Typical residential security deposit amount a landlord holds and later accounts for on a return statement in Wisconsin (2026)
A typical Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin
Wisconsin deposits fall below the national typical range outside Madison and Milwaukee's east side, where they sit closer to it. State administrative rules require a check-in sheet for the tenant to note existing damage, set a 21-day return window with an itemized statement, bar routine carpet cleaning charges, and allow doubled damages plus fees under the state's unfair trade practices law, so confirm the current terms. Cold winters, lake-effect snow, and the August 15 lease turnover in Madison make frozen pipe, ice dam, and rushed-cleaning disputes common.
Tips for Wisconsin buyers
- Give the check-in sheet and keep the tenant's returned copy; it is the foundation of every deduction here.
- Do not charge for routine carpet cleaning; only damage beyond normal wear is chargeable.
- Madison's mid-August turnover is a citywide event; book everything months ahead.
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.