Up to $10,000 · 5 years to file.
A landlord who kept your deposit past the legal return deadline. In Oklahoma, small-claims cases for this kind of dispute are filed in the Small Claims Court (District Court), where you can sue for up to $10,000.
Your deadline: Oklahoma 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 $60 (About $50–$60 plus service.). Before you file, send a written demand letter and keep proof of delivery.
Source: Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 1751; deadlines: Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 95. Reviewed 2026-06-17 (verify with the court clerk).
Note on deadlines: Written contract 5 yrs; oral contract 3; property damage and personal injury 2 yrs.
Suing for something else in Oklahoma: Oklahoma unpaid loan · Oklahoma property damage · Oklahoma unpaid rent · Oklahoma contractor dispute.
Suing for security deposit in nearby states: Texas ($20,000, 4 years) · Kansas ($4,000, 5 years) · Missouri ($5,000, 10 years) · Arkansas ($5,000, 5 years) · New Mexico ($10,000, 6 years) · Colorado ($7,500, 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