Up to $25,000 · 6 years to file.
A landlord who kept your deposit past the legal return deadline. In Tennessee, small-claims cases for this kind of dispute are filed in the General Sessions Court, where you can sue for up to $25,000.
Your deadline: Tennessee 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 $150 (About $100–$200 by county, plus service.). Before you file, send a written demand letter and keep proof of delivery.
Source: Tenn. Code § 16-15-501; deadlines: Tenn. Code §§ 28-3-104, 28-3-105, 28-3-109. Reviewed 2026-06-17 (verify with the court clerk).
Note on deadlines: Contract 6 yrs; property damage 3; personal injury 1 yr.
Suing for something else in Tennessee: Tennessee unpaid loan · Tennessee property damage · Tennessee unpaid rent · Tennessee contractor dispute.
Suing for security deposit in nearby states: Kentucky ($2,500, 15 years) · Virginia ($5,000, 5 years) · North Carolina ($10,000, 3 years) · Georgia ($15,000, 6 years) · Alabama ($6,000, 6 years) · Mississippi ($3,500, 3 years) · Arkansas ($5,000, 5 years) · Missouri ($5,000, 10 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