Small Claims Court Limits by State
Small claims court is the venue where you do not need a lawyer, the filing fee is usually under $100, and a case can be heard in weeks rather than years. The catch is the ceiling: sue for a dollar more than your state allows and the case gets bumped or dismissed.
$12,500
Maximum claim in California. The court is called the Small Claims Court.
Every state, at a glance
| State | Limit | Court |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $6,000 | Small Claims Division of District Court |
| Alaska | $10,000 | Small Claims Court |
| Arizona | $3,500 | Small Claims Division of Justice Court |
| Arkansas | $5,000 | Small Claims Division of District Court |
| California | $12,500 | Small Claims Court |
| Colorado | $7,500 | Small Claims Court |
| Connecticut | $5,000 | Small Claims Session of Superior Court |
| Delaware | $25,000 | Justice of the Peace Court |
| Florida | $8,000 | County Court, small claims |
| Georgia | $15,000 | Magistrate Court |
| Hawaii | $5,000 | Small Claims Division of District Court |
| Idaho | $5,000 | Small Claims Department of Magistrate Court |
| Illinois | $10,000 | Small Claims (Circuit Court) |
| Indiana | $10,000 | Small Claims Court |
| Iowa | $6,500 | Small Claims Court |
| Kansas | $4,000 | Small Claims Court |
| Kentucky | $2,500 | Small Claims Division of District Court |
| Louisiana | $5,000 | City Court, small claims |
| Maine | $6,000 | Small Claims Court |
| Maryland | $5,000 | District Court, small claims |
| Massachusetts | $7,000 | Small Claims Session of District or Housing Court |
| Michigan | $7,000 | Small Claims Division of District Court |
| Minnesota | $15,000 | Conciliation Court |
| Mississippi | $3,500 | Justice Court |
| Missouri | $5,000 | Small Claims Court |
| Montana | $7,000 | Small Claims Court |
| Nebraska | $3,900 | Small Claims Court |
| Nevada | $10,000 | Small Claims (Justice Court) |
| New Hampshire | $10,000 | Small Claims (Circuit Court, District Division) |
| New Jersey | $5,000 | Small Claims Section of Special Civil Part |
| New Mexico | $10,000 | Magistrate Court |
| New York | $10,000 | Small Claims Court (NYC limit $10,000; some town and village courts are lower) |
| North Carolina | $10,000 | Small Claims (Magistrate) |
| North Dakota | $15,000 | Small Claims Court |
| Ohio | $6,000 | Small Claims Division of Municipal or County Court |
| Oklahoma | $10,000 | Small Claims Court |
| Oregon | $10,000 | Small Claims Department of Circuit Court |
| Pennsylvania | $12,000 | Magisterial District Court |
| Rhode Island | $5,000 | Small Claims Division of District Court |
| South Carolina | $7,500 | Magistrate Court |
| South Dakota | $12,000 | Small Claims Court |
| Tennessee | $25,000 | General Sessions Court |
| Texas | $20,000 | Justice Court (small claims docket) |
| Utah | $15,000 | Small Claims Court |
| Vermont | $5,000 | Small Claims Court |
| Virginia | $5,000 | Small Claims Division of General District Court |
| Washington | $10,000 | Small Claims Department of District Court |
| West Virginia | $10,000 | Magistrate Court |
| Wisconsin | $10,000 | Small Claims Court |
| Wyoming | $6,000 | Small Claims (Circuit Court) |
| District of Columbia | $10,000 | Small Claims and Conciliation Branch |
Do the demand letter before the filing
Most small claims cases never get tried, because most defendants pay once it becomes clear the plaintiff is actually going to file. A written demand that names the amount, the legal basis, and a firm deadline settles a meaningful share of disputes for the cost of certified mail. It also builds the record: judges want to see that you asked before you sued, and several states make written demand a prerequisite for penalty damages.
If your claim is over the limit
You have two options. You can waive the excess and sue for the maximum — often the right call, since the time and cost of a regular civil case can exceed the difference. Or you can file in the regular civil division, where the procedure is heavier and a lawyer starts to make sense. What you cannot do is split one claim into two cases to fit under the ceiling; courts call that claim-splitting and will throw out the second case.
Limits reviewed February 2026. Several states set different ceilings by court, county, or claim type, and legislatures adjust them — confirm with your local court before filing. Easy Legal AI is not a law firm and this is not legal advice.