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Alberta Security Deposit Interest Calculator

Calculate the interest owed on a security deposit in Alberta. Alberta sets a new rate every year and, by default, landlords pay simple interest to the tenant once a year.

Rates last verified

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2026 rate
Method
When it's paid

Estimate for information only, not legal advice. Rates last verified September 23, 2026.

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How deposit interest works in Alberta

  • The rate is the ATB Financial one-year cashable GIC rate on November 1 of the previous year, minus 3%, and never below 0%. It is 0% for 2026.
  • By default the landlord pays simple interest to the tenant every year.
  • Landlord and tenant can agree in writing to compound the interest each year and pay it all at the end of the tenancy instead.
  • Interest earned in 2024 (1.6%) and 2025 (0.5%) is still owed, even though the 2026 rate is 0%.

Official sources

Alberta deposit interest rates by year

Period Annual rate
2026 (current) 0%
2025 0.5%
2024 1.6%
2023 0%
2022 0%
2021 0%
2020 0%
2019 0%
2018 0%
2017 0%
2016 0%
2015 0%
2014 0%
2013 0%
2012 0%
2011 0%
2010 0%
2009 0%
2008 0.5%
2007 0.3%

Last verified September 23, 2026 against official government sources.

Calculators for other provinces

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions from Canadian landlords and tenants about deposit interest

Alberta Deposit Interest Questions

The 2026 rate is 0%. The rate was 1.6% in 2024 and 0.5% in 2025, and interest earned in those years is still owed to the tenant.

Yes, by default. Interest is paid to the tenant every year unless the landlord and tenant agreed in writing to compound it and pay it at the end of the tenancy.

In most provinces and territories, yes. The province sets the rate each year and the landlord owes that interest to the tenant. Quebec does not allow security deposits at all, in New Brunswick the deposit is held by the province and the interest goes to the Crown. Ontario does not allow damage deposits, but landlords must pay interest on a last month's rent deposit.

Multiply the deposit by the annual rate, then by the share of the year the deposit was held. When a deposit is held across several years, each year uses its own rate. Some provinces compound, so interest earned in earlier years also earns interest. This calculator handles both and shows the breakdown for each period.

This calculator is a free estimate for information only and is not legal advice. Rates and rules come from each province's official sources and were last verified on September 23, 2026. Always confirm with your provincial residential tenancy office before paying or returning a deposit.

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