Security deposit rules sd-2026.11.19
Published interest rates and the cleaning rule are now written as dated values, one value from each date. No rule changed and no answer moved.
- Changed: Deductions.
Texas rule history
Every change we have made to the rules we apply in Texas, newest first. Each entry gives the ruleset version, the day we made the change and the rules it touched.
Changes, newest first
Dates are the days we made each change. A change reaches tektolo.com with the next release of the site. Changes that apply in every state are in the rules changelog. Rules changelog.
Security deposit rules sd-2026.11.18
TEKTOLO-407 to 410: one due date on the letter; inputs the engine ignored (GA, MT, MA, NC); blanks to describe each deducted item (TX, WI, GA, WA, NH, MA); CA estimates, demand wording and tenant-door gaps.
- Changed: Itemized statement and records.
Security deposit rules sd-2026.11.17
Statute quotes now match the official text in Colorado, the District of Columbia, Maine, Oregon and Texas, the Illinois sources link to the new ilga.gov pages, and Kentucky's note loses a stray comma. No deadline or amount changed.
- Changed: Loss of the right to withhold.
Security deposit rules sd-2026.11.13
New York, Massachusetts, Texas and Maryland set deposit law statewide, so a city named there no longer gets a warning about local ordinances.
- Added: Local ordinances.
Security deposit rules sd-2026.10.18
The penalty base follows each statute's words (what was wrongfully withheld, the balance owed, or more than the actual damages) in 24 states; Maryland's remedy for a deposit over the cap.
- Changed: Penalties.
Security deposit rules sd-2026.10.17
Adds each state's statute on re-renting and mitigation (33 states); in Oregon and Florida the early-termination fee and the later rent are alternatives.
- Changed: Deductions.
Security deposit rules sd-2026.10.16
One answer is worded from the outcome and compliance is judged against what is owed; New Hampshire interest accrues from 1977-09-13 at the earliest.
- Changed: Return deadline.
Security deposit rules sd-2026.10.15
An uncovered city is reported as not checked, a $0 deposit has no deadline, and late-fee rules are read for the 14 states left (Utah capped; Idaho, Mississippi, West Virginia lease-conditioned).
- Changed: Notes.
Security deposit rules sd-2026.10.10
Weekend and holiday roll-forward under each state's time-computation statute (32 states), with each state's own legal holidays.
- Changed: Return deadline.
Security deposit rules sd-2026.10.9
Where the statute is silent on depreciation (49 states), an aged item is limited to its remaining value as an estimate; Colorado carpet over ten years old is barred.
- Changed: Deductions.
Security deposit rules sd-2026.10.8
Cleaning is typed per state, as named in the statute or recoverable only as damage beyond normal wear; a cleaning line of unknown kind is 'depends', never refused outright.
- Changed: Deductions.
Security deposit rules sd-2026.10.6
Late-fee caps (17 states, Chicago and Seattle) and lease-break limits; a lease-break charge is 'depends' everywhere.
- Changed: Deductions, Loss of the right to withhold.
Security deposit rules sd-2026.10.3
Loss of the right to withhold is typed per state and computed into the totals; consequences the tool does not compute are listed as unknowns.
- Added: Loss of the right to withhold.
Security deposit rules sd-2026.10.2
Adds official plain-language guides (California, Florida, Maryland, New York, Texas, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle) and state small claims court pages.
- Added: Official guides, Small claims court.
The rules we apply now
Each rule we apply in Texas, with the day it took its current form.
| Rule | In this form since | Version |
|---|---|---|
| Deductions | October 15, 2026 | sd-2026.11.19 |
| Deposit cap | October 9, 2026 | sd-2026.10.0 |
| Interest | October 9, 2026 | sd-2026.10.0 |
| Itemized statement and records | October 15, 2026 | sd-2026.11.18 |
| Local ordinances | October 13, 2026 | sd-2026.11.13 |
| Loss of the right to withhold | October 15, 2026 | sd-2026.11.17 |
| Notes | October 10, 2026 | sd-2026.10.15 |
| Official guides | October 9, 2026 | sd-2026.10.2 |
| Penalties | October 10, 2026 | sd-2026.10.18 |
| Recent amendments | October 9, 2026 | sd-2026.10.0 |
| Return deadline | October 10, 2026 | sd-2026.10.16 |
| Small claims court | October 9, 2026 | sd-2026.10.2 |
| Statute | October 9, 2026 | sd-2026.10.0 |
| Statute text | October 9, 2026 | sd-2026.10.0 |
Get this as data
The same history is available as JSON. The API is free and needs no key.
- Changes this year:
/v1/rules/changes?state=TX&since=2026-01-01 - Every value of one rule:
/v1/rules/history?rule=deposit-settlement/states/TX%23return - What we said on a date about the law on another:
/v1/rules/as-of?rule=deposit-settlement/states/TX&known=2026-10-01&valid=2025-12-01