Your landlord (housing provider) generally has 45 days in the District of Columbia to return your security deposit or send written notice of an intent to withhold, and then 30 more days to deliver an itemized statement and any balance. DepositsBack.app helps you take the next step: a jurisdiction-specific security deposit notice sent by USPS Certified Mail, with tracking that stays attached to your case. This page summarizes general information from DC Code § 42-3502.17 and official District sources.
The general deadline is 45 days. Housing providers must return the security deposit or send written notice of intent to withhold within 45 days after the tenancy ends, then deliver an itemized statement and any balance within 30 days of that notice.
You may still be able to send a notice. We show general state information and official sources so you can review your situation and decide your next step.
The Complete Case Bundle includes your notices, USPS Certified Mail history, case summary, evidence checklist, attorney handoff sheet, and official state resources — all in one downloadable ZIP.
If the 45-day deadline passes without a return of your deposit or a written notice of intent to withhold (or the itemized statement is not delivered within 30 days after that notice), your records — DepositsBack.app notice, USPS Certified Mail delivery confirmation, and any response uploaded to your case — document the timeline. Under DC Code § 42-3502.17 and the Security Deposit Act regulations (14 DCMR § 309), bad-faith retention can make a housing provider liable for three times the amount wrongfully withheld; the DC Superior Court Small Claims Branch generally hears disputes up to $10,000. You can review your situation alongside the statute and official District resources, and decide whether to consult a DC attorney or proceed with self-help next steps.