Security deposit interest in Wisconsin
No — Wisconsin does not require landlords to pay interest on security deposits.
There is no interest to calculate — here is what does apply
Wisconsin 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
21 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 Wisconsin'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 Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06. 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.
What does Wisconsin law actually say?
Wisconsin does not require landlords to pay interest on residential security deposits. The rule contains no interest provision, imposes no escrow or separate account requirement, and sets no cap on the deposit amount. Deposit rules sit in the administrative code rather than the statutes, under the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Before accepting a deposit the landlord must notify the tenant in writing of the tenant's right to inspect the unit and report pre-existing damage within seven days of occupancy, and must provide on request a list of any physical damages charged to the previous tenant's deposit. Within 21 days of the tenant surrendering the premises the landlord must return the deposit, less any amounts properly withheld, together with a written itemised statement of each deduction and the reason for it. Withholding is limited to tenant damage, waste or neglect of the premises, unpaid rent, unpaid utility charges the tenant owed the landlord, unpaid mobile home parking fees, and other reasons expressly permitted by the rental agreement.
The landlord may not withhold for normal wear and tear or for damage the tenant did not cause.
What if your landlord does not comply?
No interest obligation, so no interest penalty. Failure to return the deposit or deliver the written itemised statement within 21 days is a violation of the rule. Under Wisconsin Statutes Section 100.20(5) a tenant suffering pecuniary loss from a violation may recover twice the amount of that loss, together with costs and reasonable attorney fees. The Department may also take enforcement action.