Calculator + checklist · fee schedules checked 2026-10-04
Small Claims Court Fees & Filing Checklist
How much does it cost to file in small claims? Enter your state and the amount you are owed: you get the filing fee for that amount, whether the claim fits the limit, the county to file in, the official form, and a checklist you can print — plus the demand letter to send first.
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Small claims filing fees we verified, by claim amount
The 16 states whose fee schedule we read in the statute or on the court's own page (checked 2026-10-04). The calculator gives the exact figure for these. "Base" means the county or clerk can add charges on top.
| State | Filing fee | Limit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $35 up to $1,500 · $109 to $3,000 · $198 over $3,000 | $6,000 | Ala. Code §12-19-71(a)(1)-(3), (11) |
| California | $30 up to $1,500 · $50 to $5,000 · $75 over $5,000 | $12,500 (individuals) / $6,250 (entities) | Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §116.230 |
| Connecticut | $95 | $5,000 (up to $15,000 for home-improvement claims) | Connecticut Judicial Branch, Small Claims FAQ |
| Florida | $54 up to $99.99 · $79 to $500 · $174 to $2,500 · $299 over $2,500base | $8,000 | Fla. Stat. §34.041(1)(a)-(b) |
| Iowa | $95 + $20 postage for mailing the original notice | $6,500 | Iowa Code §631.6(1)(a), (c) |
| Kansas | $35 up to $500 · $55 to $5,000 · $101 over $5,000base | $10,000 | K.S.A. 61-4001(a)(1) |
| Maryland | $44 | $5,000 | District Court of Maryland, Cost Schedule DCA-109 (Rev. 03/2026) |
| Michigan | $25 up to $600 · $45 to $1,750 · $65 over $1,750 | $7,000 | MCL 600.8420 |
| New York | $15 up to $1,000 · $20 over $1,000NYC Civil and City Courts. Town and Village Justice Courts: $10 up to $1,000 · $15 over (Uniform Justice Court Act §1803(a)) | $10,000 | NYC Civil Court Act §1803(a); Uniform City Court Act §1803(a) |
| North Dakota | $20 | $15,000 | N.D.C.C. §27-05.2-03(1)(e) |
| Rhode Island | $55 + $17.50 civil case processing fee + $3.25 technology surcharge | $5,000 | Rhode Island District Court, Civil Fees and Costs |
| Texas | $54 | $20,000 | Texas Justice Court Training Center, Civil Filing Fees and Costs (eff. 1/1/24) |
| Vermont | $65 up to $1,000 · $90 over $1,000 | $10,000 | 32 V.S.A. §1431(c)(1) |
| Washington | $35base | $10,000 | RCW 12.40.020; RCW 7.75.035 |
| West Virginia | $30 up to $500 · $35 to $1,000 · $40 to $2,000 · $50 over $2,000 | $20,000 | W. Va. Code §50-3-1(a) |
| Wyoming | $10 | $6,000 | Wyo. Stat. §5-9-135 |
Fee set by the county or court, or not yet verified at the source: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin. For these the calculator shows the range from our small claims dataset (2026) and the clerk has the exact figure.
Your filing checklist
- Send a written demand with a deadline. Judges expect it, and it often settles the case; the demand letter generator cites your state's small claims court.
- Check the limit and the fee for your amount above. If you are over the limit, either waive the excess or file in the regular civil court.
- File in the right place: usually the county or precinct where the defendant lives or where the dispute happened. Filing in the wrong venue can cost you a second fee.
- Serve the defendant the way your state allows — clerk's certified mail, sheriff or constable, or a process server — and keep the proof of service.
- Prepare for the hearing: contract or invoice, photos, messages, the demand letter and its delivery proof, and witnesses.
- Collect. A judgment earns interest until it is paid; the judgment interest calculator gives the payoff amount.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to file a small claims case?
Between $10 (Wyoming) and $299 (Florida, a $7,000 claim) in the 16 states whose fee schedules we read at the source, before the cost of serving the defendant. 8 of them charge one fee for any amount (Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Texas, Washington, Wyoming); 8 charge more for bigger claims (Alabama, California, Florida, Kansas, Michigan, New York, Vermont, West Virginia). In the other states the fee either varies by county or court, or we have not verified it at the source yet, so the calculator shows what our dataset says and you confirm with the clerk.
Do I get the filing fee back if I win?
Usually it is added to the judgment, so the defendant ends up owing it. Connecticut's Judicial Branch says the entry fee and service costs are added to the judgment if you win, and the Texas Justice Court Training Center says a winning plaintiff is awarded the fees paid. You still have to collect it along with the rest of the judgment.
Can I file without paying the fee?
Courts have a process for people who cannot afford the costs. In Texas it is the Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs, which waives the filing and service fees unless it is contested and denied at a hearing. In other states, ask the clerk whether a fee waiver is available before you file.
Where do I file a small claims case?
Generally in the county (or precinct) where the defendant lives or where the dispute happened, but every state has its own venue rule. In Texas the case goes to the justice court for the precinct where the defendant lives, where a contract was to be performed, where the damage happened or where the property is; a Connecticut individual can also file where they live. Enter the defendant's ZIP code above to get the county.
What form do I need to file small claims?
It depends on the state. California uses form SC-100 (Plaintiff's Claim and ORDER to Go to Small Claims Court), Connecticut the Small Claims Writ and Notice of Suit (JD-CV-40, signed before a notary or the clerk), Texas a small claims petition (the Texas Justice Court Training Center publishes one). In New York City Civil Court there is no form to fill in: you state the claim to the clerk, who writes it up.
How much does it cost to serve the defendant?
Service is almost always a separate charge, set by the county sheriff, constable or the court. A few figures are statewide: Maryland's cost schedule lists $60 per defendant for sheriff or constable service; Iowa charges $20 postage to mail the original notice; in New York City the clerk mails the notice of claim as part of the $15 or $20 fee.
Not legal advice. Fees and limits change; confirm with the court clerk before you file. ZIP codes are matched to counties with the Census Bureau's 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, which approximate postal ZIP codes.