Do this today
- Photograph the empty unit and the keys as you return them.
- Give a forwarding address in writing.
- Keep the lease, the deduction list, and proof of mailing.
- Open the Texas deposit chapter before you treat a blog as the clock.
Who sets the deposit rule in Austin?
Usually Texas — Texas Property Code — residential tenancies. Some cities add their own itemization or holding rules. Confirm any Austin-only rule on the City site. Do not rely on an old local ordinance the state later limited. This desk names the chapter. It does not reprint a cap or a day-count.
What evidence actually matters?
Move-in and move-out photos with dates, the lease, the forwarding address you gave, proof you returned the keys, and any deduction list. A text argument without photos is a weak file.
What extra rules does Austin have?
Austin has added local tenant-protection ordinances on top of Chapter 92. What is in force, and what a court has paused, is a now-question — read the City, not a 2021 flyer. Code enforcement and 311 remain the conditions doors. Travis County justice court hears possession.
The Austin layer
Confirm any Austin-only rule on the City site. Do not rely on an old local ordinance the state later limited.
Texas Property Code — residential tenancies (Tex. Prop. Code ch. 92) is the Texas floor. We name it. We do not paraphrase a day-count or a dollar cap out of it.
Austin questions
How do I get my security deposit back in Austin?
Photograph the unit, return the keys as the lease requires, and give a forwarding address in writing. The clock and the cap live mainly in Texas Property Code — residential tenancies. Confirm any Austin-only rule on the City site. Do not rely on an old local ordinance the state later limited.
Does Austin set its own deposit deadline?
Sometimes a city adds a rule; often it does not. Confirm any Austin-only rule on the City site. Do not rely on an old local ordinance the state later limited. Confirm with Austin 311 and the Texas chapter. We do not invent a day-count.
What extra rules does Austin have?
Austin has added local tenant-protection ordinances on top of Chapter 92. What is in force, and what a court has paused, is a now-question — read the City, not a 2021 flyer. Code enforcement and 311 remain the conditions doors. Travis County justice court hears possession.
What number should I call in Austin?
Danger: 911. Mental-health crisis: 988. City services: 311. Court papers: LawHelp.org the same day. Austin 311 does not replace legal aid when a case is filed.
National answers on this desk
Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org