How to get your bond back in Australia: a step-by-step guide for every state and territory

To get your bond back in Australia, claim it from the government body that holds it as soon as you return the keys. Except for the Northern Territory, where the landlord holds the bond, all other states and territories have a bond authority managing it. In most cases, you can initiate the claim yourself without needing the agent's signature. If no objections arise within the usual 14-day notice period, the bond is released.

This guide explains where to claim your bond in each state and territory, what you need, when to accept the agent's proposed amount, what happens if the landlord claims part of the bond, how to transfer your bond to a new rental, and steps to take if you are leaving Australia. For how long each stage takes, see our guide to how long it takes to get your bond back.

How do you get your bond back?

The bond return process involves the same five steps everywhere, although each state uses its own system.

1. Before you leave, record the condition. Take photos of each room and complete the exit condition report. Your entry condition report serves as the reference for what the landlord can claim.
2. Try to agree on the amount. An agreed refund is the fastest option: about one business day in Victoria and two in NSW once the landlord accepts.
3. Lodge your claim with the bond authority. You can usually submit your claim online as soon as you move out. You will need your bond number and bank details.
4. Watch for the notice period. The other party is notified of your claim and has a set time to respond, typically 14 days. If they do not respond, the bond is paid as you requested, except in Western Australia, where it goes to the Commissioner for Consumer Protection.
5. If they dispute it, use the dispute process. The landlord must provide evidence, and a dispute service or tribunal decides on any disagreements.

Where do you claim your bond in each state and territory?

Each state has its own bond authority and procedures. The table shows where tenants lodge claims and what happens if the other party does not respond.

For the details in the three biggest states, see our guides to the NSW bond refund, the RTBA bond refund in Victoria and the RTA bond refund in Queensland.

What do you need to claim your bond?

You will need four things: your bond number, bank details, contact information, and for some online systems, an identity login.

Bond number. Your bond number is on the receipt or lodgement confirmation received when the bond was paid. In Queensland, it appears on the Acknowledgement of rental bond, and in Victoria, the RTBA website allows you to look it up. If you cannot find it, contact the bond authority.

Bank account. NSW and Queensland only refund to Australian bank accounts. Victoria's RTBA also pays international accounts, and South Australia can pay overseas but deducts transfer fees from the bond.

Login or form. In Victoria, you verify your identity through Service Victoria before starting a claim on the RTBA website. Queensland's online refund requires a Queensland Digital Identity (QDI) login; if you cannot create one, a paper Form 4 is still accepted. South Australia offers paper forms for those unable to set up an online account, and tenants in Western Australia use paper forms.

Everyone on the bond. In Queensland, the online refund process requires a separate email address for each tenant on the bond, so gather these before starting.

Should you agree to the amount the agent proposes?

Agree only to an amount you accept, and only once it is written on the form. The ACT Revenue Office puts it plainly: "You should not sign a Bond Refund Form prior to the refund amounts being entered." Consumer Affairs Victoria gives the same advice, and adds never to sign a blank form.

If you agree to the refund amount, it is the quickest method. The RTBA usually processes agreed claims within one business day, NSW aims for two business days after landlord approval, and Queensland's RTA processes an agreed request on the day it arrives, allowing up to 3 business days for bank processing.

You are not required to agree. You can lodge your own claim for the amount you believe is correct and let the landlord respond through the official process.

What happens if the landlord claims part of your bond?

The landlord or agent must support a bond claim with evidence, and you can dispute it. When a claim is disputed, the contested funds remain with the bond authority until an agreement or decision is reached.

Evidence. In NSW, the landlord must provide the end-of-tenancy condition report and quotes, invoices or receipts within 7 days of claiming (Residential Tenancies Act 2010 s 165). In Queensland, the manager must provide evidence within 14 days (s 136AA). In Victoria, from 13 October 2026, the rental provider must supply evidence at least 3 days before claiming (s 411(1A)). In Western Australia, the landlord must show you proof, such as a receipt, for any claim.

Where disputes go. NSW's NCAT (fee $64), Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria (RDRV, free) then VCAT, Queensland's free RTA conciliation then QCAT, South Australia's counter-offers via Residential Bonds Online then SACAT, Western Australia's Commissioner for Consumer Protection, Tasmania's Residential Tenancy Commissioner, the ACT's ACAT, and the Northern Territory's NTCAT.

Most bond claims concern cleaning and damage. Our guide to end of lease cleaning requirements and deductions explains what landlords can claim, and the fair wear and tear guide sorts forty common items into wear and damage.

Can you claim your bond before you move out?

Claims are usually made after the tenancy ends. Early exceptions include joint claims where both tenant and landlord agree on the amount.

In NSW, claims can be made once the tenancy has ended and the bond is marked as HELD in Rental Bonds Online; before then, only joint claims are accepted (s 163(3)). In Victoria, joint claims can be lodged up to 14 days before the lease ends. In the ACT, a refund requested before the tenancy ends may have to be cancelled and lodged again from the end date.

How do you check your bond refund status?

How you check a bond refund depends on the state, and not all states provide tenant access to status lookups.

NSW. Log in to Rental Bonds Online to view your bond and any claims.

Victoria. Check your bond status on the RTBA website.

Queensland. There is no public status lookup for tenants in Queensland; the RTA's Online Bond Search is for agents and organisations. The RTA sends claim notices by email if you have agreed to electronic notices, otherwise by post.

South Australia. The CBS Bond Status Search shows funds waiting to be paid.

What happens to a bond nobody claims?

Unclaimed bonds are held for you. South Australia keeps unpaid refunds for 90 days as Approved Refunds before marking them Unclaimed, which you can check via the CBS Bond Status Search. In the Northern Territory, bonds unclaimed after six months move to the Tenancy Trust account managed by the Commissioner of Tenancies, and you can search the unclaimed bond list on the NT Consumer Affairs website. In Queensland, update your details in RTA Web Services or use the RTA's outstanding bond payments enquiry form; most are processed within two weeks.

Can you move your bond to your next rental?

In NSW and Victoria, you can transfer your existing bond to a new rental instead of paying a new bond upfront.

NSW: Smart Rental Bonds. In NSW, you can transfer your bond to a new NSW rental via Rental Bonds Online for a $25 fee. The tenants must be the same, you must vacate the old property within 4 weeks, and transfers are not available if a claim is in progress.

Victoria: Portable Rental Bond Scheme. Victoria's portable bond scheme allows you to move your bond to your next rental through the RTBA. Participation is optional and costs $25. The previous rental provider can still make a claim; if the bond balance is insufficient, the government pays them, and you repay the State of Victoria.

What if you are leaving Australia?

Claim your bond before closing your Australian bank account. NSW and Queensland only refund to Australian accounts, so overseas accounts will not work there.

Victoria's RTBA can pay international accounts and may request IBAN or SWIFT details. South Australia can transfer overseas but deducts fees from the bond. If you are in another state, check with the bond authority before leaving and provide an email address you will keep.

What if you share the house?

Everyone who contributed to the bond is a party to it. In South Australia, all must agree on a refund, and in the ACT, any tenant who did not sign the refund form receives a notice. When one tenant leaves and others remain, the remaining tenants usually repay the departing tenant's share. In NSW, they must do so within 14 days of being asked (s 174), and in the ACT, the tribunal can resolve disputes between co-tenants.

Keep all your records until the bond is paid out: both condition reports, photos, receipts, and all communications with the agent. CleanLog records the time and location of each photo, keeps them with the report and, once you lock it, the report cannot be changed.