Nebraska security deposit law: know your rights.
Understand the return, deduction and notice rules in Nebraska. Check which conditions apply to your rental, then choose your next step.
Your deposit rights in Nebraska
- Return timing
- The balance of the deposit plus a written itemization must be delivered or mailed within 14 days after termination of the tenancy (automatic - no tenant demand required under the current text).
- Accounting for deductions
- A written itemization of any amount not returned must accompany the balance within the 14-day window; mailing goes to the tenant's provided address, else the last-known address.
- 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.
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 ↗What starts the return clock?
The balance of the deposit plus a written itemization must be delivered or mailed within 14 days after termination of the tenancy (automatic - no tenant demand required under the current text).
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 ↗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 statutory receipts requirement; only the written itemization.
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.
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 ↗What could you recover?
For willful, bad-faith noncompliance the tenant recovers liquidated damages equal to the lesser of one month's rent or twice the deposit, in addition to the deposit balance itself, plus costs and reasonable attorney fees (§ 76-1416). Since Nebraska caps deposits at one month's rent, the penalty in the typical case equals roughly one deposit on top of the refund.
Start with the unpaid amount you dispute. Any additional statutory recovery depends on the conditions in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416(3), including applicable notice requirements.
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 ↗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: $7,500. Filing: $58 + service. The court guide explains the applicable limits and additional costs.
Questions about Nebraska deposit rights
How long does a Nebraska landlord have to return a security deposit?
The balance of the deposit plus a written itemization must be delivered or mailed within 14 days after termination of the tenancy (automatic - no tenant demand required under the current text).
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 ↗See the timing rules →What happens if my landlord does not follow the deposit return rules in Nebraska?
The tenant may sue for the money due; willful, bad-faith noncompliance adds liquidated damages on top, plus costs and attorney fees. Keep proof of the dates, any refund, and the itemized statement.
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 ↗Understand the possible recovery →What accounting should I ask for in Nebraska?
A written itemization of any amount not returned must accompany the balance within the 14-day window; mailing goes to the tenant's provided address, else the last-known address. No statutory receipts requirement; only the written itemization.
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1416 ↗