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Rhode Island Security Deposit Law, in Plain English

Rhode Island's deposit statute is one section, tightly drawn: one month's rent, four permitted deductions, a 20-day clock with three triggers — one of them controlled by the tenant — and double damages plus attorney fees for a landlord who doesn't deliver. Here's how R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19 actually works, for both sides of the lease.

20 daysDeadline to itemize and return after the later of termination, delivery of possession, or the tenant's forwarding address
1 month's rentThe cap, plus a separate furniture deposit of up to one month for furnished units with $5,000-or-more furnishings
4 deductionsUnpaid rent, reasonable cleaning, reasonable trash disposal, and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear
1 addressThe tenant's forwarding address is the third trigger for the 20-day clock
2x + feesDouble the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney fees

One month's rent — and a furniture deposit only for furniture worth $5,000 or more

A Rhode Island landlord may not demand a security deposit exceeding one month's periodic rent. One narrow exception: a landlord renting a furnished apartment whose furniture has a replacement value of $5,000 or more may take a separate furniture security deposit of up to one additional month's rent. Cheaper furnishings don't qualify.

No interest is owed and no separate account is required.

Twenty days — from the last of three events, including your forwarding address

The landlord must deliver a written itemized notice of any deductions, together with the balance, within 20 days after the later of termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, or the tenant's providing a forwarding address for receiving the deposit.

That third trigger matters. A tenant who moves out and never sends an address hasn't started the count; a tenant who sends one on move-out day has. For landlords, the mirror advice: ask for the address in writing at the walkthrough, because the clock is measured against it.

The permitted deductions are exactly four: unpaid accrued rent, reasonable cleaning expenses, reasonable trash disposal expenses, and physical damage to the premises other than ordinary wear and tear caused by the tenant's noncompliance — each itemized in the written notice. Faded paint and carpet worn by ordinary walking stay the landlord's cost.

Four deductions, one line between damage and wear. The move-in record draws it.

PropInspect walks you room by room — photos, 60-second video clips, and tagged notes attached to each room. Share the finished report as a link the other party can view without an account, or download it as a PDF to attach to the itemized notice. Works in the browser, works offline, no app to install. First inspections free, then $0.99 each. No subscription.

PropInspect is a documentation tool, not a compliance service or legal-advice product. Using PropInspect does not guarantee compliance with Rhode Island law or a particular result in a deposit dispute.

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When it goes wrong: the amount due, doubled, plus the lawyer

If the landlord fails to comply with the 20-day rule, the tenant may recover the amount due, together with damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld, and reasonable attorney fees. No showing of bad faith is required. The obligation survives a sale: whoever holds the landlord's interest at termination is bound.

Disputes go to small claims in the District Court, which hears claims up to $5,000. The process is informal and inexpensive, and the fee award makes larger cases worth counsel. The winning file: the lease, the forwarding-address notice, the 20-day itemized notice or proof none arrived, and dated room-by-room photos from both ends of the tenancy.

常見問題

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

20 days after the latest of three events: the tenancy ending, you delivering possession, and you giving the landlord a forwarding address for the refund. Within that window the landlord must deliver a written itemized notice of any deductions together with the balance. Because your address is one of the triggers, send it in writing the day you leave.

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Rhode Island?

No more than one month's periodic rent. One exception: a landlord renting a furnished apartment whose furniture is worth $5,000 or more may take a separate furniture deposit of up to one additional month's rent. There's no interest requirement and no rule on where the money is kept.

What can a landlord deduct from a deposit in Rhode Island?

Four things, each itemized in the written notice: unpaid accrued rent, reasonable cleaning expenses, reasonable trash disposal expenses, and physical damage to the premises other than ordinary wear and tear. Faded paint and normally worn carpet aren't damage.

What happens if the landlord misses the 20 days or wrongfully keeps money?

You can recover the amount due, plus damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney fees — no need to prove bad faith. On $500 wrongfully withheld, that's $500 plus $1,000, with your lawyer paid.

Does the deposit law apply if the building is sold?

Yes. Whoever holds the landlord's interest when your tenancy ends is bound by § 34-18-19 — the new owner inherits the 20-day duty and the double-damages exposure.

Can a landlord charge me for trash removal in Rhode Island?

Yes — reasonable trash disposal expenses are one of the four permitted deductions, and one of the few states to name it. The charge must be reasonable and itemized, so photograph the unit's condition when you leave.

Does Rhode Island require a move-in inspection or photos?

No. The Act has no checklist, walkthrough, or photo requirement. That leaves 'ordinary wear and tear' to the evidence — and given the double-damages penalty, both sides benefit from a dated room-by-room record at move-in.

Where do deposit disputes go in Rhode Island?

Small claims in the District Court handles claims up to $5,000 — informal and inexpensive. Bring the lease, your forwarding-address notice, the 20-day itemized notice or proof none arrived, and dated move-in and move-out photos.

Landlord or tenant, the rule is the same: the record wins arguments you'd rather not have.

Document the move-in today so the move-out is boring. Photos, video, and notes for every room, offline-capable, shareable as a link or PDF. Free to start — no account, no app, no credit card.

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Compare state guides

These state rules are not interchangeable. Read the guide for the state where the rental is located.