Kansas Security Deposit Law: Limits, Deadlines, and Penalties
What Kansas landlords can charge, when deposits must be returned, and what it costs to get it wrong. Last reviewed 2026-08-12.
How much can a landlord charge in Kansas?
K.S.A. § 58-2550 caps deposits at one month's periodic rent for unfurnished units and one and one-half months' rent for furnished units. If the lease permits pets, the landlord may collect an additional pet deposit of up to half a month's rent.
If the lease allows pets, an additional pet deposit of up to one-half of one month's rent may be collected on top of the standard deposit cap.
When must the deposit be returned?
The landlord must mail the balance and itemized statement to the tenant's last known address within 14 days after determining the amount of expenses, damages, or other charges — and in no event later than 30 days after the tenancy ends.
Amounts withheld must be itemized in a written notice delivered or mailed to the tenant along with the remaining balance of the deposit.
What happens if a landlord misses the deadline?
If the landlord fails to comply with the return requirements, the tenant may recover the portion of the deposit due plus damages equal to one and one-half times the amount wrongfully withheld.
Interest and holding requirements
The Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act does not require landlords to pay interest on security deposits.
No statutory requirement — Kansas does not require a separate account, escrow, or bond for security deposits.
What Kansas landlords get wrong
Kansas requires a joint move-in inventory: under K.S.A. § 58-2548, landlord and tenant must jointly inventory the premises within five days of initial occupancy, and that record anchors any later damage deduction. Deductions can cover unpaid rent, damage beyond reasonable wear and tear, and other charges due under the lease. The dual deadline trips up landlords — once you have determined your deductions you have only 14 days to mail the refund, even if the 30-day outer limit has not yet run.
The law itself
Frequently asked questions
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Kansas?
One month's rent for an unfurnished unit or one and a half months' rent for a furnished one. If your lease allows pets, the landlord may add a pet deposit of up to half a month's rent on top. These caps come from the Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act and apply statewide; amounts demanded above them are not enforceable.
How long does a Kansas landlord have to return a security deposit?
The landlord must mail your refund and an itemized statement of deductions within 14 days of determining what the deductions are, and in no case later than 30 days after the tenancy ends. The refund goes to your last known address, so give the landlord your new address in writing at move-out. Missing the deadline exposes the landlord to damages of 1.5 times the amount wrongfully withheld.
What can a Kansas landlord deduct from my deposit?
Unpaid rent, damage beyond reasonable wear and tear caused by noncompliance with your duties under K.S.A. 58-2555, and other charges the lease makes your responsibility. Ordinary wear — faded paint, worn carpet, small nail holes — cannot be charged. The joint move-in inventory both parties completed within five days of occupancy is the baseline evidence for what counts as new damage, so keep your copy.
What happens if my Kansas landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit?
You can sue, typically in small claims court, and recover the portion of the deposit due plus damages equal to one and a half times whatever was wrongfully withheld. For example, if the landlord improperly kept $600, you could recover that $600 plus $900 in damages. Kansas law has no attorney-fee award in the deposit statute itself, which is another reason most tenants use small claims court.
Keep reading
Deposit deadlines are easy to miss — until they cost you triple.
Vantric tracks your leases, deposits, and move-out dates in one place, built for landlords with 1–10 units.
Start Free TrialThis page is general information, not legal advice. Statutes change — verify against the official text linked above or consult a local attorney before acting.