Yakima County, Washington: Where to File a Security Deposit Claim and What It Costs

Listed court is Yakima County District Court, Small Claims in Yakima (also Grandview office). Check venue on the court's official page or with the clerk. Filing fee: $50. Claims up to $10,000. Washington return time: 30 days. ACS two-bedroom rent: $1,077. Enter your dates below and send the dated letter first.

Court listed	Yakima County District Court, Small Claims
City	Yakima (also Grandview office)
Address	128 N 2nd St, Ste 217, Yakima, WA 98901-2639
Phone	509-574-1804
Statewide filing fee	$50
E-filing	Yes, see filing page
Small claims limit	$10,000 (statewide)
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).
Time limit to sue	3 years
Deposit statute	RCW 59.18.260, RCW 59.18.280 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Act)

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: $10,000 (statewide).

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Details of the return rules

Washington statutory deadlines
When it applies	Deadline	Starts from
Deposit return	30 days	Termination of the rental agreement and vacation of the premises (or, if tenant abandons, within 30 days after landlord learns of the abandonment)

Washington return rule: 30 days. Check the dates you entered above.

Court listed for this county: Yakima County District Court, Small Claims. 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 Yakima County.
The Washington business registry for an LLC or management company: its exact legal name and registered agent. Washington 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.

Check the Washington filing procedure before you go.

Court forms

Service methods: private process server; constable or sheriff.

Procedure source (high confidence): The filing fee will be either $35 or $50 depending on whether the county where the case is filed supports a dispute resolution center.

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 Yakima 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	$766	$766	$1,532	Fits under the $10,000 limit for this illustrated claim
2	$1,077	$1,077	$2,154	Fits under the $10,000 limit for this illustrated claim
3	$1,315	$1,315	$2,630	Fits under the $10,000 limit for this illustrated claim
4	$1,340	$1,340	$2,680	Fits under the $10,000 limit for this illustrated claim

At 1 bedrooms, the statewide filing fee of $50 is about 7% of the illustrated deposit. Filing costs for other claim sizes may differ.

At 2 bedrooms, the statewide filing fee of $50 is about 5% of the illustrated deposit. Filing costs for other claim sizes may differ.

At 3 bedrooms, the statewide filing fee of $50 is about 4% of the illustrated deposit. Filing costs for other claim sizes may differ.

At 4 bedrooms, the statewide filing fee of $50 is about 4% of the illustrated deposit. Filing costs for other claim sizes may differ.

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 Yakima County compare with other Washington counties?

The two-bedroom median gross rent is $1,077: rank 25 of 38 counties with this metric in U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. 37.6% of households rent in Yakima County.

Yakima County two-bedroom rent $1,077, rank 25 of 38 counties

Nearby counties in the two-bedroom rent ranking
County	Median gross rent
Lewis County	$1,098
Skamania County	$1,096
Yakima County	$1,077
Grays Harbor County	$1,058
Grant County	$1,052
Whitman County	$1,044

Ranking uses the same ACS metric and period within this state; ties share a rank. Coverage is 38 of 39 listed counties. Census source.

Places in Yakima County

Grandview
Granger
Harrah
Mabton
Moxee
Naches
Selah
Sunnyside
Tieton
Toppenish
Union Gap
Wapato
Yakima
Zillah

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

Northwest Justice Project: Free legal help for eligible Washington renters facing eviction; phone is the statewide Eviction Defense Screening Line.
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.

FAQ

How much does it cost to file in Yakima County?

Statewide filing fee: $50.

Where do I file a deposit claim in Yakima County?

Yakima County District Court, Small Claims 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.