Up to $6,000 · 8 years to file.
A landlord who kept your deposit past the legal return deadline. In Ohio, small-claims cases for this kind of dispute are filed in the Small Claims Division (Municipal or County Court), where you can sue for up to $6,000.
Your deadline: Ohio 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 $50 (About $35–$55 plus service, by county.). Before you file, send a written demand letter and keep proof of delivery.
Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 1925.02; deadlines: Ohio Rev. Code §§ 2305.06, 2305.07, 2305.10. Reviewed 2026-06-17 (verify with the court clerk).
Note on deadlines: Written contract 8 yrs (post-2012); oral contract 6; property damage and personal injury 2 yrs.
Suing for something else in Ohio: Ohio unpaid loan · Ohio property damage · Ohio unpaid rent · Ohio contractor dispute.
Suing for security deposit in nearby states: Michigan ($7,000, 6 years) · Indiana ($10,000, 10 years) · Kentucky ($2,500, 15 years) · West Virginia ($10,000, 10 years) · Pennsylvania ($12,000, 4 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