Suwannee County, Florida: Small Claims for a Security Deposit

Limits: $8,000 (statewide). Court: Suwannee County Court - Small Claims Division.

Filing facts

State small claims limits	$8,000 (statewide)
Statewide filing fee	Set by the court; call the clerk or check the court page. Official court website
E-filing	Not verified
Time limit to sue in Florida	5 years.
State deposit return deadline	15 days after Termination of the rental agreement. no deductions claimed. 30 days after Termination of the rental agreement. landlord intends to impose a claim; written notice of intention to impose a claim (certified mail or email) is due within this window, or the right to impose a claim is forfeited. 30 days after the date of the landlord's notice of intention to impose a claim. tenant did not object in writing within 15 days after receiving the notice; the landlord deducts the claim and remits the balance within this window.
Penalty formula	No statutory multiple-damages/punitive penalty (unlike Massachusetts' 3x). If landlord fails to give the required 30-day notice of intent to claim, landlord forfeits the entire right to impose any claim on the deposit and must return it in full. In any civil action to recover the deposit, the prevailing party is entitled to court costs plus a reasonable attorney's fee (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(c)). No statutory interest-on-deposit penalty beyond the interest-payment requirement itself (75% of annualized average interest rate on the account, or 5% simple interest per year, if landlord elected an interest-bearing arrangement under § 83.49(1)(b)/(c); many landlords opt out of interest entirely by using a non-interest-bearing account or surety bond, which is legal). Bad faith required: No.
Deposit statute	Fla. Stat. § 83.49 (2025 Florida Statutes, current codification); small claims limit at Fla. Stat. § 34.01(1)(c)

Where to file

Suwannee County Court - Small Claims Division

Courthouse city: Live Oak

Some counties have more than one small claims court, and venue rules differ by state; check which court hears your claim on the court's official page or with the clerk.

Official court website

Court page checked 2026-09-20

See how to file in Florida for the state filing procedure.

Rent and deposits in Suwannee County

County median gross rent: $849 per month.

County median gross rent by bedroom count
Bedrooms	Monthly rent
Studio	$860
1 bedroom	$765
2 bedrooms	$725
3 bedrooms	$949
4 bedrooms	$913

Illustrative deposit example computed from the county median rent: one month of the Census two-bedroom median is $725; two months is $1,450. This is an example computed from the county median, not a legal cap or a survey of deposits. The calculations below use the one-month deposit of $725.

State legal maximum deposit in Florida: No statutory limit.

Total households in Suwannee County: 15,567.

Renter households: 3,967 (25.5% of all households).

Renters spending more than half their household income on rent: 20.5%. A delayed deposit refund can leave these households with less money for their next rent payment.

County rent and household source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates, tables B25064, B25031, B25003, B25070. Accessed 2026-09-21.

Will my deposit claim fit the limit?

Using the county Census figure: two-bedroom median gross rent for Suwannee County, $725 per month.

The deposit range does not include penalties, interest, or other amounts you may claim.

Compared with $8,000 (statewide), the whole deposit range fits.

A claim above the applicable limit must either be reduced to that limit or go to a different court.

Towns this court serves

A deposit claim is usually filed where the property sits or where the landlord is.

Branford
Live Oak

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census place-to-county relationship file.

Statewide court resources

Statewide self-help centre

Free help in Suwannee County

Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc.
free civil legal aid for low-income families in 17 north-central Florida counties, including housing and landlord-tenant cases
Phone: (866) 256-8091

These are independent organisations, not DemandLetterLab.

From letter to filing

Send a Florida security deposit demand letter stating the deposit amount supported by your records.
Before you file: review the deposit return deadlines above and allow the typical response window of 14 days after your letter.
Time limit to sue in Florida: 5 years.
Check the court's filing instructions. Keep your lease, payment records, photos, letter, and proof of delivery ready.

This template uses Florida law. Your county decides where you file, not which law applies.

Choose how to send your letter

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$49, done for you.

We write the letter from the facts you send, mail it by USPS Certified Mail with tracking, and send you the tracking number and a PDF record of what was sent.

Mailed within 2 business days of your completed form, or a full refund.

Document preparation and mailing, not legal advice. We do not assess your claim, choose a strategy, or promise a recovery.

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A print-ready PDF of the Florida letter template, ready to download after payment.

Certified-mail instructions: what to ask for at the counter and what it costs.
Florida small-claims details: the limit, the deadline to sue, and where to file.

You fill in the template, print it, and pay postage. The same letter template is also available free by email below. The kit adds the print-ready PDF, mailing guide, and local details in one place.

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Free Florida template, built from verified state data

Methodology: every statute verified against primary sources. See how verification works.

I rented [rental property address] from [lease start date] to [move-out date]. I paid a security deposit of $[amount]. I returned the keys on [date] and gave you my forwarding address in writing on [date]. Under Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 83.49), a landlord must return the deposit or respond in writing within [15 days / 30 days, see the note above] after [the event listed in the note above].

FAQ

How much does it cost to file in Suwannee County?

Statewide filing fee: Set by the court; call the clerk or check the court page. Official court website

How long do I have to sue?

Time limit to sue in Florida: 5 years.

Where do I file?

Suwannee County Court - Small Claims Division. Courthouse city: Live Oak. Check the court's instructions for the right filing location.