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What North Carolina’s deposit statute requires, the deadline computed from your dates, and a ready-to-send demand letter that quotes the rule.
N.C.G.S. §§ 42-51, 42-52, 42-55. The citation and the quoted fragments below come from the official source recorded for this state.
“In either case the landlord in writing shall itemize any damage and mail or deliver same to the tenant, together with the balance of the security deposit, no later than 30 days after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession of the premises to the landlord.”
“If the extent of the landlord's claim against the security deposit cannot be determined within 30 days, the landlord shall provide the tenant with an interim accounting no later than 30 days after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession of the premises to the landlord and shall provide a final accounting within 60 days after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession of the premises to the landlord.”
“The landlord may not withhold as damages part of the security deposit for conditions that are due to normal wear and tear nor may the landlord retain an amount from the security deposit which exceeds his actual damages.”
“The willful failure of a landlord to comply with the deposit, bond, or notice requirements of this Article shall void the landlord's right to retain any portion of the tenant's security deposit as otherwise permitted under G.S. 42-51.”
“the court may award attorney's fees to be taxed as part of the costs of court”
N.C.G.S. §§ 42-51, 42-52, 42-55 — fragments captured from the official source on 2026-11-05.
This row was marked verified on 2026-11-05.
The landlord must itemize any damage in writing and mail or deliver the itemization with the balance of the deposit no later than 30 days after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession; if the claim cannot be determined within 30 days the landlord must give an interim accounting within 30 days and a final accounting within 60 days; nothing may be withheld for normal wear and tear and the landlord may not retain more than actual damages.
If if the failure was willful, the landlord forfeits any right to retain any portion of the deposit, and damages resulting from the noncompliance may also be recoverable; attorney’s fees in the court’s discretion may also be awarded.
N.C.G.S. 42-55: willful failure to comply with the deposit, bond or notice requirements voids the landlord's right to retain any portion of the deposit; the tenant may recover damages resulting from noncompliance, and on a finding that the party against whom judgment is rendered was in willful noncompliance the court may award attorney's fees taxed as part of the costs of court. Sections 42-51, 42-52 and 42-55 contain no fixed statutory multiplier.
The form asks for the deposit paid, the amount returned, and the dates. You see the whole letter, watermarked, before you pay. $9.99 for the letter, $19.99 for the pack with the follow-up letter, complaint options and the small-claims checklist.
Build my North Carolina letter — free preview
The deadline is computed from the dates you enter using the rule recorded for North Carolina: 30 calendar days after the later of the date the tenancy ended and the date you returned possession.
Where the statute has a verified penalty, the letter states it as possible exposure and names the condition the statute sets. If if the failure was willful, the landlord forfeits any right to retain any portion of the deposit, and damages resulting from the noncompliance may also be recoverable; attorney’s fees in the court’s discretion may also be awarded.
Tell the builder that you received one. The letter acknowledges it and disputes the amounts you say are wrong.
No. It is a self-help document tool, not a law firm. If your claim is large or disputed, speak to a landlord-tenant lawyer or legal aid.