Up to $10,000 · 6 years to file.
A landlord who kept your deposit past the legal return deadline. In New Mexico, small-claims cases for this kind of dispute are filed in the Magistrate Court (Metropolitan Court in Bernalillo), where you can sue for up to $10,000.
Your deadline: New Mexico generally gives you 6 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 $77 (About $77 plus service.). Before you file, send a written demand letter and keep proof of delivery.
Source: N.M. Stat. § 35-3-3; deadlines: N.M. Stat. §§ 37-1-3, 37-1-4, 37-1-8. Reviewed 2026-06-17 (verify with the court clerk).
Note on deadlines: Written contract 6 yrs; oral contract and property damage 4; personal injury 3.
Suing for something else in New Mexico: New Mexico unpaid loan · New Mexico property damage · New Mexico unpaid rent · New Mexico contractor dispute.
Suing for security deposit in nearby states: Arizona ($3,500, 6 years) · Texas ($20,000, 4 years) · Colorado ($7,500, 6 years) · Oklahoma ($10,000, 5 years) · Utah ($15,000, 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