Jefferson County, Illinois: Small Claims for a Security Deposit

Limits: $10,000 (statewide). E-filing: Yes. Court: Circuit Court of Jefferson County - Small Claims.

Filing facts

State small claims limits	$10,000 (statewide)
Statewide filing fee	Set by the court; call the clerk or check the court page. Official court website
E-filing	Yes
Time limit to sue in Illinois	5 years.
State deposit return deadline	45 days after the date the lessee vacated the premises. no itemized statement and receipts furnished within the 30-day window; the full deposit is due. 30 days after the later of the date the lessee vacated the premises or the date the lessee's right of possession ends. lessor deducts for damages; itemized statement of damages with estimated or actual repair costs.
Penalty formula	If landlord willfully refuses to provide the required itemized statement, or provides it in bad faith, and fails/refuses to timely return the deposit balance due, a court may award the tenant an amount equal to TWICE the security deposit due, plus court costs and reasonable attorney's fees (765 ILCS 710/1-2). Separately, under the Security Deposit Interest Act (765 ILCS 715, applies only to buildings of 25+ units in the same municipality where deposit is held 6+ months), a landlord who willfully fails to pay required interest is liable for an amount equal to the full security deposit, plus court costs and attorney's fees. Bad faith required: Yes.
Deposit statute	765 ILCS 710/1 (Security Deposit Return Act); related: 765 ILCS 715/1 (Security Deposit Interest Act)

Where to file

Circuit Court of Jefferson County - Small Claims

Courthouse city: Mount Vernon

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 2026-09-21

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

Rent and deposits in Jefferson County

County median gross rent: $862 per month.

County median gross rent by bedroom count
Bedrooms	Monthly rent
Studio	$771
1 bedroom	$593
2 bedrooms	$883
3 bedrooms	$1,006
4 bedrooms	$1,155

Illustrative deposit example computed from the county median rent: one month of the Census two-bedroom median is $883; two months is $1,766. 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 $883.

State legal maximum deposit in Illinois: No statutory limit.

Total households in Jefferson County: 14,805.

Renter households: 4,167 (28.1% of all households).

Renters spending more than half their household income on rent: 14.7%. 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 Jefferson County, $883 per month.

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

Compared with $10,000 (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.

Belle Rive
Bluford
Bonnie
Centralia
Dix
Ina
Mount Vernon
Nason
Waltonville
Woodlawn

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

Courthouse details

Address: 100 S 10th St, Mount Vernon, IL 62864

Phone: (618) 244-8007

Statewide e-filing portal

Statewide self-help centre

Address and phone checked against the court's own page on 2026-09-21

Court contact source

Free help in Jefferson County

Land of Lincoln Legal Aid
free civil legal help for low-income renters in 65 central and southern Illinois counties, including evictions from private, public, or subsidized housing, unsafe living conditions, and subsidized-housing rights; eviction hotline (855) 601-9474
Phone: (877) 342-7891

Statewide help

Metropolitan Tenants Organization
bilingual tenants-rights hotline and organizing help for Chicago-area renters on repairs, deposits, and landlord problems
Phone: (773) 292-4988
Spanish Coalition for Housing
HUD-approved rental counseling connecting Chicago households to resources to keep safe, sustainable, and affordable rental housing; south office (773) 933-7575
Phone: (773) 342-7575
Access Living
HUD-listed rental housing counseling and legal help for people with disabilities in Chicago, including disability-related housing discrimination and fair-housing testing
Phone: (312) 640-2100

These are independent organisations, not DemandLetterLab.

From letter to filing

Send an Illinois security deposit demand letter stating the deposit amount supported by your records. Give the landlord your forwarding address in writing.
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 Illinois: 5 years.
Check the court's filing instructions. Keep your lease, payment records, photos, letter, and proof of delivery ready.

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

Choose how to send your letter

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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 Illinois letter template, ready to download after payment.

Certified-mail instructions: what to ask for at the counter and what it costs.
Illinois 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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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 Illinois law (765 ILCS 710/1), a landlord must return the deposit or respond in writing within [45 days / 30 days, see the note above] after [the event listed in the note above].

FAQ

How much does it cost to file in Jefferson 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 Illinois: 5 years.

Where do I file?

Circuit Court of Jefferson County - Small Claims. Courthouse city: Mount Vernon. Check the court's instructions for the right filing location.