Indiana security deposit law: know your rights.
Understand the return, deduction and notice rules in Indiana. Check which conditions apply to your rental, then choose your next step.
Your deposit rights in Indiana
- Return timing
- Deposit plus itemized written notice of deductions due within 45 days after termination - and the clock effectively runs only once the tenant supplies a mailing address in writing.
- Accounting for deductions
- Itemized notice of amounts withheld for rent, damages, and utility charges (§ 32-31-3-12); the § 32-31-3-14 damage list may state estimated repair costs and must come with payment of the difference.
- Deposit interest
- The state deposit statute does not require interest. Check any additional lease or local rule.
Registry review: August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules, not an attorney review of your case.
Does this rule apply to your rental?
Check the type of tenancy, the lease and any local or housing-program rules before relying on the statewide summary.
Ind. Code §§ 32-31-3-12 to 32-31-3-15 ↗What starts the return clock?
Deposit plus itemized written notice of deductions due within 45 days after termination - and the clock effectively runs only once the tenant supplies a mailing address in writing.
Ind. Code §§ 32-31-3-12 to 32-31-3-15 ↗Check your return timing
Optional estimate from your move-out date. Read the start conditions above before treating that estimate as the return deadline. You can start the free analysis without completing this check.
Check what the landlord deducted
No receipts requirement - estimated costs per damaged item are expressly allowed (§ 32-31-3-14).
Match each charge to the work alleged, the lease provision and the records supporting the amount. Keep refunds and charges you accept separate from those you dispute.
Ind. Code §§ 32-31-3-12 to 32-31-3-15 ↗What could you recover?
No statutory multiplier: the remedy is total forfeiture of deductions - the tenant recovers all of the deposit due plus reasonable attorney's fees (§ 32-31-3-12(b)). The deterrent is fee-shifting plus the § 32-31-3-15 deemed agreement that no damages are due.
Start with the unpaid amount you dispute. Any additional statutory recovery depends on the conditions in Ind. Code § 32-31-3-12(b), including applicable notice requirements.
Ind. Code §§ 32-31-3-12 to 32-31-3-15 ↗Put the rules to work
See how the rules fit your deposit dispute
Free analysis
Add the refund, charges and records. Review the deductions and possible remedies with an explanation tied to your facts.
Full case package $29-$49
Turn your case into a demand letter, organized exhibits and a next-step plan. Review the analysis before deciding to buy.
Your entered dates and deposit amount carry forward. Additional timing details are saved in case notes. The next step asks for the refund and charges so you can build on this check.
Choose your next step
Small-claims limit: $10,000. Filing: ~$35-$97 by county (Marion County townships ~$45). The court guide explains the applicable limits and additional costs.
Questions about Indiana deposit rights
How long does a Indiana landlord have to return a security deposit?
Deposit plus itemized written notice of deductions due within 45 days after termination - and the clock effectively runs only once the tenant supplies a mailing address in writing.
Ind. Code §§ 32-31-3-12 to 32-31-3-15 ↗See the timing rules →What happens if my landlord does not follow the deposit return rules in Indiana?
Automatic and harsh: failure to provide the damage notice 'constitutes agreement by the landlord that no damages are due,' and the full deposit must be remitted immediately (§ 32-31-3-15). Keep proof of the dates, any refund, and the itemized statement.
Ind. Code §§ 32-31-3-12 to 32-31-3-15 ↗Understand the possible recovery →What accounting should I ask for in Indiana?
Itemized notice of amounts withheld for rent, damages, and utility charges (§ 32-31-3-12); the § 32-31-3-14 damage list may state estimated repair costs and must come with payment of the difference. No receipts requirement - estimated costs per damaged item are expressly allowed (§ 32-31-3-14).
Ind. Code §§ 32-31-3-12 to 32-31-3-15 ↗