Typical residential security deposit amount a landlord holds and later accounts for on a return statement in New Jersey (2026)
A typical New Jersey range, the local factors behind it, and the tools to price your own project.
Reviewed for 2026, updated September 8, 2026.
What drives the cost in New Jersey
New Jersey deposits run well above the national typical range in the counties across from New York City and near Philadelphia, and closer to it in the south and west. State law caps deposits at about one and a half months' rent, requires the money to sit in an interest-bearing account with annual interest paid or credited to the tenant, requires written notice of where the deposit is held within about a month, sets a 30-day return window with an itemized statement (much shorter after fire or flood displacement), and allows doubled damages, so confirm every step. Coastal storms on the shore, humid summers, and dense older housing create moisture and plaster wear that is usually the owner's cost.
Tips for New Jersey buyers
- Send the deposit location notice on time and keep proof; failing that notice can let the tenant apply the deposit to rent.
- Pay or credit interest annually and record it, so the final statement reconciles cleanly.
- Shore rentals turn over in September; book inspections and cleaners before Labor Day.
Ranges are hedged planning estimates derived from a national typical range and a local index, not quotes. A typical single deposit on a market-rate residential rental is commonly around one month's rent, which puts most deposits somewhere in this range; actual amounts vary widely with local rents, unit size, pets, and state caps, and this is a working reference rather than a survey figure.
Price your project
- Deposit Deduction Depreciation Calculator: Estimates how much of a carpet, paint, blind, or appliance replacement a landlord can fairly deduct from a security deposit once the item's age and normal wear are taken into account.
- Security Deposit Refund Statement Calculator: Adds up the deposit held, any interest owed, and each itemized deduction to show the exact refund due to the tenant or the balance the tenant still owes.
- Late Deposit Return Penalty Exposure Calculator: Shows landlords how many days remain before a state return deadline and what missing it could cost when a statute allows forfeited deductions or multiplied damages.