Security Deposits for Renters in Canada by Province

Renting in Canada means renting under provincial law: there is no single national rule for deposit maximums, interest, or how fast the money comes back after you move out. Ontario bars a damage deposit outright, British Columbia allows two deposits worth up to a month's rent combined, and Quebec prohibits requiring any deposit at all.

This guide compares deposit rules across all ten provinces, including maximum amounts, interest, and return deadlines. For a wider look at tenant protections, see Canada tenant rights.

Information last verified July 2026. Deposit rules and interest rates change, so confirm current figures with your provincial tenancy office before relying on any specific number here.

Jurisdiction scope: This guide covers residential security and rent deposit rules in Canada's ten provinces. The territories set their own rules, so contact your territorial tenancy office if you rent there. This is general information, not legal advice about your specific tenancy.

What Counts as a "Deposit" in Canada

Canadian provinces use different terms for money a landlord collects beyond the first month's rent. A security deposit, sometimes called a damage deposit, covers unpaid rent or damage. A pet damage deposit, allowed in some provinces, is a separate amount tied to a pet living in the unit.

Ontario is the outlier: its Residential Tenancies Act permits only a rent deposit, applied to the tenant's last month, with no separate security or damage deposit allowed. Quebec goes further still: the Civil Code of Québec prohibits requiring any deposit beyond the first month's rent paid in advance.

Maximum Deposit Amounts by Province

The table below summarizes the maximum a landlord can require, whether interest is payable, and roughly how long a landlord has to return a deposit. Confirm the current rule with the linked provincial authority before acting on any figure.

Interest on Your Deposit

Where a province requires interest, the rate is set by government regulation, not the lease, and can change yearly, often tracking savings account or GIC returns. It has dropped to zero percent in several provinces recently, including Alberta and Nova Scotia. Saskatchewan generally limits its interest requirement to tenancies over five years, and Ontario ties its rent deposit interest to the same guideline used for annual rent increases. A landlord who fails to pay or credit interest owed can be ordered to pay it through the tenancy office, so check the current rate before relying on it.

What a Deposit Can (and Cannot) Be Used For

Across provinces that allow a security or damage deposit, the money covers two things: unpaid rent, and damage beyond normal wear and tear, meaning the ordinary effects of everyday living such as worn carpet, faded paint, or minor scuffs. A landlord generally cannot deduct for routine cleaning, repainting, or upgrades they would have made anyway.

British Columbia and Nova Scotia both limit deductions to unpaid rent or tenant-caused damage, and both require written tenant consent or a tenancy office order before keeping any part of the deposit. Ontario's rent deposit has an even narrower use: since it is not a damage deposit, it can only go toward the tenant's last month of rent, never repair costs.

Move-Out Inspections

Most provinces expect, or require, a move-in and move-out condition inspection report, since it becomes the main evidence in a damage dispute. British Columbia and Alberta both require a written report at tenancy start and end, and a landlord who denies a tenant the chance to take part can lose the right to claim against the deposit.

Take dated photos or video yourself when you move in and out, regardless of any formal report. That record often decides a dispute over damage that was already there, or never happened. See breaking a lease for ending a tenancy early, and repairs and maintenance obligations for who pays for what during the tenancy.

Getting Your Deposit Back After You Move Out

Return deadlines are short everywhere, typically 7 to 15 days after the tenancy ends, though the exact number and what starts the clock differ by province. In British Columbia, the 15-day clock starts only once you give the landlord your forwarding address in writing. In Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador, the clock generally starts when the tenancy ends.

New Brunswick works differently: the deposit is remitted to the province's Residential Tenancies Tribunal rather than held by the landlord, and a tenant applies to the Tribunal directly to get it back. If a landlord misses the deadline or gives no valid reason for withholding money, most tenancy offices can order the full deposit returned. In British Columbia, a landlord who fails to return or claim against the deposit within the legal window can be ordered to pay double.

Disputing a Withheld Deposit

If a landlord keeps some or all of your deposit and you disagree, every province has a tenancy office or tribunal that resolves the dispute without court: the Landlord and Tenant Board in Ontario, the Residential Tenancy Branch in British Columbia, the Tribunal administratif du logement in Quebec, and an equivalent office elsewhere. Filing is usually inexpensive and needs no lawyer.

Bring your lease, move-in and move-out photos or inspection report, proof of your forwarding address where that matters, and any written communication about the deposit. A clear paper trail from move-in day is often your strongest evidence. Browse Canadian law by province for other provincial tenancy topics.

Disclaimer

This article provides general information about residential tenancy deposit rules in Canada as of July 2026. It is not legal advice and does not replace the rules, forms, and current interest rates published by your provincial tenancy office. Deposit rules and rates can change, so confirm current details with your provincial Residential Tenancy Branch, Landlord and Tenant Board, or equivalent tribunal before making a decision about your own tenancy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a landlord in Canada charge a damage deposit?

It depends on the province. Most allow a security or damage deposit up to a set maximum, often half a month's rent to one month's rent. Ontario allows only a rent deposit applied to your last month, and Quebec prohibits any deposit.

How much can a landlord ask for as a security deposit?

It varies by province. British Columbia, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia cap it at half a month's rent (BC also allows a separate pet damage deposit of the same amount). Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and PEI generally cap it at one month's rent, and Newfoundland and Labrador at 75 percent of monthly rent.

Do landlords have to pay interest on a security deposit?

In several provinces, yes, including British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia, though the rate is set annually and has recently been zero percent. Ontario pays interest on its rent deposit at the annual rent increase guideline rate. Check your provincial tenancy office for the current rate.

How long does a landlord have to return my deposit after I move out?

It varies, generally 7 to 15 days after the tenancy ends. British Columbia's 15-day deadline starts once you give your landlord a forwarding address in writing. If the deadline passes without a valid claim, most provinces let you apply to the tenancy office for the full amount.

What can a landlord deduct from my deposit?

Generally only unpaid rent and damage beyond normal wear and tear, not the ordinary effects of everyday living like faded paint or worn carpet. A landlord usually cannot deduct for routine cleaning, and in most provinces needs your written consent or a tenancy office order to keep any part of the deposit.