Hamilton County, Tennessee: Small Claims for a Security Deposit

Limits: $25,000 (General Sessions Court (statewide civil jurisdiction limit commonly used for deposit suits) only). E-filing: No. Court: Hamilton County General Sessions Court, Civil Division. County filing fee: $271.25 for a civil warrant with one sheriff service: $50 clerk, $52 sheriff, and $169.25 taxes.

Filing facts

State small claims limits	$25,000 (General Sessions Court (statewide civil jurisdiction limit commonly used for deposit suits) only)
County filing fee	$271.25 for a civil warrant with one sheriff service: $50 clerk, $52 sheriff, and $169.25 taxes.
E-filing	No
Time limit to sue in Tennessee	6 years.
State deposit return deadline	No fixed statutory deadline (landlord must send notification of any refund due to last known or reasonably determinable address after tenant leaves not owing rent); landlord must send notification of any refund due to last known or reasonably determinable address after tenant leaves not owing rent. no fixed statutory number of days to return the deposit itself; statute requires notification of refund amount but does not set a calendar return deadline. 60 calendar days after landlord sends notification of refund amount due. if tenant does not respond, landlord may remove and retain the deposit free of tenant claims (unclaimed funds rule, not a return deadline). 30 calendar days after tenant vacated or abandoned the premises. outer limit for landlord to discover and recover costs of additional physical damages after inspection (or 7 days after a new tenant takes possession, if earlier). 7 calendar days after a new tenant takes possession. alternate outer limit for discovering additional physical damages after inspection (whichever of 30 days after vacate or 7 days after new possession is earlier).
Penalty formula	landlord may not retain any portion of the deposit if deposit was not held in the required account and a damage listing is not provided as required; tenant may sue in circuit or general sessions court limited to items specifically dissented. Bad faith required: No.
Deposit statute	Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301

More than one fee amount is listed; confirm which one applies with the court.

Where to file

Hamilton County General Sessions Court, Civil Division

Courthouse city: Chattanooga

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 check not recorded

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

Rent and deposits in Hamilton County

County median gross rent: $1,163 per month.

County median gross rent by bedroom count
Bedrooms	Monthly rent
Studio	$937
1 bedroom	$1,054
2 bedrooms	$1,139
3 bedrooms	$1,335
4 bedrooms	$1,519

Illustrative deposit example computed from the county median rent: one month of the Census two-bedroom median is $1,139; two months is $2,278. 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 $1,139.

State legal maximum deposit in Tennessee: No statewide statutory maximum under § 66-28-301.

Total households in Hamilton County: 151,316.

Renter households: 53,947 (35.7% of all households).

Renters spending more than half their household income on rent: 5.9%. 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 Hamilton County, $1,139 per month.

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

Compared with $25,000 (General Sessions Court (statewide civil jurisdiction limit commonly used for deposit suits) only), 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.

Chattanooga
Collegedale
East Ridge
Lakesite
Lookout Mountain
Red Bank
Ridgeside
Signal Mountain
Soddy-Daisy
Walden

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

Free help in Hamilton County

Legal Aid of East Tennessee
Free civil legal help for eligible East Tennessee residents, including eviction and tenant rights. Listed phone is Knoxville; Chattanooga/Cleveland: (800) 572-7457; Johnson City: (800) 821-1312; Morristown: (800) 821-1309; Maryville: (865) 981-1818.
Phone: (865) 637-0484

These are independent organisations, not DemandLetterLab.

From letter to filing

Send a Tennessee 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 30 days after your letter.
Time limit to sue in Tennessee: 6 years.
Check the court's filing instructions. Keep your lease, payment records, photos, letter, and proof of delivery ready.

This template uses Tennessee 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 Tennessee letter template, ready to download after payment.

Certified-mail instructions: what to ask for at the counter and what it costs.
Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee law (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301), a landlord must return the deposit or send a written, itemized list of deductions.

FAQ

How much does it cost to file in Hamilton County?

County filing fee: $271.25 for a civil warrant with one sheriff service: $50 clerk, $52 sheriff, and $169.25 taxes.

How long do I have to sue?

Time limit to sue in Tennessee: 6 years.

Where do I file?

Hamilton County General Sessions Court, Civil Division. Courthouse city: Chattanooga. Check the court's instructions for the right filing location.