How much a landlord can charge, and which deductions are actually legal
This page covers how much a landlord may charge in Kansas, and which deductions from a residential deposit are lawful. It assumes the tenancy has ended and the question is what may be withheld.
It does not cover:
One month's periodic rent (unfurnished); 1.5 months' rent if furnished; plus an additional 0.5 month for pets — § 58-2550(a).
Caps frequently carry exceptions — smaller landlords, furnished units, or pets are treated differently in most states. Read the provision itself rather than relying on the headline figure.
| Claimed deduction | Permitted in Kansas |
|---|---|
| Accrued unpaid rent | Permitted, if substantiated |
| Damages from the tenant's noncompliance with the rental agreement and K.S.A. 58-2555 | Permitted, if substantiated |
| Claimed deduction | Permitted in Kansas |
|---|---|
| Ordinary wear and tear | Not permitted |
| Any amount without a written itemized notice delivered to the tenant | Not permitted |
| Using the deposit to cover the last month's rent (tenant may not self-apply) | Not permitted |
Whether a specific charge is lawful depends on the facts — how old the damage is, whether the lease addressed it, and whether the landlord can document the cost. A charge being in the "permitted" column does not make it automatically collectable.
The landlord may apply the deposit only to accrued rent and damages from the tenant's noncompliance, all itemized in a written notice delivered to the tenant. Any retention outside this must be justified; failure to return under §58-2550(b) triggers 1.5x the amount wrongfully withheld.
In Kansas the burden sits with the landlord. This matters strategically: if the burden is theirs, your task is to request the documentation rather than to prove the deduction wrong. K.S.A. 58-2550(b) ↗
A landlord who withholds in bad faith may be liable for 1.5x the portion wrongfully withheld.
If the landlord fails to comply with §58-2550(b), the tenant may recover the portion of the deposit due together with damages equal to 1½ times the amount wrongfully withheld. No separate bad-faith finding is required — noncompliance with the return obligation is enough.
K.S.A. 58-2550(c) ↗Under §58-2550(c), a landlord who fails to comply with the return obligation owes the amount due plus 1.5x the amount wrongfully withheld — no separate bad-faith finding required.
K.S.A. 58-2550(c) ↗The balance must be returned within 14 days of the landlord determining charges, but never later than 30 days after termination + possession + demand. If no demand, the landlord must mail it to the last known address.
K.S.A. 58-2550(b) ↗““I only had to return it within 14 days, and I did.””
The 14-day window applies only after you determined the amount of charges. The absolute cap is 30 days after termination, delivery of possession and my demand. If you missed either, I can recover 1.5x the amount wrongfully withheld.
K.S.A. 58-2550(b), (c)
““You never demanded the deposit back.””
Even absent a demand, you must mail the due portion to my last known address. And here is my demand now — from this point the 30-day clock runs, after which you owe 1.5x the amount wrongfully withheld.
K.S.A. 58-2550(b), (c)
““I deducted for damages.””
You may deduct only accrued rent and damages from my noncompliance, and only if itemized in a written notice delivered to me. Ordinary wear and tear is not deductible.
K.S.A. 58-2550(b)
Some widely circulated summaries of Kansas deposit law state things the statute does not say. We list the disagreements rather than picking a side silently.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Some summaries | 14 days |
| K.S.A. 58-2550(b) | 14 days after determining charges, but in no event later than 30 days after termination + possession + demand |
What we follow: 14 days for the itemized-charge balance, 30-day absolute cap
The statute has a two-tier structure. Reporting only "14 days" omits the 30-day outer bound and the demand trigger, which is the operative protection.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Mobile-home summaries | 58-25,108 (mobile home park deposits) |
| K.S.A. 58-2550 | Residential landlord-tenant deposit rule |
What we follow: 58-2550 for residential tenancies
58-25,108 governs mobile home parks specifically. This tool addresses ordinary residential tenancies, so 58-2550 applies.
Every figure on this page comes from the official text, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked against the source.
| Statute | Last verified | Source |
|---|---|---|
| K.S.A. 58-2550(b) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| K.S.A. 58-2550(c) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
Primary reference: K.S.A. 58-2550 (Security deposits; amounts; retention; return; damages for noncompliance). Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Amendments are recorded on the site changelog.
A self-help letter is the right starting point for a single deposit you can document. Get legal help if:
Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.
Kansas Security Deposit Return
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The statute does not permit deductions for: ordinary wear and tear; any amount without a written itemized notice delivered to the tenant; using the deposit to cover the last month's rent (tenant may not self-apply).
The landlord. The landlord may apply the deposit only to accrued rent and damages from the tenant's noncompliance, all itemized in a written notice delivered to the tenant. Any retention outside this must be justified; failure to return under §58-2550(b) triggers 1.5x the amount wrongfully withheld.
One month's periodic rent (unfurnished); 1.5 months' rent if furnished; plus an additional 0.5 month for pets — § 58-2550(a).
No. Ordinary wear and tear