New Brunswick security deposits: limits and refund steps

Quick answer: how much can a landlord charge?

For an ordinary week-to-week lease, the maximum security deposit is one week of rent. For month-to-month, year-to-year and fixed-term residential leases, the maximum is one month of rent. A mobile-home-site lease has a different limit of up to three months of rent. A landlord may ask for first month’s rent and a deposit, but not first and last month’s rent together. Check the lease type before calculating the ceiling.

Calculate the deposit limit for your lease →

How deposits are held

Deposits in New Brunswick are remitted to the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office. A landlord collecting one is to submit it within 15 days. Both sides should receive a Certificate of Deposit; keep the tenancy number.

For week-to-week tenancies the ordinary maximum deposit is one week’s rent; other ordinary residential leases use a one-month ceiling. Mobile-home site leases can allow up to three months of rent.

Paying the deposit: three checks

1. Get a receipt. If you pay the landlord, ask for a dated record showing the amount, rental address and that the payment is a security deposit.
2. Check remittance. A landlord who collects the deposit must send it to the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office within 15 days. You may also pay through a Service New Brunswick centre.
3. Keep your certificate. The Office mails a Certificate of Deposit to the tenant and landlord. If it has not arrived after four weeks or has an error, contact the Office and ask it to confirm the tenancy number.

The deposit is held through the provincial system. The landlord does not simply decide to keep it at move-out because there is a disagreement.

At move-out

Tenants should apply promptly for a refund and give a reliable forwarding address. Each tenant named on the certificate normally applies for their own share.

A landlord generally must submit a deposit claim within seven days after the tenancy ends, but special statutory timing can apply when the tenancy was terminated by specific notices. The simple date estimator is not safe for those exceptional scenarios.

How a tenant requests the deposit back

Apply online for the return of your security deposit — Service New Brunswick

1. After moving out, use the Province’s security-deposit refund page to start an online application or find the paper application.
2. Enter the tenancy details and a current forwarding address, so the Office can send a copy of any landlord claim.
3. If several tenants are listed on the Certificate of Deposit, each person applies separately for their own portion.
4. Keep the application confirmation and your move-out inspection, photographs, lease and payment documents.

The government says online applications submitted promptly after move-out are usually the fastest route; the application is processed at the end of the lease term. You can also apply at a Service New Brunswick centre or submit the provincial form through accepted delivery channels.

What a claim can cover

The office can investigate claims for unpaid rent, eligible utilities or late fees, cleaning and reasonable repair obligations. Deductions are not automatic simply because a landlord requests them.

Keep photographs, the inspection report, receipts, lease and move-out date; use the official complaint/claim process if there is disagreement.

When the landlord makes a claim

Normally, the landlord must submit a security-deposit claim to the Office within seven days after the tenancy ends. Some statutory termination cases can have different timing: verify the rule for the particular notice or ending before treating seven days as universal. Possible claim categories include unpaid rent, qualifying utilities or late fees, cleaning and repairs.

If the Office sends you a copy of the landlord’s claim, compare each requested deduction with the entry and exit inspection reports, dated photos, receipts and the lease. If you disagree, contact the Office and explain each disputed item with evidence. The Province describes a hearing process when the dispute cannot be resolved. See the deposit-claim and objection guide for a checklist.

Check the deposit limit

Use the deposit ceiling estimator, then compare the result to the correct lease classification.

Example: a deposit refund after moving out

A tenant paid a $1,200 deposit for a month-to-month apartment. At move-out, they submit their provincial refund application and forwarding address. The landlord claims $200 for repairs. The tenant sends dated move-in photos and an inspection report showing the damage was already present. The Office reviews the claim and evidence; the landlord’s requested amount is not an automatic deduction.

Related New Brunswick resources

New Brunswick tenancy hub · Official forms directory · Disputing a landlord’s deduction.

When the landlord says there is no deposit on file

Ask for a copy of the landlord’s original security-deposit receipt and the province’s Certificate of Deposit. The provincial office can help trace the payment using your name, address and tenancy number.

If you paid your landlord directly, the landlord’s duty to remit the deposit to the provincial fund is separate from your entitlement to apply for a return after the tenancy. Avoid signing a statement that you received a full refund until the payment is confirmed.

During a move-out inspection, record appliance condition, wall damage, keys, cleaning and meter readings in date-stamped photographs so any subsequent claim can be tested against the condition at the start.