Last reviewed September 2026
Written by LawLease Editorial
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Texas Rental Application
This Rental Application is built with Texas as the governing state. These are the Texas landlord-tenant rules that most often bear on it, with the statute for each.
Texas rules at a glance
| Security deposit limit | No statutory cap |
|---|---|
| Deposit return | 30 days after surrender, once the tenant gives a written forwarding addressTex. Prop. Code §§92.103, 92.107 |
| Itemized deductions | Any deduction must come with a written description and itemized list. Normal wear and tear can never be deducted (§92.104). |
Security deposits in Texas
Texas places no limit on the size of a security deposit and does not require it to be held in a separate or interest-bearing account. The rules are about the refund — and the penalties for getting it wrong are steep.
- 30-day refund — The landlord must refund the deposit on or before the 30th day after the tenant surrenders the premises (§92.103(a)). The clock doesn’t start until the tenant gives a written forwarding address — but a tenant doesn’t forfeit the deposit merely by failing to give one (§92.107).
- Itemized deductions — Any deduction must come with a written description and itemized list. Normal wear and tear can never be deducted (§92.104).
- Advance-notice conditions — A lease clause requiring advance notice of move-out as a condition of the refund is only enforceable if it is underlined or in conspicuous bold print (§92.103(b)).
- Bad-faith penalty — A landlord who fails to refund or itemize within 30 days is presumed to have acted in bad faith; bad-faith retention costs $100 plus three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus the tenant’s attorney’s fees (§92.109).
- No “last month” offset — A tenant may not withhold the last month’s rent on the theory that the deposit covers it; doing so is presumed bad faith and exposes the tenant to three times the rent withheld (§92.108).
- Email notices — For leases signed or renewed on or after September 1, 2025, deposit-related notices may go by email if the parties have previously communicated by email (§92.113, HB 2037).
Texas Rental Application FAQs
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Texas?
There is no statutory cap — the lease sets the amount. Texas regulates the refund instead: 30 days after the tenant surrenders the unit and provides a written forwarding address, with an itemized list of any deductions (§§92.103, 92.104, 92.107).
How long does a Texas landlord have to return a security deposit?
30 days after the tenant surrenders the premises, but only once the tenant has given a written forwarding address. Missing the deadline creates a presumption of bad faith, which carries $100 plus three times the amount wrongfully withheld and the tenant’s attorney’s fees (§§92.103, 92.109).
More Texas landlord documents
- Texas Residential Lease Agreement
- Texas Eviction Notice
- Texas Security Deposit Return Letter
- Texas Rent Increase Notice
- Texas Notice to Vacate
- Texas Application Approval Letter
- Texas Application Denial Letter
- Texas Background & Credit Check Authorization
- Texas Co-Signer Guarantor Agreement
- Texas Bed Bug Addendum
- Texas Mold & Mildew Addendum
- Texas No-Smoking Addendum
- Texas Parking & Storage Addendum
- Texas HOA & Community Rules Addendum
- Texas Crime-Free Housing Addendum
- Texas Utilities & Services Addendum
- Texas Early Termination Addendum
- Texas Lease Extension Addendum
- Texas Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
- Texas Military Clause (SCRA)
- Texas Pet Addendum
- Texas Cash for Keys Agreement
- Texas Mutual Lease Termination Agreement
- Texas Lease Renewal Agreement
- Texas Notice of Non-Renewal
- Texas Late Rent Notice
- Texas Lease Violation Notice
- Texas Notice of Entry
- Texas Move-In / Move-Out Inspection Checklist
- Texas Rent Receipt
- Texas Rent Verification Letter
- Texas Tenant Welcome Letter
- Texas Property Management Agreement
- Texas Commercial Lease
- Texas Rent-to-Own Agreement
- Texas Short-Term Rental Agreement
- Texas Room Rental Agreement
- Texas Roommate Agreement
- Texas Spanish Lease Agreement
- Texas Sublease Agreement
- Texas Lease Amendment
Rental Application in other states
- Alabama Rental Application
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- Maine Rental Application
- Maryland Rental Application
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- Minnesota Rental Application
- Mississippi Rental Application
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- Montana Rental Application
- Nebraska Rental Application
- Nevada Rental Application
- New Hampshire Rental Application
- New Jersey Rental Application
- New Mexico Rental Application
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- North Carolina Rental Application
- North Dakota Rental Application
- Ohio Rental Application
- Oklahoma Rental Application
- Oregon Rental Application
- Pennsylvania Rental Application
- Rhode Island Rental Application
- South Carolina Rental Application
- South Dakota Rental Application
- Tennessee Rental Application
- Utah Rental Application
- Vermont Rental Application
- Virginia Rental Application
- Washington Rental Application
- West Virginia Rental Application
- Wisconsin Rental Application
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