Renting in South Carolina — or about to? Here is the whole deposit picture on one page: the cap on what can be charged, the number of days your landlord has to return it after move-out, whether the law attaches interest to the money, and the penalties for keeping it without cause.
| Max deposit | No statutory cap No cap for most landlords; those using the bond alternative may not charge a deposit above one month. |
|---|---|
| Return deadline | 30 days after you give up possession |
| Interest on deposit | No statewide rule No statewide interest requirement. Interest aside, the return deadline above is what actually moves your money. |
| Statute | S.C. Code § 27-40-410 et seq. |
No cap for most landlords; those using the bond alternative may not charge a deposit above one month. Whatever the cap, the deposit remains your money: the cap limits the request, and the sections below limit what can happen to it afterward.
South Carolina landlords have 30 days from when you give up possession — normally the day you return all keys — to either refund the deposit or send the written itemization that state law requires. Mark the date on your calendar the day you move; a deadline that passes without refund or statement is what converts an awkward wait into a legal claim.
No statewide interest requirement. Interest aside, the return deadline above is what actually moves your money.
Like nearly every state, South Carolina lets landlords charge for real damage and unpaid costs — but not for normal wear and tear. Faded paint, worn carpet in a walkway, and small nail holes from picture hangers are the landlord's cost of doing business; broken fixtures, uncleaned appliances, and unpaid rent are chargeable. When deductions are taken, South Carolina requires them in writing — so photograph the unit at move-out and keep the timestamped set until the money arrives. Every line item can then be checked against how the unit actually looked, which is how inflated deductions get beaten.
Courts can award the deposit plus damages for wrongful retention. The route is almost always the same: a written demand letter citing the deadline and S.C. Code § 27-40-410 et seq., then small claims court in the county where the unit sits. Filings are cheap, lawyers aren't required, and landlords who ignored two letters usually settle the week a court date appears.
Three moves protect a South Carolina deposit: (1) compare the deposit you're being asked for against the cap above before you sign; (2) photograph the unit at move-in and again at move-out — documentation settles most disputes before they start (our interactive checklist walks you through it); (3) the day you return keys, write the deadline on your calendar and send your forwarding address in writing. If that date passes in silence, the demand letter template takes about ten minutes, and small claims court is the next stop.
Cap check, your personal deadline date, and the interest your deposit earned — in about twenty seconds.
This page summarizes S.C. Code § 27-40-410 et seq. as last reviewed October 5, 2026. Laws and locally announced rates change — confirm current figures with the South Carolina housing authority or attorney general's consumer site before relying on them.