Georgia's deposit framework (O.C.G.A. §§44-7-30 through 44-7-37) is built around something most states leave optional: statutory damage lists at both ends of the tenancy. It's a paperwork-driven system with a serious penalty attached — and a cap that's newer than most guides admit: since July 1, 2024, deposits are limited to two months' rent for new or renewed leases.
How much can a landlord charge?
Two months' rent for leases entered or renewed on or after July 1, 2024 — before that, Georgia had no cap at all, so older guides (and older leases) may reflect the old world. Landlords with more than ten units, or any landlord using a management agent, must hold deposits in a dedicated escrow account at a regulated institution (or post a surety bond) and disclose where.
The list system — Georgia's distinctive machinery
At move-in, covered landlords must give the tenant a comprehensive list of existing damage; the tenant has the right to inspect and either sign it or file a written dissent. At move-out, the landlord must inspect within three business days of the tenancy ending and compile a damage list; the tenant may inspect within five business days and sign or dissent item by item. A signed list is conclusive evidence of its contents — which makes what's on (or missing from) those lists the entire case in most Georgia disputes.
The 30-day return
Within 30 days of regaining possession, the landlord must return the deposit — minus lawfully retained amounts backed by a written statement of exact reasons built on that move-out list, sent with the balance by first-class mail. If the mailed deposit comes back undeliverable and the tenant can't be located, the landlord may keep the funds after 90 days — one more reason tenants should provide a forwarding address in writing.
What can be deducted, and the penalty
Unpaid rent, late fees, abandonment costs, and repair of damage beyond ordinary wear and tear — with the statute explicitly protecting deterioration from intended use absent negligence or abuse. A landlord who violates the framework can forfeit the right to withhold, and bad-faith retention costs three times the amount wrongfully withheld plus attorney's fees (§44-7-35) — one of the steepest multipliers in the country.
Why Georgia deposit disputes are documentation disputes
Georgia said it in statute: condition lists, signed or dissented, are conclusive. But a list is words — “scratch on counter” tells a Magistrate Court nothing about how deep, how long, how new. The parties who win Georgia deposit cases pair the statutory lists with visual proof of what those words meant on the day they were written.
SealMove is that proof, made unimpeachable. Every photo and video is cryptographically sealed the instant it's captured, independently timestamped, and locked with Face ID into a tamper-evident archive. At move-out, your walkthrough lines up room-by-room against the sealed move-in baseline — and either party can send the other a report to review and acknowledge, no app required. Signed list + sealed photos is the strongest evidence package Georgia law can imagine.