Up to $10,000 · 6 years to file.
A landlord who kept your deposit past the legal return deadline. In Washington, small-claims cases for this kind of dispute are filed in the District Court (small-claims department), where you can sue for up to $10,000.
Your deadline: Washington 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 $50 (Roughly $35–$50 to file, varying by county, plus any service cost.). Before you file, send a written demand letter and keep proof of delivery.
Source: Wash. Rev. Code § 12.40.010; deadlines: Wash. Rev. Code §§ 4.16.040, 4.16.080. Reviewed 2026-06-17.
Note on deadlines: Written contract 6 yrs; oral contract 3; property damage and personal injury 3 yrs.
Suing for something else in Washington: Washington unpaid loan · Washington property damage · Washington unpaid rent · Washington contractor dispute.
Suing for security deposit in nearby states: Oregon ($10,000, 6 years) · Idaho ($5,000, 5 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