Up to $5,000 · 5 years to file.
A landlord who kept your deposit past the legal return deadline. In Idaho, small-claims cases for this kind of dispute are filed in the Small Claims Department (Magistrate Division), where you can sue for up to $5,000.
Your deadline: Idaho generally gives you 5 years from when the claim arose to file. Miss it and the court can dismiss the case no matter how clearly you're owed.
The filing fee is around $70 (About $50–$70 plus service.). Before you file, send a written demand letter and keep proof of delivery.
Source: Idaho Code § 1-2301; deadlines: Idaho Code §§ 5-216, 5-217, 5-218, 5-219. Reviewed 2026-06-17 (verify with the court clerk).
Note on deadlines: Written contract 5 yrs; oral contract 4; property damage 3; personal injury 2.
Suing for something else in Idaho: Idaho unpaid loan · Idaho property damage · Idaho unpaid rent · Idaho contractor dispute.
Suing for security deposit in nearby states: Washington ($10,000, 6 years) · Oregon ($10,000, 6 years) · Montana ($7,000, 8 years) · Wyoming ($6,000, 10 years) · Utah ($15,000, 6 years) · Nevada ($10,000, 6 years).
General legal information, not legal advice. Rules change and vary by county and court; consult a licensed attorney or your court clerk.
Updated July 2026