Indiana Security Deposit Rules (2026): The 45-Day Deadline, the Forwarding Address and Cleaning Charges

Indiana’s security deposit rules are short and strict. A landlord has 45 days after you move out to return your deposit, with an itemized list of any damages, and a landlord who misses the deadline can lose the right to keep any of it. But the clock depends on one thing many renters forget: giving a forwarding address in writing. This guide explains the rules in plain English, what can be deducted, and how to leave a rental so cleaning costs you nothing.

Indiana deposit rules at a glance

• Return deadline: 45 days after the tenancy ends and you deliver possession (Indiana Code 32-31-3-12)
• Itemized list: any deduction for damages must be listed with the estimated cost of repair
• Forwarding address: you must give the landlord a mailing address in writing; without it the landlord’s duties are on hold
• If the landlord misses it: failing to send the itemized notice in time means the landlord gives up the right to deduct for damages, and the tenant may recover the deposit plus reasonable attorney’s fees
• Wear and tear: ordinary wear and tear cannot be deducted
• Cap: Indiana sets no statewide limit on the size of a deposit
• Interest: Indiana does not require interest on deposits

Laws change and local rules can add to them, so check the current statute before you rely on any deadline.

Why the forwarding address matters

Under Indiana law the landlord’s obligation to return the deposit or send the itemized list is tied to receiving your mailing address in writing. Renters who simply hand back the keys and leave can wait months for a refund that never arrives. Put your forwarding address in an email and a letter, keep a copy, and include it on the key return if you can. If you are moving out of state, give an address where mail will actually reach you.

What can and cannot be deducted

A deposit can cover unpaid rent, unpaid utilities the tenant was responsible for, and the cost of repairing damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. It cannot be used for the normal ageing of a home.

Common move-out items and how they are usually treated

Item	Usually
Faded paint, light scuffs	Ordinary wear and tear
Carpet worn in walkways	Ordinary wear and tear
A few small nail holes	Ordinary wear and tear
Oven caked with grease, dirty fridge	Can be charged as cleaning
Pet stains, odors or chewed trim	Can be charged as damage
Furniture, trash or food left behind	Can be charged for removal

Leases often say carpets must be professionally cleaned at move-out. Whether that can be charged depends on the lease and on whether the carpet is dirtier than ordinary use explains, so keep the receipt if you book carpet cleaning yourself.

Make your own move-in record

Indiana does not require landlords to use a move-in checklist, so your own record is your best protection. On the day you get the keys, photograph or video every room, including inside the oven, fridge, cabinets, closets, bathroom fixtures and the carpet, and email the landlord a list of existing damage. Ask them to sign or acknowledge it. Do the same on the day you leave, after the clean.

Pet deposits, cleaning fees and the lease

Some Indiana leases add a refundable pet deposit, a non-refundable pet fee, or a cleaning fee. A refundable pet deposit is part of your deposit and follows the same rules. A non-refundable fee is not returned whatever the condition, so read the lease carefully before you sign, and don’t assume a cleaning fee means you can leave the home dirty: damage and heavy dirt can still be charged against the deposit.

Questions to ask before you sign a lease

• How much is the deposit, and is any part of it a non-refundable fee?
• Is there a move-in checklist, and can I add my own notes and photos?
• Does the lease require professional carpet cleaning at move-out?
• Who pays which utilities, and how are unpaid bills handled at the end?
• Who is the managing agent, and where should notices and my forwarding address go?

The answers decide most deposit disputes before they start. Keep them in writing with your lease, along with the deposit receipt and any emails about repairs. If something breaks during the tenancy, report it in writing at the time; a problem reported promptly is much harder to charge to you later as damage.

Common mistakes that cost renters money

• No forwarding address in writing, so nothing is due yet
• No dated photos of the condition at move-in
• Leaving the fridge full or the freezer iced up
• Forgetting the garage, basement, attic or shed
• Leaving trash bins full or furniture at the curb on the wrong day
• Handing back keys without noting the date

If your deposit isn’t returned

Count 45 days from the day you handed back possession and gave your forwarding address. If nothing has arrived, write to the landlord, quoting the 45-day rule, and keep a copy. Most disputes settle at this stage, often once the landlord sees your dated photos. If they do not, Indiana small claims court handles most deposit cases, and legal aid organizations and the Indiana Attorney General’s consumer pages can point you to help. This guide is general information, not legal advice; check the current statute.

A move-out plan that protects your deposit

• Three to four weeks out: give notice as your lease requires, ask the landlord what they inspect, and book your clean for the day after the movers
• One week out: take paint, chemicals and electronics to a county drop-off; they can’t go in household trash
• The day before: defrost and empty the fridge and freezer
• Moving day: remove everything, including the garage, basement and attic storage
• Cleaning day: kitchen and appliances, bathrooms descaled, vents, baseboards, tracks, carpet and floors, then photograph each room
• Hand-back: return all keys and garage openers, give your forwarding address in writing, and note the date

The Indiana detail landlords notice: hard water

Much of Indiana has hard water, which leaves white scale on shower glass, tile, faucets and inside dishwashers. It builds up slowly, so a tenant may not notice it, but a landlord comparing move-in photos will. Ask for descaling of glass and fixtures in your move-out clean, and see our hard-water cleaning guide for how to keep it under control while you live there.

Roommates and shared deposits

When several people share one lease, the landlord usually returns one deposit and one itemized list. Agree in writing before you move in who paid what and how any refund or deduction will be split, and agree who books and pays for the move-out clean. It saves an argument at the end, when people are moving to different places.

What a move-out clean covers

Our move-out cleaning starts at $190 and follows the checklist Indiana landlords use: inside the oven, fridge and cabinets, bathrooms descaled, vents and baseboards wiped, window tracks cleared and floors vacuumed and mopped. Walls, carpet and inside appliances can be added. If anything on the checklist is missed, tell us within 36 hours and we come back to put it right.

See what Indiana move-out cleans actually cost, check move-out cleaning across Indiana, or get a free quote.