Landlord & tenant · Georgia
the short answer
Your landlord has 30 days to return your deposit. The strong penalty — three times what was kept, plus attorney's fees — only reaches landlords who own more than ten units or use a management company. Against a smaller landlord you can still sue, but only for the money itself.
source ↗Not yet checked against the statute.
governing statute
O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34
source ↗Not yet checked against the statute.
deadline
30 days
source ↗Checked against the statute on 2026-08-19
Across the country. 23 of the 47 states written up answer this the same way as Georgia. The shortest is 14 days, as in Alaska; the longest is 60 days, as in Alabama. Compare every state →
penalty
Three times the amount withheld plus attorney's fees — but only against a landlord who owns more than ten units or uses a management agent. Smaller landlords are outside that penalty.
source ↗Checked against the statute on 2026-08-19
which court
Magistrate court
source ↗Not yet checked against the statute.
small claims limit
$15,000
source ↗Not yet checked against the statute.
your situation
Everything above is the law as it reaches everyone in Georgia. What it means for you turns on facts only you have. Tell us what happened and we'll ask the same questions a lawyer would — about 90 seconds, free, and anonymous.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Written by an AI model, which can be wrong. Not a lawyer, and not a prediction about your case. Terms · Privacy
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