How much does small claims court actually cost?
Filing a small claims case usually costs between $50 and $300 out of pocket — a filing fee that depends on your state and the size of your claim, plus the cost of formally notifying the other side. Pick your state and claim amount below for the real numbers, drawn from official court fee schedules and named legal-information roundups.
Small claims cost calculator
Enter your state and the amount you are claiming. The calculator applies that state's actual filing-fee tiers where they exist, adds a typical service-of-process cost, and shows your estimated total cost to get the case filed.
A demand letter costs about the price of a certified mailing, and community mediation is often free. Compare all three routes side by side before you pay a filing fee.
Compare the cheaper alternativesWhat you actually pay for
A small claims case has three layers of cost. The filing fee is paid to the court when you submit your claim; in most states that tier it, it rises with the amount you sue for — California charges $30 for claims up to $1,500 but $75 for claims over $5,000, and Florida's top small claims tier is $300. The service fee pays a sheriff, constable, or process server to hand the papers to the defendant (or pays the clerk to mail them, in states like New York and California that allow it). And there are smaller incidentals: copies, certified mail for a pre-suit demand letter (about $11.02 for a one-ounce certified letter with a return-receipt green card at current USPS rates), and — only if you win and the defendant won't pay — enforcement fees for a writ of execution or garnishment.
The good news, covered in our cost-recovery guide: in essentially every state, if you win, the court orders the other side to reimburse your filing and service costs on top of your claim. You front the money; you do not usually eat it.
Start with your state
Claim limits and fees are set state by state — and sometimes county by county — so the only number that matters is your state's. We maintain full cost guides for the eight most-searched states, and the complete 50-state table below.
Texas small claims cost guide
Limit $20,000 including attorney fees (excluding interest & court costs). Filing: Flat $54 in most counties — NOT tiered by claim amount ($21 state + $33 local consolidated fees).
California small claims cost guide
Limit $12,500 (individuals) · $6,250 (businesses). Filing: Statewide tiers: $30 (to $1,500) · $50 (to $5,000) · $75 (to $12,500) · $100 if you filed 12+ claims in the past year.
Florida small claims cost guide
Limit $8,000 (excluding costs, interest & attorney fees). Filing: State tiers: $55 (to $100) · $80 (to $500) · $175 (to $2,500) · $300 (to $8,000).
New York small claims cost guide
Limit $10,000 NYC · $5,000 city courts · $3,000 town & village courts. Filing: NYC & city courts: $15 (to $1,000) · $20 (above). Town & village courts: $10 (to $1,000) · $15 (above).
Illinois small claims cost guide
Limit $10,000 plus costs. Filing: Set county by county. Cook Co. (Chicago) is the most expensive: widely published at $89 (to $2,500) / $225 (above) — published sources conflict, so verify with the clerk; downstate counties are far lower.
Pennsylvania small claims cost guide
Limit $12,000 excluding interest & costs. Filing: All-in cost by tier: $67 (to $500) · $89 (to $2,000) · $111.50 (to $4,000) · $167 (to $12,000).
Ohio small claims cost guide
Limit $6,000 excluding interest & costs. Filing: No statewide fee — set by each court. Examples: Miamisburg $50 (to $3,000) / $100 (to $6,000); Norwalk $64; Wadsworth about $54; Columbus (Franklin Co.) $78 including service.
Georgia small claims cost guide
Limit $15,000 · no limit in eviction cases. Filing: Flat county fee, not tiered — state guidance: about $45–$55 including service on one defendant; Fulton Co. charges $60.
Small claims costs in all 50 states
| State & court | Maximum claim | Filing fee | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlabamaDistrict Court | $6,000 | Varies by county. Marshall Co. tiers: $64 (to $1,500) · $138 (to $3,000) · $227 (to $6,000); Barbour Co. runs $95–$258 for the same bandsSources: Alabama Courts · Jefferson County Circuit Clerk · Nolo | Fees are tiered by claim amount and set county by county — the same case can cost $64 in one county and $258 in another. No jury trial; appeal is to Circuit Court. |
| AlaskaDistrict Court | $10,000 | $75–$150 reported range, varies with claim amount and courtSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Attorneys are allowed in Alaska small claims. |
| ArizonaJustice Court — Small Claims Division | $3,500 (small claims division) | About $53–$58, varies by Justice Court precinctSources: Arizona Judicial Branch | Attorneys are not allowed unless both sides agree in writing, and there is no jury and no appeal in the small claims division. Claims of $3,500–$10,000 go to the Justice Court's regular civil division. Some roundups list $5,000 — that is not the small claims division limit; the official court packet (A.R.S. §22-503) says $3,500. |
| ArkansasDistrict Court | $5,000 | $30–$65 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Attorneys are permitted. |
| CaliforniaSuperior Court — Small Claims Division | $12,500 (individuals) · $6,250 (businesses) | Statewide tiers: $30 (to $1,500) · $50 (to $5,000) · $75 (to $12,500) · $100 if you filed 12+ claims in the past yearSources: San Francisco Superior Court · Nolo | Attorneys are barred at the hearing itself. You may file a claim over $2,500 no more than twice per calendar year. Only the defendant may appeal. |
| ColoradoCounty Court — Small Claims Division | $7,500 | Plaintiff: $31 (to $500) · $55 (to $7,500). A defendant answering without a counterclaim pays $26 / $41Sources: Nolo · LegalClarity summary of the Colora… | Attorneys are presumptively excluded — an attorney may appear only if the other side is also represented, and filing a notice of representation moves the case to county court. |
| ConnecticutSuperior Court — Small Claims Session | $5,000 · $15,000 for home-improvement contract claims | $35–$95 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Security-deposit claims may exceed the $5,000 cap. Attorneys are allowed. |
| DelawareJustice of the Peace Court | $25,000 | $35–$50 reported rangeSources: Delaware Courts · Nolo | One of the two highest limits in the country. The $25,000 cap does not apply to money claimed in commercial-lease eviction cases. Some older roundups still list $15,000 — Delaware Courts and Del. Code tit. 10 §9301 say $25,000. |
| FloridaCounty Court — Small Claims | $8,000 (excluding costs, interest & attorney fees) | State tiers: $55 (to $100) · $80 (to $500) · $175 (to $2,500) · $300 (to $8,000)Sources: Miami-Dade Clerk of Court · Florida Statutes §30.231 | A pretrial conference is mandatory and the judge typically refers the case to mediation there (county mediation often $60–$120, usually split). Some blogs quote a $400 top tier — that is the county-civil fee for claims over $8,000, not small claims. |
| GeorgiaMagistrate Court | $15,000 · no limit in eviction cases | Flat county fee, not tiered — state guidance: about $45–$55 including service on one defendant; Fulton Co. charges $60Sources: Georgia Consumer Protection Divisi… · Fulton County Magistrate Court · Nolo | The defendant's answer and a timely counterclaim are free. Court costs do not count toward the $15,000 cap. No jury in Magistrate Court — appeals are de novo to State or Superior Court. |
| HawaiiDistrict Court — Small Claims Division | $5,000 · no limit on residential security-deposit cases | $35Sources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Leased or rented personal property sued for must be worth $5,000 or less. |
| IdahoMagistrate Division of District Court | $15,000 | Idaho does not publish one statewide figure we could verify — older guides report about $69. Confirm the current fee with your county clerk before budgetingSources: Idaho Court Assistance Office | A lawyer may advise you but cannot speak for you in court. Older roundups listing a $5,000 limit are out of date — the Idaho courts' own self-help packet confirms $15,000. |
| IllinoisCircuit Court — Small Claims Part | $10,000 plus costs | Set county by county. Cook Co. (Chicago) is the most expensive: widely published at $89 (to $2,500) / $225 (above) — published sources conflict, so verify with the clerk; downstate counties are far lowerSources: Cook County Sheriff · Cook County Clerk of Court · Nolo | Attorneys are allowed and a jury trial is available on demand (Cook Co.: $12.50 for a 6-person jury, $25 for 12). Three published sources give three different Cook County filing fees — we show the range and flag it rather than pick one. |
| IndianaCircuit / Superior Court (Marion Co.: township Small Claims Courts) | $10,000 · $8,000 in Marion County | $35–$80 reported range, varies by county and courtSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Indianapolis (Marion County) cases go to township small claims courts with a lower $8,000 limit. |
| IowaDistrict Court | $6,500 | $40–$95 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Attorneys are allowed. |
| KansasDistrict Court — Small Claims | $10,000 excluding interest & costs | $47.50 (to $500) · $67.50 (to $10,000) in the 6th Judicial District example — a $35/$55 statutory docket fee plus surcharges; totals vary slightly by districtSources: Kansas Session Laws 2024, Ch. 22 · Kansas Courts | The limit rose from $4,000 to $10,000 under 2024 HB 2604 — older guides are stale. You may file at most 10 small claims per court per calendar year, and assigned or subrogated claims do not qualify. |
| KentuckyDistrict Court — Small Claims Division | $2,500 — the lowest limit in the US | $20–$50 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | At $2,500, Kentucky's cap is the lowest in the nation — many disputes that fit small claims elsewhere must be filed as regular civil cases here. |
| LouisianaCity Court or Justice of the Peace | $5,000 (city court and justice of the peace) | $35–$100 reported range, varies by courtSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Justice of the peace courts have no dollar limit in eviction cases. |
| MaineDistrict Court | $10,000 excluding interest & costs | $70 reported (2025 guide figure), plus serviceSources: Maine Judicial Branch | The limit rose from $6,000 — older guides are stale. Mediation is offered before the hearing, and a losing defendant may appeal on law and fact and demand a jury (a jury fee applies). |
| MarylandDistrict Court | $5,000 | $34–$44 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Claims of $5,000–$25,000 are still heard in District Court but proceed as regular civil cases, not small claims. |
| MassachusettsDistrict / Boston Municipal / Housing Court — Small Claims Session | $7,000 · no limit for motor-vehicle property damage | Reported tiers: $40 (to $500) · $100 (to $2,000) · $150 (to $7,000)Sources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Cases are usually heard by a clerk-magistrate. There is no cap for motor-vehicle property damage or for double/triple consumer-protection (93A) damages. |
| MichiganDistrict Court — Small Claims Division | $7,000 | Statewide tiers: $30 (to $600) · $50 (to $1,750) · $70 (to $7,000), plus the cost of certified mail or personal serviceSources: Michigan Legal Help | No lawyers are allowed in Michigan small claims — either side may remove the case to the regular civil division to use counsel. Filing in small claims also waives a jury trial. |
| MinnesotaConciliation Court (District Court) | $20,000 · only $4,000 for consumer credit transactions | About $70–$80 all-in, varies by county (filing plus law library fee); one county guide lists $78Sources: Minnesota Attorney General · Minnesota Courts | Called Conciliation Court in Minnesota. An attorney may appear only with the judge's permission. Older $15,000 figures are out of date. |
| MississippiJustice Court | $3,500 | $40–$65 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Attorneys are allowed. |
| MissouriAssociate Circuit Court | $5,000 | $25–$50 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Attorneys are allowed. |
| MontanaJustice Court / City Court | $7,000 | $30–$50 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Attorney participation is restricted; a party may opt for regular civil procedure instead. |
| NebraskaCounty Court — Small Claims | $7,500 (from 1 July 2025) | Total reported $26–$51 (a small statutory docket fee plus standard court costs), varies by countySources: Nebraska Judicial Branch | No lawyers in Nebraska small claims court — a defendant may transfer the case to the regular county-court docket to get counsel or a jury. Filing is capped at 2 per week / 10 per year. The dollar limit rises on a statutory schedule. |
| NevadaJustice Court | $10,000 | $50–$100 reported range, varies by townshipSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Most townships require mediation or annexed ADR for some claims before a hearing. |
| New HampshireCircuit Court — District Division | $10,000 | $50–$125 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Claims over $5,000 are subject to mandatory mediation. |
| New JerseySuperior Court, Special Civil Part — Small Claims Section | $5,000 (Small Claims Section) | $15–$50 reported range (per-defendant and mailing fees add to the base fee)Sources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | The Special Civil Part hears cases up to $20,000, but only claims of $5,000 or less use the small claims procedure. |
| New MexicoMagistrate Court (Bernalillo Co.: Metropolitan Court) | $10,000 | $25–$55 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Attorneys are allowed. |
| New YorkCivil / District / City / Town & Village Court — Small Claims Part | $10,000 NYC · $5,000 city courts · $3,000 town & village courts | NYC & city courts: $15 (to $1,000) · $20 (above). Town & village courts: $10 (to $1,000) · $15 (above)Sources: NY Courts | New York is the easiest state to serve in: the clerk mails the claim for you. Commercial claims cost $25 plus postage and require a certified-mail demand letter at least 10 days before filing. Free mediation is available through Community Dispute Resolution Centers in every county. |
| North CarolinaDistrict Court (heard by a magistrate) | $5,000–$10,000 — set by county | $96 (court facilities + general court of justice fees), plus sheriff service per defendantSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | The dollar limit itself varies by county (set by the chief district court judge) — ask the clerk which cap applies where you file. No jury in small claims; appeal to District Court is de novo with a jury. |
| North DakotaDistrict Court — Small Claims | $15,000 | $10–$50 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Parties generally proceed without attorneys; a defendant may elect to move the case to the regular district court docket. |
| OhioMunicipal or County Court — Small Claims Division | $6,000 excluding interest & costs | No statewide fee — set by each court. Examples: Miamisburg $50 (to $3,000) / $100 (to $6,000); Norwalk $64; Wadsworth about $54; Columbus (Franklin Co.) $78 including serviceSources: Miamisburg Municipal Court · Erie County Municipal Court · Norwalk Municipal Court · Nolo | No jury trials in Ohio small claims, money judgments only (no punitive damages), and no one may file more than 24 small claims in a calendar year. |
| OklahomaDistrict Court — Small Claims Docket | $10,000 | $40–$100 reported range, tiered by amountSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | A defendant who wants counsel or a jury may transfer the case to the regular docket. |
| OregonCircuit Court (or Justice Court) — Small Claims | $10,000 | $35–$55 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Attorneys may not appear without the court's permission, and many courts require mediation first. |
| PennsylvaniaMagisterial District Court (Philadelphia: Municipal Court) | $12,000 excluding interest & costs | All-in cost by tier: $67 (to $500) · $89 (to $2,000) · $111.50 (to $4,000) · $167 (to $12,000)Sources: 42 Pa.C.S. §1725.1 · LegalClarity summary of the UJS Ma… | The bare statute (42 Pa.C.S. §1725.1) lists base costs of $30/$40/$50/$75, but the Unified Judicial System's cost table — what you actually pay after statewide surcharges and service — is $67/$89/$111.50/$167. We quote the all-in figures. No jury; the loser may appeal within 30 days for a brand-new trial in Common Pleas. |
| Rhode IslandDistrict Court | $5,000 — but see the note | $30–$50 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Sources disagree here: Nolo lists a $5,000 limit, while several procedure guides put the District Court small claims procedure itself at $2,500, with claims up to $5,000 filed as regular civil actions. Ask the clerk which track your claim takes before filing. |
| South CarolinaMagistrate Court | $7,500 | $25–$80 reported range, varies by countySources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | A jury trial is available in magistrate court on timely demand — unusual for small claims. |
| South DakotaMagistrate Court — Small Claims | $12,000 | $30–$50 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Attorney participation is restricted. |
| TennesseeGeneral Sessions Court | $25,000 · no limit in eviction or property-recovery suits | $25–$70 reported range, varies by countySources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Tennessee has no separate small claims court — General Sessions Court is the small claims forum, and its $25,000 cap ties Delaware for the highest in the US. |
| TexasJustice Court (Justice of the Peace) | $20,000 including attorney fees (excluding interest & court costs) | Flat $54 in most counties — NOT tiered by claim amount ($21 state + $33 local consolidated fees)Sources: Texas Justice Court Training Cente… · Tarrant County Justice Courts | Texas is one of the few states where the filing fee does not grow with your claim — a $500 claim and a $19,000 claim both file for $54. Attorneys are allowed, and either side can demand a jury for a $22 fee. |
| UtahJustice Court | $20,000 including attorney fees (rises to $25,000 on 1 Jan 2030) | Tiers: $60 (to $2,000) · $100 (to $7,500) · $185 (to $20,000)Sources: Murray City Justice Court · Payson City Justice Court | The limit follows a statutory schedule in Utah Code §78A-8-102: $20,000 through 2029, then $25,000. Many courts route cases through mandatory online dispute resolution (ODR) first. No claims against government entities and no eviction claims in small claims. |
| VermontSuperior Court — Civil Division | $10,000 · only $5,000 for consumer credit & medical debt | Tiers: $65 (to $1,000) · $90 (to $10,000)Sources: Vermont Judiciary | The general limit rose from $5,000 to $10,000, but consumer credit and medical debt claims are still capped at $5,000. The filing fee is added to your judgment if you win. |
| VirginiaGeneral District Court — Small Claims Docket | $5,000 | $46–$80 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | The small claims docket is designed for parties appearing without counsel. |
| WashingtonDistrict Court — Small Claims Department | $10,000 (individuals) · $5,000 (businesses & entities) | Varies by county — published ranges disagree ($14–$29 in one roundup, $35–$50 in another); confirm with the district court clerkSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Attorneys generally may not participate without the court's permission. |
| West VirginiaMagistrate Court | $20,000 excluding interest & costs · no limit in eviction cases | Tiered by amount: reported $30 (to $500) rising to about $50–$70 over $2,000, plus a per-defendant service feeSources: West Virginia Judiciary · W.Va. Code §50-2-1 | The limit doubled from $10,000 to $20,000 in 2025 — older guides are stale. Attorneys are allowed. |
| WisconsinCircuit Court — Small Claims | $10,000 · no limit in eviction suits | $50–$95 reported range; the standard circuit-court small claims fee sits at the top of that range in most countiesSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Eviction, replevin and consumer-credit cases all use the small claims procedure. |
| WyomingCircuit Court | $6,000 | $20–$50 reported rangeSources: Nolo · FreeNetLaw | Attorneys are allowed. |
Limits: Nolo, State Small Claims Court Dollar Limits (updated July 1, 2026), corrected against official state court sources where roundups disagreed — for example Arizona ($3,500 per the Arizona Judicial Branch, not $5,000) and Delaware ($25,000 per Delaware Courts). Fees: official state and county court schedules where a state publishes one (each state's own guide page names and links them); where no statewide schedule exists, the range reported by the FreeNetLaw 50-state small claims roundup is shown and labelled “reported range” instead of a single invented number. Researched October 2026.
How this site works — and its limits
Where the numbers come from
Every fee and limit on this site was researched from a named source — an official state court fee schedule, a statute, or an established legal-information roundup such as Nolo or a state legal-aid site — and the source is named next to the figures. Where sources disagreed, we used the official court figure and said so on the page (see Cook County, Illinois, and Rhode Island).
What this site is not
This is educational information about court costs and procedure. It is not legal advice, we are not attorneys, and nothing here predicts the outcome of any case. Fees change and vary by county — before you file, confirm the current fee and limit with the clerk of the court where your case belongs. That one phone call is free and settles every number on this page.
In nearly every state the loser is ordered to reimburse your filing and service fees. Here is how that actually works, and when it doesn't.
Read: recovering your court costs