Ohio Security Deposit Laws (2026)
Key rules for deadlines, penalties, and documentation requirements, with direct links to the official statute.
Reviewed: 2026-03-03
Reviewer: ReclaimDeposit legal research team
Quick answer for Ohio renters
In Ohio, landlords generally must return the deposit or send a lawful itemized statement within 30 days. Penalty exposure can reach 2x damages.
Requirements
Notes
- Written notice of forwarding address strongly recommended to ensure timely return
- Landlord must provide itemized list with specific amounts and purposes for each deduction
- Wrongful withholding can trigger equal statutory damages plus attorney fees
- Interest required on excess deposit portion after 6 months (ORC § 5321.16(A))
- No statutory deposit limit
Citations
Quick references pulled from our shared state law dataset. Open each explainer for plain-English context.
Deposit return deadline
ORC § 5321.16(B) - Landlord must return deposit within 30 days with itemized statement
Explain this statuteOfficial sectionItemized deductions
ORC § 5321.16(B) - Landlord must provide written itemized list showing amounts and purposes
Explain this statuteOfficial sectionNormal wear and tear
ORC § 5321.16(B) - Cannot deduct for normal wear and tear
Explain this statuteOfficial sectionBad faith penalties
ORC § 5321.16(C) - Wrongful withholding allows recovery of amount due + equal damages + reasonable attorney fees
Explain this statuteOfficial sectionForwarding address requirement
ORC § 5321.16(B) - Statement sent to tenant's last known address or forwarding address
Explain this statuteOfficial section
Common Ohio dispute scenarios
Choose the scenario that matches your case to get state-specific next actions.
Landlord missed the deposit deadline
Use this path when your landlord returned the deposit late or failed to send any lawful itemized statement on time.
No itemized deduction statement
Use this path when money was withheld but no legally compliant itemized statement was provided.
Charged for normal wear and tear
Use this path when deductions include routine aging, ordinary use, or charges that should have been depreciated.
Evidence of landlord bad faith
Use this path when withholding appears intentional, reckless, or unsupported by evidence and statute.
Next steps
Use free tools to estimate your deadline, prepare a demand letter, and map your court path.