Small Claims Court Limits by State (2026)
Dataset last updated · 51 jurisdictions · License CC BY 4.0 · Download CSV / JSON
Small claims limits across the 50 states and DC range from $2,500 in Kentucky to $25,000 in Delaware and Tennessee. The median limit is $7,500, and 27 of 51 jurisdictions allow claims of at least that amount. Typical filing fees run from $10 at the low end to $300 at the high end, usually depending on the amount claimed and the county.
Sort by clicking a column header. Statute of limitations shown as written / oral contract, in years.
| State ▲ | Limit ⇵ | Filing fee ⇵ | Claim form | Attorneys? | Appeal | SOL (yrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $6,000 | $257 | Statement of Claim | Yes | Circuit Court, 14 days | 6 / 6 |
| Alaska | $10,000 | $75-$150 | Small Claims Complaint (Form SC-1) | Yes | Superior Court, 30 days | 3 / 3 |
| Arizona | $5,000 | $23-$73 | Plaintiff's Statement of Claim (Small Claims, Justice Court) | No | Superior Court, 14 days | 6 / 3 |
| Arkansas | $5,000 | $30-$65 | Statement of Claim | Yes | Circuit Court, 30 days | 5 / 5 |
| California | $12,500 | $30-$75 | SC-100 (Plaintiff's Claim and ORDER to Go to Small Claims Court) | No | Defendant only, 30 days | 4 / 2 |
| Colorado | $7,500 | $31-$55 | Notice, Claim, and Summons to Appear (JDF 250) | Yes | District Court, 14 days | 6 / 6 |
| Connecticut | $5,000 | $50-$100 | Small Claims Writ and Notice of Suit (Form JD-CV-40) | Yes | Appellate Court, 20 days | 6 / 3 |
| Delaware | $25,000 | $35-$50 | Civil Complaint (Justice of the Peace Court) | Yes | Superior Court, 15 days | 3 / 3 |
| District of Columbia | $10,000 | $45-$120 | Statement of Claim (Small Claims and Conciliation Branch, DC Superior Court) | |||
| Florida | $8,000 | $55-$300 | Statement of Claim (Form 7.330) - Florida Small Claims Rules | Yes | Circuit Court, 30 days | 5 / 4 |
| Georgia | $15,000 | $45-$75 | Statement of Claim (Magistrate Court civil claim form) | Yes | Superior Court, 30 days | 6 / 4 |
| Hawaii | $5,000 | $35-$55 | Statement of Claim and Notice (Form DC-37) | No | Circuit Court, 30 days | 6 / 6 |
| Idaho | $5,000 | $69-$166 | Small Claims Complaint | Yes | District Court, 21 days | 5 / 4 |
| Illinois | $10,000 | $20-$75 | Small Claims Complaint (Form SC-C 1.1 / county equivalent) | Yes | Appellate Court, 30 days | 5 / 5 |
| Indiana | $8,000 | $35-$85 | Notice of Claim | Yes | Court of Appeals, 30 days | 6 / 6 |
| Iowa | $6,500 | $50-$95 | Original Notice and Petition (Small Claims) | Yes | District Court, 20 days | 5 / 5 |
| Kansas | $4,000 | $25-$55 | Plaintiff's Small Claims Petition | No | District Court, 14 days | 5 / 3 |
| Kentucky | $2,500 | $25-$50 | Complaint (Form AOC-175) | Yes | Circuit Court, 30 days | 5 / 5 |
| Louisiana | $5,000 | $35-$100 | Statement of Claim (City/Parish Court) | Yes | Appellate Court, 30 days | 10 / 10 |
| Maine | $6,000 | $50-$80 | Statement of Claim (Form SC-001) | Yes | Superior Court, 30 days | 6 / 6 |
| Maryland | $5,000 | $34-$60 | Complaint (Form DC-CV-001) | Yes | Circuit Court, 30 days | 3 / 3 |
| Massachusetts | $7,000 | $40-$150 | Statement of Small Claim and Notice (Form SC-1, obtained from the Small Claims Clerk) | Yes | Jury trial, 10 days | 6 / 6 |
| Michigan | $6,500 | $30-$70 | Affidavit and Claim - Small Claims (Form DC 84) | No | No appeal allowed | 6 / 6 |
| Minnesota | $15,000 | $50-$75 | Statement of Claim and Summons (Conciliation Court) | Yes | District Court, 20 days | 6 / 6 |
| Mississippi | $3,500 | $25-$50 | Complaint (Justice Court) | Yes | Circuit Court, 10 days | 3 / 3 |
| Missouri | $5,000 | $25-$50 | Statement of Small Claim | Yes | Circuit Court, 10 days | 5 / 5 |
| Montana | $7,000 | $10-$30 | Statement of Claim | No | District Court, 10 days | 5 / 5 |
| Nebraska | $3,600 | $26-$58 | Claim - Small Claims Court | No | District Court, 30 days | 5 / 4 |
| Nevada | $10,000 | $40-$100 | Affidavit of Complaint | Yes | District Court, 30 days | 6 / 4 |
| New Hampshire | $10,000 | $50-$100 | Small Claim Complaint | Yes | Superior Court, 30 days | 3 / 3 |
| New Jersey | $5,000 | $15-$50 | Small Claims Complaint (Appendix XI-C / form CN 10532, from any Special Civil Part office or njcourts.gov) | Yes | Appellate Division, 45 days | 6 / 6 |
| New Mexico | $10,000 | $25-$45 | Civil Complaint (Metropolitan/Magistrate Court) | Yes | District Court, 15 days | 6 / 4 |
| New York | $10,000 | $15-$20 | Statement of Claim (filed with the Small Claims Clerk) | Yes | Defendant only, 30 days | 6 / 6 |
| North Carolina | $10,000 | $30-$96 | Complaint (Form AOC-CVM-200) and Magistrate Summons (Form AOC-CVM-100) | Yes | District Court, 10 days | 3 / 3 |
| North Dakota | $15,000 | $10-$50 | Small Claims Affidavit | Yes | District Court, 30 days | 6 / 6 |
| Ohio | $6,000 | $30-$50 | Statement of Claim (Small Claims complaint, filed with the Clerk of Courts) | Yes | Court of Appeals, 30 days | 6 / 6 |
| Oklahoma | $10,000 | $20-$58 | Small Claims Affidavit | Yes | District Court, 30 days | 5 / 3 |
| Oregon | $10,000 | $35-$55 | Small Claim and Notice of Small Claim | No | Circuit Court, 30 days | 6 / 6 |
| Pennsylvania | $12,000 | $40-$100 | Civil Complaint (Form AOPC 308A) - filed with the Magisterial District Court | Yes | Court of Common Pleas, 30 days | 4 / 4 |
| Rhode Island | $5,000 | $30-$50 | Small Claim Complaint | Yes | Superior Court, 5 days | 10 / 10 |
| South Carolina | $7,500 | $40-$80 | Summons and Complaint (Magistrate Court) | Yes | Circuit Court, 30 days | 3 / 3 |
| South Dakota | $12,000 | $25-$50 | Small Claims Statement | Yes | Circuit Court, 10 days | 6 / 6 |
| Tennessee | $25,000 | $25-$60 | Civil Warrant (General Sessions Court) | Yes | Circuit Court, 10 days | 6 / 6 |
| Texas | $20,000 | $31-$84 | Small Claims Petition (Justice Court Civil Case Information Sheet + Petition) | Yes | County Court, 21 days | 4 / 4 |
| Utah | $11,000 | $35-$75 | Small Claims Affidavit and Summons | Yes | District Court, 28 days | 6 / 4 |
| Vermont | $5,000 | $50-$75 | Small Claims Complaint (Form 100-00266) | Yes | Superior Court, 30 days | 6 / 6 |
| Virginia | $5,000 | $32-$62 | Warrant in Debt - Small Claims Division (Form DC-402) | Yes | Circuit Court, 10 days | 5 / 3 |
| Washington | $10,000 | $35-$50 | Notice of Small Claim (provided and dated by the District Court clerk) | Yes | Superior Court, 30 days | 6 / 3 |
| West Virginia | $10,000 | $15-$50 | Civil Complaint (Magistrate Court) | Yes | Circuit Court, 20 days | 10 / 5 |
| Wisconsin | $10,000 | $50-$95 | Summons and Complaint (Form SC-500) | Yes | Circuit Court, 15 days | 6 / 6 |
| Wyoming | $6,000 | $10-$20 | Complaint and Summons | Yes | District Court, 10 days | 8 / 8 |
Methodology and sources
Limits, filing fees and claim forms are compiled by GetSmallClaims from each state's small claims court rules and published court fee schedules; they are the same figures shown on each state's guide page. Attorney, appeal and statute-of-limitations columns come from our 50-state comparison. Limits are the general limit for individuals - some states set lower limits for businesses or for particular claim types. Fees are typical ranges and often vary by county and by amount claimed. Blank cells mean we do not have that field for the jurisdiction.
Court rules change. Always confirm the current limit, fee and deadline with the court before filing. This is general legal information, not legal advice.
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