St. Clair County, Illinois: Where to File a Security Deposit Claim and What It Costs

Listed court is 20th Judicial Circuit Court - St. Clair County Circuit Clerk, Small Claims (SC case type) in Belleville. Check venue on the court's official page or with the clerk. Filing fee: see the fee table. Claims up to $2,500. Illinois return time: 45 days or another period by condition. ACS two-bedroom rent: $1,031. Enter your dates below and send the dated letter first.

Court listed	20th Judicial Circuit Court - St. Clair County Circuit Clerk, Small Claims (SC case type)
City	Belleville
Address	10 Public Square, Belleville, IL 62220
Phone	(618) 277-6600
Statewide filing fee	Per Circuit Clerk Fee Schedule (co.st-clair.il.us); jury-demand fee $12.50 (six-person)/$25 (twelve-person); base filing tier not independently confirmed - verify with clerk; note the $2,500 figure may reflect an older/local case-type split rather than the current statewide $10,000 cap
Small claims limit	$2,500
State deposit return deadline	45 days after the date the lessee vacated the premises. Applies when: 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. Applies when: lessor deducts for damages; itemized statement of damages with estimated or actual repair costs.
Time limit to sue	5 years
Deposit statute	765 ILCS 710/1 (Security Deposit Return Act); related: 765 ILCS 715/1 (Security Deposit Interest Act)

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.

Details

Limits: $10,000 (statewide).

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Details of the return rules

Illinois statutory deadlines
When it applies	Deadline	Starts from
no itemized statement and receipts furnished within the 30-day window; the full deposit is due	45 days	the date the lessee vacated the premises

Illinois return rule: 45 days (no itemized statement and receipts furnished within the 30-day window; the full deposit is due). Check the dates you entered above.

Court listed for this county: 20th Judicial Circuit Court - St. Clair County Circuit Clerk, Small Claims (SC case type). Check venue on the official court page or with the clerk.

Free dated DOCX by email. Print-ready state PDF kit: $29. Letter preparation and mailing: $49.

Who do you name in the claim?

Find and compare the legal names

Find and compare the legal names in these records:

The lease: the Landlord or Owner line and who signed.
The deposit receipt or the account your rent went to.
The owner of record in the property records of St. Clair County.
The Illinois business registry for an LLC or management company: its exact legal name and registered agent. Illinois Secretary of State

A registered agent receives court papers for a company; it is not the defendant.

This page shows where the names are recorded; it does not decide who is legally liable.

What to bring to the clerk

Your lease.
Deposit receipt or payment record.
The demand letter and proof of delivery.
Move-out photos and an inventory or condition report.

Check the Illinois filing procedure before you go.

Court forms

Service methods: constable or sheriff; private process server.

Procedure source (medium confidence): The Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice has approved the following forms. All Illinois Courts must accept these forms.

Is it worth filing here?

Illustration: a deposit equal to one month's ACS median gross rent (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates) for a home in St. Clair County. This is calculated from rent, not measured deposits. The statutory amount requires the rule's conditions.

Bedrooms

Bedrooms	Deposit owed	Statutory amount	Total illustration	Limit check
1	$766	$766	$1,532	Fits under the $10,000 limit for this illustrated claim
2	$1,031	$1,031	$2,062	Fits under the $10,000 limit for this illustrated claim
3	$1,236	$1,236	$2,472	Fits under the $10,000 limit for this illustrated claim
4	$1,638	$1,638	$3,276	Fits under the $10,000 limit for this illustrated claim

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates, tables B25064, B25031, B25003, B25070; accessed 2026-09-21. Penalty rule.

How does St. Clair County compare with other Illinois counties?

The two-bedroom median gross rent is $1,031: rank 14 of 102 counties with this metric in U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. 32.2% of households rent in St. Clair County.

St. Clair County two-bedroom rent $1,031, rank 14 of 102 counties

Nearby counties in the two-bedroom rent ranking
County	Median gross rent
Monroe County	$1,036
Boone County	$1,031
St. Clair County	$1,031
Winnebago County	$992
Peoria County	$989
Madison County	$987

Ranking uses the same ACS metric and period within this state; ties share a rank. Coverage is 102 of 103 listed counties. Census source.

Places in St. Clair County

Alorton
Belleville
Brooklyn
Cahokia
Caseyville
Centreville
Collinsville
Columbia
Dupo
East Carondelet
East St. Louis
Fairmont City
Fairview Heights
Fayetteville
Freeburg
Hecker
Lebanon
Lenzburg
Madison
Marissa
Mascoutah
Millstadt
New Athens
New Baden
O'Fallon

And 7 more.

These are Census places in the county. Check the rental's address with the clerk to find the court.

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

Free legal help

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
Metropolitan Tenants Organization: bilingual tenants-rights hotline and organizing help for Chicago-area renters on repairs, deposits, and landlord problems
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
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

FAQ

How much does it cost to file in St. Clair County?

Statewide filing fee: Per Circuit Clerk Fee Schedule (co.st-clair.il.us); jury-demand fee $12.50 (six-person)/$25 (twelve-person); base filing tier not independently confirmed - verify with clerk; note the $2,500 figure may reflect an older/local case-type split rather than the current statewide $10,000 cap.

Where do I file a deposit claim in St. Clair County?

20th Judicial Circuit Court - St. Clair County Circuit Clerk, Small Claims (SC case type) is listed. 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. Court page

Who should I name in the claim?

Compare the legal names on the lease, deposit receipt, property records and business registry. A registered agent receives papers for a company; it is not the defendant.

What should I bring to the clerk?

Bring your lease, deposit receipt, demand letter, proof of delivery, photos and any move-out inventory.