Otter Tail County, Minnesota: Where to File a Security Deposit Claim and What It Costs

Listed court is Otter Tail County Conciliation Court in Fergus Falls. Check venue on the court's official page or with the clerk. Filing fee: set by the court; see its fee table. Claims up to $20,000. Minnesota return time: 21 calendar days or another period by condition. ACS two-bedroom rent: $865. Enter your dates below and send the dated letter first.

Court listed	Otter Tail County Conciliation Court
City	Fergus Falls
Statewide filing fee	Current court fee schedule
Small claims limit	$20,000 (conciliation court (statewide) only)
State deposit return deadline	21 calendar days after termination of the tenancy and after receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions. Applies when: ordinary termination (three weeks = 21 days). 5 calendar days after tenant leaves due to legal condemnation of the building/dwelling for reasons not due to willful, malicious, or irresponsible conduct of the tenant, and after receipt of mailing address or delivery instructions. Applies when: the building was legally condemned.
Time limit to sue	6 years
Deposit statute	Minn. Stat. § 504B.178

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: $20,000 (conciliation court (statewide) only).

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Details of the return rules

Minnesota statutory deadlines
When it applies	Deadline	Starts from
It ended the normal way	21 days	after termination of the tenancy and after receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions
I had to leave because the building was condemned, and not because of anything I did	5 days	after tenant leaves due to legal condemnation of the building/dwelling for reasons not due to willful, malicious, or irresponsible conduct of the tenant, and after receipt of mailing address or delivery instructions

Minnesota return rule: 21 calendar days (ordinary termination (three weeks = 21 days)). Check the dates you entered above.

Court listed for this county: Otter Tail County Conciliation Court. 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 Otter Tail County.
The Minnesota business registry for an LLC or management company: its exact legal name and registered agent. Minnesota Secretary of State (check the link; report an error if it is wrong)

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 Minnesota filing procedure before you go.

Court forms

Service methods: certified mail by clerk.

Procedure source (medium confidence): You can use Minnesota Guide & File to create the forms you need to start a Conciliation Court case. You may be able to file the forms electronically (eFile) through Guide & File.

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 Otter Tail 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	$594	Formula requires case facts	Check the formula	Check the applicable limit and remedy
2	$865	Formula requires case facts	Check the formula	Check the applicable limit and remedy
3	$1,117	Formula requires case facts	Check the formula	Check the applicable limit and remedy
4	$1,144	Formula requires case facts	Check the formula	Check the applicable limit and remedy

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 Otter Tail County compare with other Minnesota counties?

The two-bedroom median gross rent is $865: rank 46 of 87 counties with this metric in U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. 20.8% of households rent in Otter Tail County.

Otter Tail County two-bedroom rent $865, rank 46 of 87 counties

Nearby counties in the two-bedroom rent ranking
County	Median gross rent
Waseca County	$869
Pope County	$868
Otter Tail County	$865
Roseau County	$862
Cass County	$860
Cook County	$860

Ranking uses the same ACS metric and period within this state; ties share a rank. Coverage is 87 of 87 listed counties. Census source.

Places in Otter Tail County

Battle Lake
Bluffton
Clitherall
Dalton
Deer Creek
Dent
Elizabeth
Erhard
Fergus Falls
Henning
New York Mills
Ottertail
Parkers Prairie
Pelican Rapids
Perham
Richville
Rothsay
Underwood
Urbank
Vergas
Vining
Wadena

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

Justice North: free civil legal help for people facing loss of housing or other civil legal challenges; Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota merged into Justice North
HOME Line: free legal help for Minnesota renters, including a tenant hotline on evictions, repairs, deposits, and other landlord-tenant problems
Anishinabe Legal Services: free civil legal help for low-income people living on or near the Leech Lake, Red Lake, and White Earth Reservations, including evictions from tribal/public housing and lease-violation cases

FAQ

How much does it cost to file in Otter Tail County?

The court sets the fee. Check the current schedule. Court page

Where do I file a deposit claim in Otter Tail County?

Otter Tail County Conciliation Court 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.