What is the small claims court limit in my state?
Limits range from $2,500 to $25,000, and some states have different limits for different courts. Small claims court is designed for people without lawyers.
Fees change often and sometimes vary by county. Check with your local court clerk before filing.
Limits and filing fees (51)
- Alabama
$6,000 on the district court small claims docket, not counting interest and costs. Filing fee: Set by claim amount and varies by county; ask the district court clerk in the county where you file.
Code of Alabama § 12-12-31 - Alaska
$10,000 in district court small claims, not counting costs, interest and attorney fees. Filing fee: Roughly $50 to $100 depending on the amount claimed; check the Alaska Court System's current fee schedule.
Alaska Statutes § 22.15.040 - Arizona
$5,000 in the small claims division of the justice court, not counting interest and costs. Filing fee: About $30 to file in most justice courts (a $25 statutory fee plus local surcharges), plus a fee for service.
Arizona Revised Statutes § 22-503 - Arkansas
$5,000 in the small claims division of district court. Filing fee: Usually between $30 and $65, plus the cost of serving the defendant.
Arkansas Attorney General, Guide to Small Claims Court - California
$12,500 for individuals. Filing fee: $30 to $75, depending on the amount and how many claims you filed this year.
California Code of Civil Procedure § 116.221 - Colorado
$7,500 in small claims court, not counting interest and costs. Filing fee: $31 for claims up to $500 and $55 for claims from $500.01 to $7,500.
Colorado Revised Statutes § 13-6-403 - Connecticut
$5,000 (up to $15,000 for home improvement contract claims); a tenant may be awarded double the deposit even above $5,000. Filing fee: $95 entry fee.
Connecticut Judicial Branch: Small Claims FAQ - Delaware
$25,000 in the Justice of the Peace Court. Filing fee: $35 to $45 for a debt claim depending on the amount (service by the court included).
Delaware Code, Title 10, § 9301 (Justice of the Peace Court civil jurisdiction) - District of Columbia
$10,000 in the Small Claims and Conciliation Branch of D.C. Superior Court. Filing fee: $5 for claims up to $500, $10 up to $2,500, and $45 up to $10,000.
D.C. Code § 11-1321 - Florida
$8,000 in county court small claims (excluding costs, interest and attorney's fees). Filing fee: $50 to $295 depending on the claim amount (statutory maximums in Fla. Stat. § 34.041), plus service costs.
Florida Courts: DIY Florida (Small Claims) - Georgia
$15,000 in magistrate court. Filing fee: set by each county's magistrate court; check with the local clerk.
Official Code of Georgia § 15-10-2 (magistrate court jurisdiction) - Hawaii
$5,000 for money claims; residential security deposit disputes are heard in small claims with no dollar limit. Filing fee: $35 filing fee, plus the cost of serving the other party.
Hawaii Revised Statutes § 633-27 - Idaho
$5,000 in the small claims department of the magistrate's division. Filing fee: About $69 statewide plus service costs; confirm the current fee with the county clerk.
Idaho Code § 1-2301 - Illinois
$10,000 (Illinois Supreme Court Rule 281). Filing fee: Varies by county and claim amount; check with the circuit court clerk (fee waivers are available).
Illinois Supreme Court Rule 281 - Indiana
$10,000 on the small claims docket. Filing fee: Varies by county (filing fee plus service fees); check with the county clerk.
Indiana Code § 33-29-2-4 - Iowa
$6,500 for money judgments. Filing fee: $115 filing fee, plus the cost of serving the other party.
Iowa Code § 631.1 - Kansas
$10,000 under the Kansas small claims procedure in district court. Filing fee: $35 for claims up to $500 and $55 for larger claims; a person may file no more than 20 small claims in the same court per year.
Kansas Statutes Annotated § 61-2703 - Kentucky
$2,500 in the small claims division of District Court. Filing fee: set by the circuit court clerk; ask the clerk in your county (a fee waiver can be requested).
Kentucky Revised Statutes § 24A.230 - Louisiana
$5,000 in the small claims division of a city court (East St. Tammany City Court follows its civil limit). Filing fee: varies by court; ask the clerk of the city court or justice of the peace court.
Louisiana Revised Statutes 13:5202 - Maine
$10,000 (since January 1, 2026), heard in District Court. Filing fee: $70 filing fee (includes a $15 mediation fee), plus an optional $15 per party for service.
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 14, § 7482 - Maryland
$5,000 in the District Court of Maryland. Filing fee: $44 to file a small claims complaint, plus a fee for serving the defendant.
Maryland Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 4-405 - Massachusetts
$7,000 (a court can still award double or treble statutory damages above this, e.g. under the security deposit law). Filing fee: $40 to $150 depending on the amount claimed, plus $7 if you file online.
Massachusetts General Laws c. 218, § 21 - Michigan
$7,000 in the small claims division of the district court. Filing fee: $25 to $65 depending on the amount claimed, plus mailing costs (some courts add a small technology fee).
Michigan Compiled Laws § 600.8401 - Minnesota
$20,000 in conciliation court ($4,000 for consumer credit claims brought by a seller or lender). Filing fee: $65 state filing fee plus a county law library fee that varies by county.
Minnesota Statutes § 491A.01 - Mississippi
$3,500 in Justice Court (Mississippi has no separate small claims court). Filing fee: Varies by county; ask the county Justice Court clerk.
Mississippi Code § 9-11-9 - Missouri
$5,000 in the small claims division of the circuit court. Filing fee: Varies by county (roughly $35 to $100 plus service costs); check with the circuit clerk.
Revised Statutes of Missouri § 482.305 - Montana
$7,000 (small claims divisions of justice and district courts). Filing fee: Set by each county justice court, typically about $30 plus service costs; check with your local justice court clerk.
Montana Code Annotated § 25-35-502 - Nebraska
$7,500 (Small Claims Court, a division of the county court, since July 1, 2025). Filing fee: $6.25 statutory filing fee (other court fees may apply), plus the cost of serving the defendant.
Nebraska Revised Statutes § 25-2802 - Nevada
$10,000 (small claims in the justice courts). Filing fee: Varies by justice court and amount claimed; in Clark County about $55 to $145, plus the cost of serving the defendant.
Nevada Revised Statutes § 73.010 - New Hampshire
$10,000 (Circuit Court, District Division; claims over $5,000 go to mandatory mediation). Filing fee: Roughly $105 to $160 depending on the amount claimed; check the court's current fee schedule. Filing is electronic through TurboCourt for self-represented people.
New Hampshire RSA 503:1 - New Jersey
$5,000 (Small Claims Section of the Special Civil Part; larger claims up to $20,000 go to the Special Civil Part). Filing fee: $35 for one defendant plus $5 for each additional defendant; a fee waiver can be requested.
New Jersey Courts: Lawsuits $5,000 or less (Small Claims) - New Mexico
$10,000 in magistrate court (and in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court). Filing fee: Varies by court; ask the magistrate or Metropolitan Court clerk, and a fee waiver may be available.
New Mexico Statutes § 35-3-3 (NMSA 1978) - New York
$10,000 in New York City (lower in city, town and village courts elsewhere). Filing fee: $15 for claims up to $1,000 and $20 above that in New York City.
New York Courts: Small Claims - North Carolina
$10,000 maximum; some counties set a lower limit (from $5,000), so check with your county clerk. Filing fee: $96, with a fee waiver available if you cannot afford it.
North Carolina General Statutes § 7A-210 - North Dakota
$15,000. Filing fee: $20, with a fee waiver available if you cannot afford it.
North Dakota Century Code § 27-08.1-01 - Ohio
$6,000 in the small claims division of municipal and county courts. Filing fee: Set by each municipal or county court, commonly about $30 to $120.
Ohio Revised Code § 1925.02 - Oklahoma
$10,000. Filing fee: Varies by county and claim amount; ask the district court clerk.
Oklahoma Statutes, Title 12, § 1751 - Oregon
$10,000 in the small claims department of circuit court (claims of $750 or less must be filed there). Filing fee: $57 if you claim $2,500 or less, $102 if you claim more (ORS 46.570), plus service costs.
Oregon Revised Statutes § 46.405 - Pennsylvania
$12,000 before a magisterial district judge (Philadelphia Municipal Court has the same limit), not counting interest and costs. Filing fee: Set by county; commonly about $60 to $150 including the cost of serving the defendant, depending on the amount claimed.
42 Pa.C.S. § 1515 (jurisdiction of magisterial district judges) - Rhode Island
$5,000 in the small claims part of District Court, not counting interest and costs. Filing fee: About $55 to file on paper (electronic filing costs more), plus the cost of serving the defendant.
Rhode Island General Laws § 10-16-1 - South Carolina
$7,500 in magistrates court (South Carolina's small claims court). Filing fee: About $80 in most magistrates courts, which usually includes service; check with your county magistrate.
South Carolina Code § 22-3-10 - South Dakota
$12,000 in small claims court, not counting allowable costs or attorney fees. Filing fee: About $25 to $43 including postage, depending on the amount claimed (about $43 for claims of $4,000 to $12,000).
South Dakota Codified Laws § 15-39-45.1 - Tennessee
$25,000 in General Sessions Court (Tennessee's small claims court). Filing fee: Varies by county; ask the General Sessions Court clerk (filing and service costs are usually paid up front).
Tennessee Code Annotated § 16-15-501 - Texas
$20,000 in justice court (small claims cases), not counting interest. Filing fee: About $54 to file in most justice courts, plus a separate fee to serve the defendant that varies by county.
Texas Government Code § 27.031 - Utah
$20,000 (including attorney fees) for claims filed 2025 through 2029. Filing fee: $60 for claims of $2,000 or less, $100 for claims over $2,000 and under $7,500, and $185 for claims of $7,500 or more.
Utah Code § 78A-8-102 - Vermont
$10,000 (consumer credit and medical debt claims are capped at $5,000). Filing fee: $65 for claims of $1,000 or less and $90 for larger claims.
12 V.S.A. § 5531 - Virginia
$5,000 in the small claims division of the general district court (larger claims go to the general district court itself). Filing fee: Varies by court; filing plus sheriff's service fees can be estimated with the General District Court fee calculator or by asking the clerk.
Code of Virginia § 16.1-122.2 - Washington
$10,000 for individuals ($5,000 for other plaintiffs) in the small claims department of district court. Filing fee: $35 plus any local dispute-resolution surcharge set by the county, plus the cost of serving the defendant.
Revised Code of Washington § 12.40.010 - West Virginia
$20,000 in magistrate court (West Virginia has no separate small claims court). Filing fee: $30 to $50 depending on the amount claimed, plus an additional $20 civil filing fee and service costs; ask the magistrate clerk for the current total.
West Virginia Code § 50-2-1 (as amended by 2025 Enrolled Committee Substitute for House Bill 2761) - Wisconsin
$10,000 for most money claims in small claims court (lower limits apply to some claim types, such as personal injury). Filing fee: About $94.50 in most counties (varies by county and claim amount), plus service costs and any e-filing fee.
Wisconsin Statutes § 799.01(1)(d) - Wyoming
$6,000 in small claims in circuit court. Filing fee: $10, plus a sheriff or process server fee for serving each defendant.
Wyoming Statutes § 1-21-201
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