Chittenden, Vermont: Small Claims for a Security Deposit

Limits: $10,000 (Superior Court Civil Division small claims only). E-filing: Not verified. Court: Chittenden Superior Court, Civil Division.

Filing facts

State small claims limits	$10,000 (Superior Court Civil Division small claims only)
Statewide filing fee	Set by the court; call the clerk or check the court page. Official court website
E-filing	Not verified
Time limit to sue in Vermont	6 years.
State deposit return deadline	14 calendar days after from the date the landlord discovers the tenant vacated or abandoned, or the date the tenant vacated if the landlord received notice of that date. ordinary (non-seasonal primary) dwelling unit. 60 calendar days after vacancy for seasonal occupancy. seasonal occupancy and rental of a dwelling unit not intended as a primary residence.
Penalty formula	failure to return deposit with itemized statement within the applicable deadline: landlord forfeits right to withhold any portion; if the failure is willful, landlord also liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Bad faith required: No.
Deposit statute	9 V.S.A. § 4461

Where to file

Chittenden Superior Court, Civil Division

Courthouse city: Burlington

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 Vermont for the state filing procedure.

Rent and deposits in Chittenden

County median gross rent: $1,590 per month.

County median gross rent by bedroom count
Bedrooms	Monthly rent
Studio	$1,178
1 bedroom	$1,312
2 bedrooms	$1,670
3 bedrooms	$2,007
4 bedrooms	$2,032

Illustrative deposit example computed from the county median rent: one month of the Census two-bedroom median is $1,670; two months is $3,340. 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 $1,670.

State legal maximum deposit in Vermont: No statewide statutory cap. Towns and municipalities may adopt supplemental ordinances (not inconsistent with § 4461 minimum protections); local caps may apply (e.g., Burlington).

Total households in Chittenden: 70,443.

Renter households: 25,672 (36.4% of all households).

Renters spending more than half their household income on rent: 3.2%. 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 Chittenden, $1,670 per month.

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

Compared with $10,000 (Superior Court Civil Division small claims 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.

Burlington
Essex Junction
Jericho
South Burlington
Winooski

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

Statewide help

Vermont Legal Aid
Free civil legal help for eligible Vermonters, including evictions and landlord problems, through joint intake with Legal Services Vermont. At access, funding cuts mean no callbacks or phone advice for security-deposit disputes or private-market rent increases.
Phone: (800) 889-2047
Legal Services Vermont
Free civil legal help and screening of requests for Vermont residents or Vermont legal issues; shared intake with Vermont Legal Aid handles eligible housing matters. At access, security-deposit disputes and private-market rent increases are excluded from callbacks and phone advice.
Phone: (800) 889-2047

These are independent organisations, not DemandLetterLab.

From letter to filing

Send a Vermont 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 14 days after your letter.
Time limit to sue in Vermont: 6 years.
Check the court's filing instructions. Keep your lease, payment records, photos, letter, and proof of delivery ready.

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

Certified-mail instructions: what to ask for at the counter and what it costs.
Vermont 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 Vermont 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 Vermont law (9 V.S.A. § 4461), a landlord must return the deposit or respond in writing within [14 calendar days / 60 calendar days, see the note above] after [the event listed in the note above].

FAQ

How much does it cost to file in Chittenden?

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 Vermont: 6 years.

Where do I file?

Chittenden Superior Court, Civil Division. Courthouse city: Burlington. Check the court's instructions for the right filing location.