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Rhode Island Security deposit limit

Last reviewed 2026-11-12

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Rhode Island?

Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(a), a landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit, however denominated, in an amount or value in excess of one month's periodic rent. Subsection (e) does not preclude a landlord who rents a furnished apartment from demanding or receiving a furniture security deposit if the replacement value of the furniture being furnished by the landlord, valued at the time the lease is executed, is five thousand dollars ($5,000) or greater, in which instance the landlord may charge a separate furniture security deposit of up to one month's periodic rent. Subsection (h) provides that no rental agreement shall contain any waiver of the provisions of this section. Subsections (b), (c), (d), (f), and (g) address return, itemization, damages, the furniture-deposit return, and transfers of the landlord's interest; those rules are not fully restated here. Example: a landlord of an unfurnished unit may not demand a security deposit of more than one month's periodic rent, even if the lease calls that payment something else. A separate furniture deposit under subsection (e) is allowed only for a furnished apartment whose furniture meets the $5,000 replacement-value threshold.

Verified Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(a) · last checked 2026-11-12

Same topic in neighboring states

All Rhode Island landlord-tenant law · Rhode Island landlord FAQ · Deposit return deadline · Notice to enter · Required lease disclosures · Required disclosures (mold, lead, radon, bedbug, asbestos, flood zone) · Move-in checklist

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