Gallatin, Montana: Where to File a Security Deposit Claim and What It Costs

Listed court is Gallatin County Justice Court in Bozeman. 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 $7,000. Montana return time: 10 calendar days or another period by condition. ACS two-bedroom rent: $1,472. Enter your dates below and send the dated letter first.

Court listed	Gallatin County Justice Court
City	Bozeman
Statewide filing fee	Current court fee schedule
E-filing	Yes, see filing page
Small claims limit	$7,000
State deposit return deadline	10 calendar days after termination / inspection path with no charges. Applies when: after inspection there are no damages, no cleaning required, no unpaid rent, and tenant demonstrates no unpaid utilities. 30 calendar days after subsequent to the termination of a tenancy or subsequent to surrender and acceptance of the leasehold premises, whichever occurs first. Applies when: ordinary path when deductions or itemized list of rent/damage/cleaning charges apply.
Time limit to sue	8 years
Deposit statute	Mont. Code Ann. §§ 70-25-201 to 70-25-206 (esp. §§ 70-25-202, 70-25-203)

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: $7,000 (Justice Court / City Court small claims only).

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Details of the return rules

Montana statutory deadlines
When it applies	Deadline	Starts from
after inspection there are no damages, no cleaning required, no unpaid rent, and tenant demonstrates no unpaid utilities	10 days	after termination / inspection path with no charges
ordinary path when deductions or itemized list of rent/damage/cleaning charges apply	30 days	subsequent to the termination of a tenancy or subsequent to surrender and acceptance of the leasehold premises, whichever occurs first

Montana return rule: 10 calendar days (after inspection there are no damages, no cleaning required, no unpaid rent, and tenant demonstrates no unpaid utilities). Check the dates you entered above.

Court listed for this county: Gallatin County Justice 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 Gallatin.
The Montana business registry for an LLC or management company: its exact legal name and registered agent. Montana 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.

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 Gallatin. 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	$1,120	$0	$1,120	Fits under the $7,000 limit for this illustrated claim
2	$1,472	$0	$1,472	Fits under the $7,000 limit for this illustrated claim
3	$1,988	$0	$1,988	Fits under the $7,000 limit for this illustrated claim
4	$2,247	$0	$2,247	Fits under the $7,000 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 Gallatin compare with other Montana counties?

The two-bedroom median gross rent is $1,472: rank 1 of 56 counties with this metric in U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. 38.5% of households rent in Gallatin.

Gallatin two-bedroom rent $1,472, rank 1 of 56 counties

Nearby counties in the two-bedroom rent ranking
County	Median gross rent
Gallatin	$1,472
Gallatin County	$1,472
Missoula	$1,149
Missoula County	$1,149
Flathead	$1,127
Flathead County	$1,127

Ranking uses the same ACS metric and period within this state; ties share a rank. Coverage is 56 of 61 listed counties. Census source.

Places in Gallatin

Belgrade
Bozeman
Manhattan
Three Forks
West Yellowstone

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

Montana Legal Services Association: Free civil legal help for low-income Montanans, including rental repairs, deposits and evictions. At access, reduced staffing limits returned voicemails from new applicants to domestic-violence matters and evictions involving public housing or Section 8; the site says normal staffing resumes October 5.

FAQ

How much does it cost to file in Gallatin?

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

Where do I file a deposit claim in Gallatin?

Gallatin County Justice 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.