Indiana Small Claims Court
Owed money in Indiana? Here's the dollar limit, the court that hears it, what filing costs — and a free demand letter to send first, which resolves many disputes without a case. Free, no signup.
Maintained by Rapi Stack · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
Indiana small claims · as of 2026
- Maximum claim
- $10,000
- Court
- Small claims docket of the Circuit or Superior Court; in Marion County, the Township Small Claims Courts
- Filing fee
- Roughly $35-$85 depending on county and court; landlord-tenant and multi-defendant service add costs. Confirm with the county clerk.
- Lawyers at the hearing
- Allowed but optional. A corporation or LLC may appear through a full-time employee (without a lawyer) only for unassigned claims of $6,000 or less under the Indiana Small Claims Rules.
Source: IC 33-29-2-4; IC 33-28-3-4; IC 33-34-3-2 (Marion County); Indiana Small Claims Rules · verify ↗. Limits and fees change — confirm with the Small claims docket of the Circuit or Superior Court; in Marion County, the Township Small Claims Courts clerk before filing.
Need the document itself?
Fill in a Indiana small claims and download a print-ready PDF — free, no signup, and it runs entirely in your browser.
Open the generator →The generator opens with Indiana already selected.
How to file in Indiana — the short version
- Demand first. Send the letter above by a trackable method and keep proof — judges expect it, and it often gets you paid without a case.
- File with the Small claims docket of the Circuit or Superior Court; in Marion County, the Township Small Claims Courts where the defendant lives or the dispute happened. Fee: Roughly $35-$85 depending on county and court; landlord-tenant and multi-defendant service add costs. Confirm with the county clerk..
- Serve the defendant the way Indiana rules require (clerk, sheriff, certified mail, or process server — ask the clerk). Bad service is the #1 way cases get thrown out.
- Bring evidence: contracts, invoices, photos, messages, this demand letter and its delivery proof, and any witnesses.
- Collect. If you win and they don't pay, ask the clerk about garnishment, levy, and liens.
Check the current Indiana small claims rules before filing.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I sue for in Indiana small claims court?
The limit is $10,000 (as of 2026). $10,000 statewide since July 1, 2021, not including interest or attorney fees (IC 33-28-3-4, IC 33-29-2-4). Marion County's separate township small claims courts also now sit at $10,000 (IC 33-34-3-2). A plaintiff may waive the excess over $10,000 to stay in small claims. Source: IC 33-29-2-4; IC 33-28-3-4; IC 33-34-3-2 (Marion County); Indiana Small Claims Rules. If you're owed more, you can sue in the regular civil court instead — or waive the excess and stay in small claims, which is usually faster and cheaper.
Where do I file?
In Indiana, small claims cases are heard by the Small claims docket of the Circuit or Superior Court; in Marion County, the Township Small Claims Courts, generally in the county (or district) where the defendant lives or where the dispute happened. Filing fee: Roughly $35-$85 depending on county and court; landlord-tenant and multi-defendant service add costs. Confirm with the county clerk.. Check the exact venue rule when you file — filing in the wrong place gets cases dismissed.
Can I bring a lawyer?
In Indiana: Allowed but optional. A corporation or LLC may appear through a full-time employee (without a lawyer) only for unassigned claims of $6,000 or less under the Indiana Small Claims Rules.. Either way, small claims procedure is deliberately informal — you present your story, your documents, and your witnesses directly to the judge.
What happens if I win but they don't pay?
A judgment isn't a check — if the defendant doesn't pay voluntarily, you enforce it: wage garnishment, bank levy, or property liens, depending on Indiana law. The court clerk can point you to the forms. Judgments also accrue interest and stay enforceable for years, so a stubborn debtor doesn't run out the clock quickly.
How does Indiana compare? See the small claims limits in all 50 states, every figure cited to statute.
How Indiana compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Indiana: IC 33-29-2-4; IC 33-28-3-4; IC 33-34-3-2 (Marion County); Indiana Small Claims Rules ↗.
- Small claims limit
Small claims limit: $10,000, exactly the national median.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 15 other states.
Small claims limit in neighboring states — Illinois ($10,000), Kentucky ($2,500), Michigan ($7,000), Ohio ($6,000).
The rest of what Indiana requires
The figures below are Indiana's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full Indiana page for that document.
- Security deposit cap · as of 2026
- No statutory limit Ind. Code §32-31-3-12 ↗
- Deposit return deadline · as of 2026
- 45 days after move-out Ind. Code §32-31-3-12 ↗
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy · as of 2026
- 30 days Ind. Code §32-31-3-12 ↗
- Notice for unpaid rent · as of 2026
- 10 days to pay or quit Ind. Code § 32-31-1-6; § 32-31-1-1 ↗
- Rental application fee · as of July 2026
- No statutory limit Indiana Code ↗
- Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026
- Not required Indiana BMV (State Form 44237) ↗
- Power of attorney signing · as of 2026
- Notarization required Ind. Code §30-5-4-1 ↗
- LLC operating agreement · as of 2026
- Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules Ind. Code § 23-18-1-16 (definition); Ind. Code § 23-18-4-4 (effect of written provisions) ↗
- Recording a deed · as of 2026
- County Recorder · no witnesses Ind. Code §§ 32-21-1-13, 32-21-1-15, 32-21-2-3 ↗
Small claims guide in other states
More Indiana legal forms
Different state? See small claims rules by state →