Texas Rental Fees: Applications, Deposits & Move-Out

Application fee versus application deposit

Texas treats these as different payments. The Texas State Law Library explains that an application fee pays for screening, while an application deposit is refundable if the applicant is rejected. Read the label and the refund terms before paying either one.

For a published price example, Chappell Hill in Temple lists a $75 application fee per person and a $300 deposit, with screening conditions that can change the deposit. Those are one property's prices, not a Texas fee limit. Ask for a current written quote for your application.

The City of San Antonio's renter guide explains the importance of written selection criteria. If an applicant is rejected without the required criteria notice, the application fee and deposit may have to be returned. A normal rejection is not, by itself, a promise to refund every screening charge.

Texas security-deposit limits

There is no general statewide dollar ceiling for an ordinary private rental security deposit, as the San Antonio guide explains. Public or subsidized housing can have different rules. The absence of a ceiling does not turn a refundable deposit into a nonrefundable fee.

The 30-day return rule and your forwarding address

The Texas Attorney General explains that landlords generally must return the deposit, less lawful deductions, within 30 days. Supply a forwarding address in writing: the refund obligation is not triggered until the landlord receives it. Keep proof of when you surrendered the home as well.

Normal wear is different from tenant-caused damage. Ask for an itemized explanation of deductions and compare it with your condition records. The deposit is not automatically the last month's rent; do not skip a rent payment because the landlord holds it.

Notice is separate from getting the deposit back

Chappell Hill's FAQ, for example, calls for 60 days' written notice. That is a property policy, not a universal Texas move-out period. Check the notice, renewal and early-termination terms in your own lease well before booking movers.

• Record application fees, holding money and security deposits on separate lines.
• Confirm any higher deposit before accepting the apartment.
• Save the notice you gave, key-return receipt and forwarding-address message.
• Ask a local tenant adviser to review disputed charges rather than assuming the deposit settles every balance.