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GA · Security deposit

Georgia security deposit

Georgia landlord and tenant provisions is where Georgia sets whether there is a deposit cap, what may be deducted, and how long a landlord has to return what is left. Document the unit at move-in and move-out, return keys the way the lease requires, and keep a forwarding address. We do not reprint a number that can go stale.

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  • Keep move-in and move-out photos, dated, of every room and the condition of walls, floors, appliances, and keys.
  • Keep the lease, the receipt for the deposit, and a record of how keys were returned.
  • Give a forwarding address in writing.
  • List each disputed deduction in one sentence with the reason.

What usually has to be proven?

A deposit dispute in Georgia is a records problem first. What was paid, what was deducted, what the unit looked like at both ends, and whether keys were returned as the lease required. Georgia landlord and tenant provisions is the chapter to open for caps, timing, and itemization — not a national chart.

Should I send a demand letter?

A calm, dated letter that lists each deduction and a way to reach you is something any renter can write. Send it in a way you can prove. Small-claims court exists in Georgia; whether it is worth filing, and what the court can order, is a question for legal aid or the court's own self-help materials.

Where is the official Georgia handbook?

The Department of Community Affairs and the Attorney General publish a Landlord-Tenant Handbook. Title 44 of the Official Code is the statute. This classroom cites those. It does not reprint a day-count.

The Georgia chapter

Georgia landlord and tenant provisions (Ga. Code §§ 44-7-1 to 44-7-81) is the starting point. We name it. We do not paraphrase a day-count or a dollar cap out of it.

Georgia's tenancy rules sit in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, and the state publishes a Landlord-Tenant Handbook through the Department of Community Affairs and the Attorney General's consumer protection division. The handbook is the most readable official starting point for Georgia renters.

Georgia cities run code-enforcement programs for housing conditions. Atlanta and other municipalities have local human-relations ordinances that may add protected classes.

Official sources

Common questions

Is there a national cap on security deposits in Georgia?

No. Any cap, any itemization rule, and any return deadline for Georgia live in Georgia landlord and tenant provisions — sometimes in a city rule too. This site does not reprint them.

Can my landlord in Georgia keep the deposit for normal wear?

Ordinary wear and damage are different ideas in most states. What counts as each is a Georgia and facts question. Photos from move-in and move-out are what make that argument possible.

Where do I confirm the Georgia deposit rule?

Open Georgia landlord and tenant provisions, or take the file to legal aid. A city housing department may add rules the state does not.

Where is the official Georgia handbook?

The Department of Community Affairs and the Attorney General publish a Landlord-Tenant Handbook. Title 44 of the Official Code is the statute. This classroom cites those. It does not reprint a day-count.

The national security deposit guide has the full sequence. Open the security deposit guide

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Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org