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Default rule and exceptions
North Carolina limits a security deposit to specific permitted uses, chiefly unpaid rent and damage to the premises, not ordinary wear and tear, and the landlord must itemize any damage and mail the accounting, with any balance due, to the tenant no later than 30 days after the tenancy ends (N.C.G.S. §§42-51, 42-52).
| Party | What they are responsible for |
|---|---|
| Landlord | Apply the deposit only to permitted uses (unpaid rent, damage to the premises, etc.) and mail an itemized accounting with any balance due within 30 days of tenancy end. |
| Tenant | Is liable only for damage to the premises, not ordinary wear and tear, since that isn't a statutorily permitted use of the deposit. |
| Exceptions | None on record |
What the source says
Last verified against the primary source on Sep 19, 2026.
Security deposits for residential dwelling units shall be permitted only for the following: (1) The tenant's possible nonpayment of rent... (2) Damage to the premises, including damage to or destruction of smoke alarms or carbon monoxide alarms.
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.
City rules rest on state law. Read North Carolina's sidewalk statute, quoted verbatim, or see all 50 states in one table.
Common questions
Who pays for security deposit: damage vs wear in Statewide, NC?
Responsibility is shared. Apply the deposit only to permitted uses (unpaid rent, damage to the premises, etc.) and mail an itemized accounting with any balance due within 30 days of tenancy end.
What is this based on for Statewide, NC?
This verdict is sourced to N.C.G.S. §42-51(a) (exclusive permitted uses of a deposit) and 2 sources in total, each independently re-checked before publication.
Sources
- N.C.G.S. §42-51(a) (exclusive permitted uses of a deposit)statute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-13
- N.C.G.S. §42-52 (30-day itemized accounting deadline)statute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-13
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