Virginia Security deposit limit
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Virginia?
Under Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A), no landlord may demand or receive a security deposit, however denominated, in an amount or value in excess of two months' periodic rent. The same section also governs how a deposit may be applied, the 45-day itemized disposition, multi-tenant refunds, utility holdbacks, mid-tenancy deduction notices, recordkeeping, and move-out inspection rights; those rules are not fully restated here. Example: a landlord may not avoid the two-month cap by calling the payment something other than a security deposit, because subsection (A) applies to a security deposit however denominated.
Verified Source: Va. Code § 55.1-1226(A) · last checked 2026-11-12
Same topic in neighboring states
All Virginia landlord-tenant law · Virginia 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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