Up to $7,000 · 8 years to file.
A landlord who kept your deposit past the legal return deadline. In Montana, small-claims cases for this kind of dispute are filed in the Justice Court (small claims), where you can sue for up to $7,000.
Your deadline: Montana generally gives you 8 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 $30 (About $30 plus service.). Before you file, send a written demand letter and keep proof of delivery.
Source: Mont. Code § 25-35-502; deadlines: Mont. Code §§ 27-2-202, 27-2-204, 27-2-207. Reviewed 2026-06-17 (verify with the court clerk).
Note on deadlines: Written contract 8 yrs; oral contract 5; property damage 2; personal injury 3.
Suing for something else in Montana: Montana unpaid loan · Montana property damage · Montana unpaid rent · Montana contractor dispute.
Suing for security deposit in nearby states: Idaho ($5,000, 5 years) · Wyoming ($6,000, 10 years) · North Dakota ($15,000, 6 years) · South Dakota ($12,000, 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