Last reviewed September 2026
Written by LawLease Editorial
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Wisconsin Security Deposit Return Letter
When a tenancy ends, a Wisconsin landlord has a set time to return the deposit or send an itemized list of deductions. Here’s what Wisconsin’s statute says.
Wisconsin rules at a glance
| Return deadline | 21 days. Within 21 days the landlord must deliver or mail the deposit, less lawful withholdings, with a written statement describing each item withheld.Wis. Stat. §704.28(4) |
|---|---|
| Penalty | Wrongful withholding violates ATCP 134, and the tenant can sue for twice the amount wrongfully withheld plus costs and reasonable attorney’s fees.Wis. Stat. §100.20(5) |
Security deposits in Wisconsin
Wisconsin places no cap on a security deposit. The rules on how it is documented, what can be withheld, and when it comes back are split between Wis. Stat. §704.28 and ATCP 134.06 — and a lease drafted from the statute alone will miss half of them.
- Check-in — Before accepting a deposit, the landlord must tell the tenant in writing that they may inspect the unit and report pre-existing damage within at least 7 days after the tenancy starts, and may request the list of damages charged to the previous tenant’s deposit (ATCP 134.06(1)).
- What can be withheld — Tenant damage, waste, or neglect beyond normal wear and tear; unpaid rent; unpaid utilities or municipal permit fees the landlord is liable for; and any other charge only if it appears in a separately signed “Nonstandard Rental Provisions” document (Wis. Stat. §704.28(1)–(2); ATCP 134.06(3)).
- Return deadline — Within 21 days the landlord must deliver or mail the deposit, less lawful withholdings, with a written statement describing each item withheld. The clock starts on the lease’s termination date if the tenant leaves on time; if the tenant leaves early or is evicted, it starts on the termination date or, if the unit is re-rented sooner, the day the new tenancy begins (Wis. Stat. §704.28(4); ATCP 134.06(2), (4)).
- Penalty — Wrongful withholding violates ATCP 134, and the tenant can sue for twice the amount wrongfully withheld plus costs and reasonable attorney’s fees (Wis. Stat. §100.20(5)).
Wisconsin Security Deposit Return Letter FAQs
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin sets no maximum deposit. What it regulates is the check-in process, the categories that can be withheld, and the 21-day return deadline (Wis. Stat. §704.28; ATCP 134.06).
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Wisconsin?
21 days, with an itemized statement of anything withheld. If the tenant leaves when the lease ends, the 21 days run from the termination date; if the tenant leaves early, they run from the termination date or from the start of a new tenant’s lease if the unit is re-rented sooner (Wis. Stat. §704.28(4)). Wrongful withholding can cost double the amount withheld plus attorney’s fees (Wis. Stat. §100.20(5)).
More Wisconsin landlord documents
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Security Deposit Return Letter in other states
- Alabama Security Deposit Return Letter
- Alaska Security Deposit Return Letter
- Arizona Security Deposit Return Letter
- Arkansas Security Deposit Return Letter
- California Security Deposit Return Letter
- Colorado Security Deposit Return Letter
- Connecticut Security Deposit Return Letter
- Delaware Security Deposit Return Letter
- District of Columbia Security Deposit Return Letter
- Florida Security Deposit Return Letter
- Georgia Security Deposit Return Letter
- Hawaii Security Deposit Return Letter
- Idaho Security Deposit Return Letter
- Illinois Security Deposit Return Letter
- Indiana Security Deposit Return Letter
- Iowa Security Deposit Return Letter
- Kansas Security Deposit Return Letter
- Kentucky Security Deposit Return Letter
- Louisiana Security Deposit Return Letter
- Maine Security Deposit Return Letter
- Maryland Security Deposit Return Letter
- Massachusetts Security Deposit Return Letter
- Michigan Security Deposit Return Letter
- Minnesota Security Deposit Return Letter
- Mississippi Security Deposit Return Letter
- Missouri Security Deposit Return Letter
- Montana Security Deposit Return Letter
- Nebraska Security Deposit Return Letter
- Nevada Security Deposit Return Letter
- New Hampshire Security Deposit Return Letter
- New Jersey Security Deposit Return Letter
- New Mexico Security Deposit Return Letter
- New York Security Deposit Return Letter
- North Carolina Security Deposit Return Letter
- North Dakota Security Deposit Return Letter
- Ohio Security Deposit Return Letter
- Oklahoma Security Deposit Return Letter
- Oregon Security Deposit Return Letter
- Pennsylvania Security Deposit Return Letter
- Rhode Island Security Deposit Return Letter
- South Carolina Security Deposit Return Letter
- South Dakota Security Deposit Return Letter
- Tennessee Security Deposit Return Letter
- Texas Security Deposit Return Letter
- Utah Security Deposit Return Letter
- Vermont Security Deposit Return Letter
- Virginia Security Deposit Return Letter
- Washington Security Deposit Return Letter
- West Virginia Security Deposit Return Letter
- Wyoming Security Deposit Return Letter
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