Typical residential security deposit amount a landlord holds and later accounts for on a return statement in Tennessee (2026)
A typical Tennessee 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 Tennessee
Tennessee deposits sit near the national typical range in Nashville and Chattanooga and below it in much of the rest of the state. The state's landlord-tenant act applies only in larger counties, and where it applies deposits must sit in a separate account, the tenant may inspect and sign a damage list at move-out, and the landlord must send an itemized notice with a response window; as we understand it the statute does not pin a single hard return deadline the way many states do, so confirm what applies in your county. Humid summers, spring storms, and hilly terrain with drainage issues make moisture and mildew wear common.
Tips for Tennessee buyers
- Confirm whether your county falls under the act; the separate account and inspection rules depend on it.
- Offer the move-out inspection and have the tenant sign the damage list where the act applies.
- Nashville turnover peaks in summer; pre-book contractors so the itemized notice goes out quickly.
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.