is willful, the landlord is liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs.

What Vermont renters get wrong

Vermont puts no cap on how much a landlord can charge for a residential security deposit, so the amount is whatever your lease sets. What Vermont does police is timing. Under 9 V.S.A. 4461, a landlord must return your deposit with a written statement itemizing any deductions within 14 days of the day you move out, or the day the landlord learns you have left. Miss that deadline and the landlord forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit and owes you all of it. If the landlord holds it back on purpose, you can recover double the amount wrongfully withheld plus your attorney fees and court costs. Seasonal rentals that are not your primary home get a longer 60-day window, and some cities, notably Burlington, layer on their own limits and handling rules.

Common questions

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Vermont?

There is no state limit. Vermont law (9 V.S.A. 4461) does not cap the deposit, so a landlord can ask for any amount, though one to two months of rent is common. Local rules can be stricter: Burlington caps the deposit at about one month of rent, so check your city ordinance.

How long does a landlord have to return my deposit in Vermont?

Fourteen days. The landlord must return the deposit with a written itemized statement within 14 days of the date you move out, or the date the landlord learns you have vacated. Seasonal rentals that are not a primary residence get 60 days. If the landlord misses the deadline, they forfeit the right to keep any part of the deposit.

What happens if my Vermont landlord keeps my deposit unfairly?

If the landlord does not return the deposit and statement within 14 days, they lose the right to withhold any of it and must return the full amount. If the failure was willful, you can recover double the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs.

Does a Vermont landlord have to pay interest or use a separate account?

Not under state law. Vermont does not require interest on deposits or a separate escrow account. Cities can differ: Burlington requires the deposit to be held in an interest-bearing account at a Vermont bank, so check your local ordinance.

Primary source
→ 9 V.S.A. §4461
Vermont Statutes Online, 9 V.S.A. §4461 (Security deposits) · legislature.vermont.gov
Draft: pending editorial review
Every figure is corroborated by four or more independent sources (Justia and iPropertyManagement statute summaries, VTLawHelp, Rentable, DepositHawk, and LeaseRunner), which agree on the no-cap rule, the 14-day return-or-forfeit rule, the seasonal 60-day extension, and the willful double-damages penalty. The official Vermont Legislature page for 9 V.S.A. 4461 could not be fetched verbatim this session (the server refused every connection and a direct request returned no response), so the record stays draft until a human confirms the section text in a browser. Editorial standards →

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.

Security deposit · other states
New York·Massachusetts·New Hampshire·California·Texas·Florida·All states →