Up to $12,000 · 4 years to file.
A landlord who kept your deposit past the legal return deadline. In Pennsylvania, small-claims cases for this kind of dispute are filed in the Magisterial District Court, where you can sue for up to $12,000.
Your deadline: Pennsylvania generally gives you 4 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 $100 (About $50–$150 by amount, plus service.). Before you file, send a written demand letter and keep proof of delivery.
Source: 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 1515; deadlines: 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 5524, 5525. Reviewed 2026-06-17 (verify with the court clerk).
Note on deadlines: Contract 4 yrs; property damage and personal injury 2 yrs.
Suing for something else in Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania unpaid loan · Pennsylvania property damage · Pennsylvania unpaid rent · Pennsylvania contractor dispute.
Suing for security deposit in nearby states: New York ($10,000, 6 years) · New Jersey ($5,000, 6 years) · Ohio ($6,000, 8 years) · West Virginia ($10,000, 10 years) · Maryland ($5,000, 3 years) · Delaware ($25,000, 3 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