Small Claims Court Limits by State
The most you can sue for in small claims court, for all 50 states + DC — with the court that hears small claims and the statute that sets the limit. Each figure is verified against the governing law.
Limits change; each row shows the statute so you can confirm. See civil filing fees by state →
| State | Small claims limit | Court | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $6,000 | District Court — Small Claims Docket | Ala. Code § 12-12-31 |
| Alaska | $10,000 | District Court — Small Claims | AS 22.15.040 |
| Arizona | $3,500 | Justice Court — Small Claims Division | A.R.S. § 22-503 |
| Arkansas | $5,000 | District Court — Small Claims Division | Ark. Code § 16-17-704 |
| California | $12,500 | Small Claims Court (Superior Court)$6,250 for corporations/other entities; $12,500 for natural persons. | Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 116.221 |
| Colorado | $7,500 | County Court — Small Claims Division | C.R.S. § 13-6-403 |
| Connecticut | $5,000 | Superior Court — Small Claims$15,000 for certain home-improvement/new-home-construction contracts. | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-15 |
| Delaware | $25,000 | Justice of the Peace Court | 10 Del. C. § 9301 |
| District of Columbia | $10,000 | Superior Court — Small Claims and Conciliation BranchRaised from $5,000 in 2017. | D.C. Code § 11-1321 |
| Florida | $8,000 | County Court — Small ClaimsClaims under $8,000. | Fla. Sm. Cl. R. 7.010 |
| Georgia | $15,000 | Magistrate CourtCivil up to $15,000; unlimited over evictions. | O.C.G.A. § 15-10-2 |
| Hawaii | $5,000 | District Court — Small Claims DivisionNo cap for residential security-deposit claims. | HRS § 633-27 |
| Idaho | $5,000 | Magistrate Division — Small Claims Department | Idaho Code § 1-2301 |
| Illinois | $10,000 | Circuit Court — Small ClaimsMoney-only claims of $10,000 or less. | Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 281 |
| Indiana | $10,000 | Circuit/Superior Court — Small Claims Docket | Ind. Code § 33-29-2-4 |
| Iowa | $6,500 | District Court — Small Claims | Iowa Code § 631.1 |
| Kansas | $10,000 | District Court — Small ClaimsEff. 2024-07-01. | K.S.A. § 61-2703 |
| Kentucky | $2,500 | District Court — Small Claims Division | KRS 24A.230 |
| Louisiana | $5,000 | City Court / Parish Court — Small Claims Division | La. R.S. 13:5200 |
| Maine | $10,000 | District Court — Small ClaimsEff. 2026-01-01 (raised from $6,000). | 14 M.R.S. § 7482 |
| Maryland | $5,000 | District Court — Small Claim | Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 4-405 |
| Massachusetts | $7,000 | District Court / BMC — Small Claims | M.G.L. c. 218, § 21 |
| Michigan | $7,000 | District Court — Small Claims DivisionEff. 2024-01-01. | MCL 600.8401 |
| Minnesota | $20,000 | Conciliation CourtEff. 2024-08-01; $4,000 for consumer-credit claims. | Minn. Stat. § 491A.01 |
| Mississippi | $3,500 | Justice Court | Miss. Code § 9-11-9 |
| Missouri | $5,000 | Associate Circuit Court — Small Claims Division | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 482.305 |
| Montana | $7,000 | Justice Court / City Court — Small Claims | Mont. Code Ann. § 25-35-502 |
| Nebraska | $7,500 | County Court — Small Claims CourtEff. 2025-07-01; CPI-adjusted. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2802 |
| Nevada | $10,000 | Justice Court — Small Claims | NRS 73.010 |
| New Hampshire | $10,000 | Circuit Court — District Division, Small Claims | N.H. RSA 503:1 |
| New Jersey | $5,000 | Superior Court — Special Civil Part, Small Claims SectionEff. 2022-07-01. | N.J. Ct. R. 6:1 |
| New Mexico | $10,000 | Magistrate Court / Bernalillo County Metropolitan CourtMetropolitan Court (Albuquerque) also caps at $10,000. | N.M. Stat. § 35-3-3 |
| New York | $10,000 | Small Claims Part (NYC Civil / District / City Court)NYC & Nassau/Suffolk District Courts $10,000; many town/village justice courts $5,000. | N.Y.C. Civ. Ct. Act § 1801 |
| North Carolina | $10,000 | Magistrate (Small Claims) | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-210 |
| North Dakota | $15,000 | District Court — Small Claims | N.D. Cent. Code § 27-08.1-01 |
| Ohio | $6,000 | Municipal/County Court — Small Claims DivisionMoney/tax recovery up to $6,000. | Ohio Rev. Code § 1925.02 |
| Oklahoma | $10,000 | District Court — Small Claims | 12 O.S. § 1751 |
| Oregon | $10,000 | Circuit Court (or Justice Court) — Small ClaimsJustice Court small claims cap is $10,000 (ORS 55.011). | ORS 46.405 |
| Pennsylvania | $12,000 | Magisterial District CourtUp to $12,000 (Philadelphia uses the Municipal Court, also up to $12,000). | 42 Pa.C.S. § 1515 |
| Rhode Island | $2,500 | District Court — Small ClaimsCounterclaim ceiling raised to $5,000 eff. 2026-01-01. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 10-16-1 |
| South Carolina | $7,500 | Magistrate Court | S.C. Code § 22-3-10 |
| South Dakota | $12,000 | Circuit Court — Small Claims (heard by magistrate) | SDCL § 15-39-45 |
| Tennessee | $25,000 | General Sessions CourtForcible entry/detainer is unlimited. | Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-15-501 |
| Texas | $20,000 | Justice Court (Small Claims)Small claims and general JP civil share the $20,000 limit (eff. 2020-09-01). | Tex. Gov't Code § 27.031 |
| Utah | $20,000 | Justice Court — Small ClaimsEff. 2025-01-01; rises to $25,000 on 2030-01-01. | Utah Code § 78A-8-102 |
| Vermont | $5,000 | Superior Court — Small ClaimsUpper procedural limit $10,000; $5,000 cap for consumer-credit and medical debt. | 12 V.S.A. § 5531 |
| Virginia | $5,000 | General District Court — Small Claims Division | Va. Code § 16.1-122.2 |
| Washington | $10,000 | District Court — Small Claims Department | RCW 12.40.010 |
| West Virginia | $20,000 | Magistrate CourtEff. 2025-07 (raised from $10,000); unlimited for landlord-tenant possession. | W. Va. Code § 50-2-1 |
| Wisconsin | $10,000 | Circuit Court — Small Claims$5,000 for tort/personal-injury and third-party claims; no cap for eviction. Rises to $15,000 for cases filed on or after January 1, 2027 (2025 Wis. Act 105). | Wis. Stat. § 799.01 |
| Wyoming | $6,000 | Circuit Court — Small Claims | Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-201 |
Source: 1Court Directory, verified against each state’s governing statute. How this data is sourced →