As noted in the NCREC publication 'Questions & Answers on: TENANT SECURITY DEPOSITS,' Within 30 days after the termination of your tenancy, the landlord or agent must send you either a full refund of your deposit or a written itemized accounting of any deductions along with any remaining refund amount. Where the full amount of damage cannot be determined within 30 days, the landlord or agent must send you a written interim accounting of deductions claimed, followed by a final accounting no later than 60 days following the end of the tenancy. So, it is important to give your landlord or agent a full forwarding address. If you cannot be located, the landlord or agent must hold any refund due for at least six months in their trust account. If the landlord or agent fails to refund your deposit or make the required accounting, you can sue for recovery of the deposit and reasonable attorney fees. The failure to make the accounting as required under the Act is a forfeiture of the landlord’s right to retain any portion of the deposit. See state provided documents and guidance: https://www.ncrec.gov/Brochures/TenantBrochure.pdf https://www.ncleg.net/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByArticle/Chapter_42/Article_6.html