Security deposit interest in Oklahoma
No — Oklahoma does not require landlords to pay interest on security deposits.
There is no interest to calculate — here is what does apply
Oklahoma sets no interest requirement, so there is no figure to work out. The rules below are the ones that decide whether you get your deposit back in full, which is usually the larger sum anyway.
Deadline to return your deposit
45 days after the tenancy ends.
Miss it and the consequences below start to apply.
What to do next
- Give your landlord a written forwarding address. Several states make the return duty conditional on it, and Oklahoma's rules are summarised below.
- Photograph the unit at move-out, dated, before you hand back the keys. The dispute is almost always about condition.
- If the deadline passes, put the request in writing and cite Okla. Stat. tit. 41 Sec. 115. Keep a copy of what you sent and when.
Not legal advice. This is general information, not legal advice. Security deposit laws change and vary by jurisdiction. Verify with the cited statute or consult a licensed attorney in your state before taking action.
Quick answers
- Does Oklahoma require security deposit interest?
- No — Oklahoma does not require landlords to pay interest on security deposits.
- How long does my landlord have to return my deposit in Oklahoma?
- 45 days after the tenancy ends.
- What law covers security deposits in Oklahoma?
- Okla. Stat. tit. 41 Sec. 115.
What does Oklahoma law actually say?
Oklahoma does not require landlords to pay interest on residential security deposits to tenants. The statute does require all deposits to be held in an escrow account at a federally insured financial institution or in an interest-bearing account, separate from the landlord's own funds, and the account must be maintained in Oklahoma, but nothing obliges the landlord to pay any interest earned to the tenant. There is no statutory cap on the deposit amount.
The deposit is recoverable at the end of the tenancy after deducting any lawful charges for unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and other amounts permitted under the rental agreement. The tenant must make a written demand for the deposit within six months of termination or it is forfeited. Where the tenant makes that demand, the landlord must return the deposit or provide a written itemised statement of deductions within 45 days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, and the tenant's written demand.
What if your landlord does not comply?
No interest obligation, so no interest penalty. Misappropriation of the escrow deposit is a criminal offence under subsection A, punishable by up to six months in county jail and a fine of up to twice the amount misappropriated. Failure to comply with the return and itemisation requirements under subsection E entitles the tenant to recover the deposit and any prepaid rent owed. A tenant who does not make a written demand for the deposit within six months of termination forfeits it to the landlord.