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Georgia small claims cost guide

In Georgia you can claim up to $15,000 · no limit in eviction cases. The filing fee is Flat county fee, not tiered — state guidance: about $45–$55 including service on one defendant; Fulton Co. charges $60.

Georgia at a glance	Figure
Maximum claim	$15,000 · no limit in eviction cases
Court	Magistrate Court
Filing fee	Flat county fee, not tiered — state guidance: about $45–$55 including service on one defendant; Fulton Co. charges $60
Service of process	Service on the first defendant is usually included in the filing fee; Fulton Co. Marshal service is $50 per party where charged separately

Where you file

Georgia's small claims court is the Magistrate Court of the county where the defendant lives. You file a Statement of Claim there for up to $15,000 (the same cap applies to counterclaims, and court costs do not count toward the cap under O.C.G.A. §15-10-2).

Filing fees by claim amount

Flat county fee, not tiered — state guidance: about $45–$55 including service on one defendant; Fulton Co. charges $60. The fee is not tiered by claim size, so the same fee applies whether your claim is small or near the limit.

Service of process: options and costs

Method	Cost	Notes
Included service on one defendant	Usually bundled into the filing fee — state guidance puts the all-in filing cost at about $45–$55 including service on one defendant	The most common Georgia experience
Marshal / sheriff service	$50 per party in Fulton County; the Georgia sheriff's civil-process fee for a summons/complaint is likewise $50 (O.C.G.A. §15-16-21)	Where charged separately, e.g. Fulton County: $60 filing + $50 Marshal service
Additional defendants	About $25–$35 for service on each additional defendant (state guidance); Fulton County charges $8 per additional defendant on the filing fee itself	Varies by county

Step by step: filing in Georgia

Complete the Statement of Claim at the Magistrate Court clerk's office in the defendant's county (forms are free at the courthouse and on county court websites).
Pay the county's flat filing fee — it does not scale with your claim amount. Documented example: Fulton County charges $60 for one defendant plus $8 per additional defendant, with Marshal service at $50 per party; state consumer guidance puts typical all-in filing at about $45–$55 with first-defendant service included.
The court serves the defendant (marshal, sheriff, or other authorised method).
The defendant has 30 days to answer — the answer is free, and so is a timely counterclaim. If the defendant defaults, they may open the default only on days 31–45 after service, and only by paying all court costs.
The hearing is before a magistrate — no jury. Many magistrate courts screen cases into county ADR/mediation programs before the hearing; fees are set by the county program and are frequently free or nominal for magistrate referrals.
Either side may appeal within 30 days to State or Superior Court for a brand-new (de novo) trial where a jury is available.

Timelines and extra fees

Answer deadline: 30 days after service — free.
Default can be opened on days 31–45 only, on payment of all court costs.
Appeal window: 30 days after judgment.

The honest summary: Georgia breaks the pattern most filers expect: the fee is flat and county-set rather than tiered by claim size, and the defendant's side of the case (answer, timely counterclaim) is free. The honest statewide figure is a range — roughly $45–$80 all-in for one defendant depending on the county — because Fulton County's published $60-plus-service and the state guidance's $45–$55-including-service are both real, for different counties.

Worked total: what a case costs to file

Claim amount	Filing fee	Service	Total to file
$500	$45–$80	$0–$50	$45–$130
$2,500	$45–$80	$0–$50	$45–$130
$5,000	$45–$80	$0–$50	$45–$130

These totals are filing fee plus service only, for one defendant, before any mediation, jury, or enforcement charges itemised above. If you win, courts generally order the defendant to reimburse these costs — see recovering your court costs.

Sources: Georgia Consumer Protection Division — Magistrate Court · Fulton County Magistrate Court — Small Claims · Nolo — State Small Claims Court Dollar Limits. Researched October 2026 — confirm current figures with the court clerk.

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