Rhode Island Security Deposit Law 2026: Limits, Deadlines & Deductions
- Is the 20-day clock paused until the tenant gives a forwarding address? Effectively yes — the 20 days run from the later of termination, delivery of possession, or the forwarding address. Ask for the forwarding address in writing at move-out.
- Can I charge a separate cleaning deposit? The statute allows reasonable cleaning and trash-disposal deductions from the one-month deposit, but a separate upfront "cleaning deposit" would push you over the one-month cap ("however denominated").
- Do furnished units get a higher cap? Only the furniture deposit: up to one extra month's rent when the furniture is worth $5,000+ at lease signing. The regular deposit cap stays at one month's rent.
Rhode Island caps deposits at one month's rent, gives you only 20 days to return the balance with a written itemization, and awards tenants twice the amount wrongfully withheld plus attorney's fees when you miss. The whole regime is one section: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19 of the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. Every section below is from Section 34-18-19 of the Rhode Island General Laws.
The short version: Charge at most one month's rent (a separate furniture deposit of up to one month's rent is allowed only for furnished units with $5,000+ in furniture). Within 20 days after the later of termination, delivery of possession, or receiving the tenant's forwarding address, deliver the balance with a written itemized notice of every deduction. No interest and no separate account are required. Miss and the tenant recovers what's due plus double the wrongfully withheld amount and reasonable attorney's fees.
Rhode Island's 20-day clock starts on the later of three triggers — miss the timing and you're paying 2x plus attorney's fees. Track every deadline with the Security Deposit Disposition & Deadline Tracker ($14.95).
The statute table
| Citation | What it says (one line) |
|---|---|
| R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(a) | Deposit cap: no more than one month's periodic rent, however denominated. |
| R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(b) | Deductions allowed: unpaid accrued rent, reasonable cleaning and trash-disposal expenses, and physical damages beyond ordinary wear and tear. |
| R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(b) | Itemization: written notice, itemizing every deduction, delivered to the tenant with the balance due. |
| R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(b) | Deadline: 20 days after the later of termination, delivery of possession, or the tenant's forwarding address. |
| R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(c) | Penalty: tenant recovers the amount due plus twice the amount wrongfully withheld and reasonable attorney's fees. |
| R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(e) | Furniture deposit: separate deposit up to one month's rent allowed for furnished units with furniture valued at $5,000 or more. |
| R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(f) | No waiver: a lease can't waive these protections. |
| R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(e) | Sale of property: the new owner at termination time is bound by this section. |
Limits: how much can you charge?
One month's periodic rent — and the statute says "however denominated," so splitting it into a security deposit plus a "move-in fee" that functions as a deposit won't survive scrutiny. The one exception: for a furnished apartment where your furniture is worth $5,000 or more at lease signing, you may collect a separate furniture deposit of up to one month's rent. Verify with the Security Deposit Max Checker.
The 20-day deadline, precisely
You have 20 days after the later of three events: termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, or the tenant giving you a forwarding address. That third trigger is tenant-friendly: if the tenant sends the forwarding address on day 10, your 20 days run from day 10. Deliver the written itemized notice with the balance within that window. Twenty days is the second-shortest deadline in this 10-state batch — put it on the Security Deposit Deadline Finder before the tenant moves out.
Deductions and the itemized list
Allowed deductions are spelled out narrowly: unpaid accrued rent, reasonable cleaning expenses, reasonable trash-disposal expenses, and physical damages beyond ordinary wear and tear caused by the tenant's noncompliance. Each must be itemized in a written notice delivered to the tenant. Rhode Island is one of the few states that expressly allows cleaning and trash-disposal deductions — but "reasonable" is the operative word; padded cleaning bills are exactly what the 2x penalty is for. Draft the notice with the Security Deposit Deduction Letter Generator.
Interest and where the money sits
Rhode Island requires no interest on deposits and no separate or escrow account. The deposit is simply the tenant's money you hold — return it on time and itemized. If you sell the property, the person who owns it when the tenancy terminates is bound by this section, so transfer the deposit records (and the money) at closing.
The penalty, spelled out
Fail to comply and the tenant may recover: the amount due, plus damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees. The 2x penalty runs on the wrongfully withheld portion, and the attorney's-fee provision makes small-claims suits economical for tenants — expect them to actually file.
FAQ
Is the 20-day clock paused until the tenant gives a forwarding address?
Effectively yes — the 20 days run from the later of termination, delivery of possession, or the forwarding address. Ask for the forwarding address in writing at move-out.
Can I charge a separate cleaning deposit?
The statute allows reasonable cleaning and trash-disposal deductions from the one-month deposit, but a separate upfront "cleaning deposit" would push you over the one-month cap ("however denominated").
Do furnished units get a higher cap?
Only the furniture deposit: up to one extra month's rent when the furniture is worth $5,000+ at lease signing. The regular deposit cap stays at one month's rent.
Must I pay interest on the deposit?
No. Rhode Island has no interest requirement.
My lease says disputes go to arbitration and waive the 2x penalty. Enforceable?
No. § 34-18-19(f) voids any waiver of this section in a rental agreement.
I bought the building mid-lease. Am I liable for the old owner's deposit?
Yes — whoever holds the landlord's interest at termination is bound by this section. Get the deposit transferred at closing.
The deposit is only one piece of Rhode Island compliance. Our full Rhode Island landlord-tenant law guide covers the rest of the relationship — rent, late fees, and increases, the ban on application fees, the statewide rental registry, lease disclosures and prohibited provisions, the three eviction tracks, and the landlord's repair and habitability duties under § 34-18-22.
More security deposit guides
- Security deposit laws by state
- Pennsylvania security deposit law
- South Carolina security deposit law
- Oregon security deposit law
- South Dakota security deposit law
Last verified: September 27, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Verify with a licensed Rhode Island attorney before acting.