Texas first

The deposit and late-fee rules, applied for you.

DoorLog was built in Dallas–Fort Worth for Texas landlords. The parts of the Texas Property Code that independent landlords most often get wrong are enforced by the software on every door, so the deadline is on your screen and the cap is already applied.

30days

To return the deposit

With an itemized statement of any deduction. The clock starts when the tenant moves out and is on your screen from that day.

Tex. Prop. Code § 92.103
2full days

Before any late fee

A fee may post only after rent is two full days late. DoorLog will not post one a minute sooner, however the lease is worded.

Tex. Prop. Code § 92.019
12% · 10%

The late-fee ceiling

Twelve percent of monthly rent on a building of four doors or fewer, ten percent above that. The cap is applied automatically.

Tex. Prop. Code § 92.019

What DoorLog does with each rule

The 30-day deposit clock

When you record a move-out, the door’s file shows the day the deposit is due back and counts down. The deposit statement is drafted from the move-in and move-out photo pairs, so every deduction has its evidence attached and the statement is itemized the way the Code requires. You review, set the amounts, and send it. The return is recorded on the same file.

Two full days before a late fee

Rent posts on the due date. A late fee, if your lease provides one, is scheduled for the first moment the law allows and not a minute earlier, whatever the lease says. The fee and the rule it followed are both written to the record.

The 12% and 10% caps

DoorLog knows how many doors a building has. A late fee is capped at 12% of the monthly rent for a building of four or fewer units and 10% above that. If a lease names a higher fee, the cap wins.

Frequently asked

How long does a Texas landlord have to return a security deposit?

Thirty days after the tenant surrenders the premises, with a written, itemized list of any deductions. DoorLog starts the clock on the move-out date and drafts the itemized statement from the move-in and move-out photo pairs.

When can a Texas landlord charge a late fee?

Only after rent has remained unpaid for two full days after the due date, and only if the lease provides for the fee in writing. DoorLog will not post a late fee earlier than the law allows.

How much can a late fee be in Texas?

For a building with four or fewer units, up to 12% of the monthly rent; for more than four units, up to 10%. DoorLog caps the fee automatically.

Can a landlord keep a deposit for normal wear and tear?

No. Deductions must be for damage beyond normal wear and tear, and must be itemized. DoorLog lets you mark a difference as normal wear so it appears on the statement with no charge.

This page describes how the software behaves. It is not legal advice. Texas Property Code §§ 92.103 and 92.019 are the sections it follows.

30 days free on every plan

Open your first file tonight.

Pick a plan, add a card, and you are signed in. Your first door takes about ten minutes: the address, the tenant, the lease, the rent. Nothing is charged for 30 days and you can leave with your records at any time.

Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas
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