Up to $5,000 · 6 years to file.
A landlord who kept your deposit past the legal return deadline. In Vermont, small-claims cases for this kind of dispute are filed in the Small Claims (Superior Court, Civil Division), where you can sue for up to $5,000.
Your deadline: Vermont 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 $90 (About $90 plus service.). Before you file, send a written demand letter and keep proof of delivery.
Source: Vt. Stat. tit. 12, § 5531; deadlines: Vt. Stat. tit. 12, §§ 511, 512. Reviewed 2026-06-17 (verify with the court clerk).
Note on deadlines: Contract 6 yrs; property damage and personal injury 3 yrs.
Suing for something else in Vermont: Vermont unpaid loan · Vermont property damage · Vermont unpaid rent · Vermont contractor dispute.
Suing for security deposit in nearby states: New Hampshire ($10,000, 3 years) · Massachusetts ($7,000, 6 years) · New York ($10,000, 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