How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Minnesota?

In Minnesota, Refund with reasons for any deductions due within 21 days of the tenancy ending. (Minn. Stat. § 504B.178). Missing the deadline or failing to itemize can forfeit the right to withhold. Confirm the current statute for your situation.

Does Minnesota require an itemized statement of deductions?

Yes. Minnesota requires an itemized written statement of any deductions, not a lump sum. This calculator lists each item, prorates it by useful life, and produces that statement.

How are deductions prorated?

Each damaged item is charged only for the share of its useful life remaining at move-out. A $1,000 carpet with a 10-year life that was 8 years old supports about a $200 charge, not $1,000. Normal wear and tear is excluded.

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Minnesota Security Deposit Deductions

What a Minnesota landlord can charge against a deposit, prorated by each item's remaining useful life. Minnesota: Refund with reasons for any deductions due within 21 days of the tenancy ending. (Minn. Stat. § 504B.178). Build an itemized statement below.

Setup

I'm the

Build an itemized statement that prorates each deduction by the item's remaining useful life.

StateMove-out date

Adds the return deadline and citation to your statement.

Deposit held

Items

Add the first item the tenant damaged. Each one is prorated by how much useful life it had left.

Not prorated (billed in full)

CleaningDescription (optional)

Unpaid rent

Other lease chargesDescription (optional)

Cleaning is conventionally charged in full, not prorated. Normal wear is never chargeable.

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Refund to tenant

Deposit held$0

Refund to tenant$0

Pick a state for the return deadline.

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The Minnesota deadline & rule

Minnesota: Refund with reasons for any deductions due within 21 days of the tenancy ending. See Minn. Stat. § 504B.178. Send the itemized statement on or before the deadline — about 21 days after move-out — and prorate each item by its useful life so the deductions hold up. A vague lump sum, or a full-price charge on an aging item, is what gets deductions reduced.

Prorated by useful life

Each item is charged only for the life the tenant used up early — the defensible amount.

Cites the Minnesota deadline

The statement carries the return deadline and statute so nothing is left to memory.

Normal wear excluded

Wear-and-tear items compute at $0 automatically, so you don't over-deduct.

Other states: Montana · Nevada · New Hampshire · All states

Next step: Minnesota Deposit Return Letter · Condition Report

Last reviewed July 2026. This calculator applies the remaining-useful-life method and references the HUD life-expectancy chart, an industry standard rather than statute. This is general information, not legal advice. Verify the current Minnesota statute (Minn. Stat. § 504B.178) before sending a deduction statement.