The rule in Rhode Island
Rhode Island limits a residential security deposit to 1 month's rent. The wording in R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19: “in excess of one month's periodic rent.”
The return deadline is 20 days, counted from the latest of: the tenancy ending, the landlord regaining possession, or the tenant giving a forwarding address. The text reads: “within twenty (20) days.”
Of the 44 jurisdictions verified here, 6 give landlords less time and 35 give more; the median is 30 days. Arizona and Delaware also allow 20 days.
What the cap means in dollars: $1,000 rent: up to $1,000, $1,500 rent: up to $1,500 and $2,000 rent: up to $2,000.
Worked date: if the clock starts on November 30, 2026, the deadline falls on December 20, 2026.
In neighbouring states with verified rules: Connecticut allows 21 days and caps deposits at two months' rent and Massachusetts allows 30 days and caps deposits at one month's rent.
If a deposit is not returned, the small claims limit in Rhode Island is $5,000 (small claims rules); at the cap, a full-deposit claim fits whenever rent is $5,000 a month or less.
Source: Rhode Island General Assembly, § 34-18-19 · last checked October 20, 2026.
If the deposit does not come back
The statute above sets the deadline; what happens after it passes is covered in general terms in the guide on a deposit that is not returned, and the way each state starts and counts the clock is compared in how deposit deadlines are counted.
Questions
How much can a landlord charge as a security deposit in Rhode Island?
1 month's rent, under R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19.
How long does a landlord in Rhode Island have to return a deposit?
20 days: “within twenty (20) days” (R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19).
When does the Rhode Island deadline start?
The clock runs from the latest of: the tenancy ending, the landlord regaining possession, or the tenant giving a forwarding address.