Grant County, Washington: Small Claims for a Security Deposit

Limits: $10,000 (statewide). Court: Grant County District Court - Small Claims.

Filing facts

State small claims limits	$10,000 (statewide)
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 Washington	3 years.
State deposit return deadline	30 days after Termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises (or, if tenant abandons, within 30 days after landlord learns of the abandonment).
Penalty formula	If landlord fails to provide the statement/refund within 30 days, landlord becomes liable to tenant for the full amount of the deposit; if the court finds the landlord's refusal to give the statement, documentation, or refund was "intentional," the court may in its discretion award up to 2x the deposit amount, plus the prevailing party (tenant, if they win) may recover costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. If the landlord fails to provide the initial move-in checklist (RCW 59.18.260) before collecting a deposit, landlord is liable for the full deposit amount plus costs/fees. Bad faith required: Yes.
Deposit statute	RCW 59.18.260, RCW 59.18.280 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Act)

Where to file

Grant County District Court - Small Claims

Courthouse city: Ephrata

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 checked 2026-09-20

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

Rent and deposits in Grant County

County median gross rent: $1,059 per month.

County median gross rent by bedroom count
Bedrooms	Monthly rent
Studio	$875
1 bedroom	$724
2 bedrooms	$1,052
3 bedrooms	$1,199
4 bedrooms	$1,355

Illustrative deposit example computed from the county median rent: one month of the Census two-bedroom median is $1,052; two months is $2,104. 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 $1,052.

State legal maximum deposit in Washington: not capped statewide by RCW 59.18 (some local ordinances, e.g. Seattle, add rules, but no statewide dollar cap).

Total households in Grant County: 34,502.

Renter households: 11,853 (34.4% of all households).

Renters spending more than half their household income on rent: 11.6%. 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 Grant County, $1,052 per month.

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

Compared with $10,000 (statewide), 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.

Coulee City
Coulee Dam
Electric City
Ephrata
George
Grand Coulee
Hartline
Krupp (Marlin)
Mattawa
Moses Lake
Quincy
Royal City
Soap Lake
Warden
Wilson Creek

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

Courthouse details

Address: 35 C St NW, Fl 3, Ephrata, WA 98823-1685

Phone: 509-754-2011 ext 3101

Address and phone checked against the court's own page on 2026-09-21

Court contact source

Statewide help

Northwest Justice Project
Free legal help for eligible Washington renters facing eviction; phone is the statewide Eviction Defense Screening Line.
Phone: (855) 657-8387
Tenants Union of Washington State
Free tenant-rights education and counseling by trained non-attorney counselors, including landlord-tenant questions and preventing housing loss; not attorney representation.
Phone: (206) 723-0500

These are independent organisations, not DemandLetterLab.

From letter to filing

Send a Washington 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 Washington: 3 years.
Check the court's filing instructions. Keep your lease, payment records, photos, letter, and proof of delivery ready.

This template uses Washington law. Your county decides where you file, not which law applies.

Choose how to send your letter

We mail it, or you mail it.

$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.

Write and mail my letter for $49

$29, you send it.

A print-ready PDF of the Washington letter template, ready to download after payment.

Certified-mail instructions: what to ask for at the counter and what it costs.
Washington 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.

If you cannot access or use the kit files, contact us for a replacement or a full refund.

Get the Washington kit for $29

Self-help document service. No account is required on Demand Letter Lab.

Free Washington 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 Washington law (RCW 59.18.260, RCW 59.18.280), a landlord must return the deposit or send a written, itemized list of deductions within 30 days after termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises (or, if tenant abandons, within 30 days after landlord learns of the abandonment).

FAQ

How much does it cost to file in Grant County?

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 Washington: 3 years.

Where do I file?

Grant County District Court - Small Claims. Courthouse city: Ephrata. Check the court's instructions for the right filing location.