North Carolina security deposit law
What if my landlord never sent an itemized statement in North Carolina?
The short answer
That is a violation in North Carolina: N.C.G.S. § 42-50 et seq. requires an itemized statement of deductions within 60 days, and it strips the landlord's justification for withholding.
In North Carolina, the itemized statement is not a courtesy, it is a legal requirement: N.C.G.S. § 42-50 et seq. obligates the landlord to list every deduction within 60 days of move out.
Skipping it matters: without an itemization, the landlord has no documented justification for keeping your money, and a court has nothing to weigh on their side.
Your move is the same either way: a demand letter that cites the requirement, states that no itemization was received within the 60 days deadline, and demands the full deposit with the statutory exposure of damages equal to the deposit spelled out. Send it certified. A landlord who ignored the paperwork rarely wants to explain that to a judge in District Court — Magistrate.
The North Carolina rules at a glance. Governing statute: N.C.G.S. § 42-50 et seq. Return deadline: 30 days (60 days with deductions claimed). Statutory damages: damages equal to the deposit for wrongful withholding. Attorney's fees: recoverable in qualifying cases. Court for disputes: District Court — Magistrate, claims up to $10,000.
Looking for the rules beyond this state? My landlord kept my deposit and didn't give me an itemized statement
See what your landlord owes you under North Carolina law.
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