Notable findings
- 51 of 51 jurisdictions have a confirmed dollar limit; none lack one.
- Limits run from $2,500 (Kentucky) to $25,000 (Delaware and Tennessee). The median is $10,000, and $10,000 is the most common figure (16 jurisdictions).
- 12 jurisdictions cap claims at $5,000 or less, 27 are above $5,000 up to $10,000, and 12 are above $10,000.
- 6 allow $20,000 or more: Delaware, Minnesota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.
- 3 increases took effect in 2025 (Utah, West Virginia and Nebraska), and Utah's statute already schedules another for 2030.
Interactive version: Small claims limits table and amount checker · New Jersey small claims filing.
Increases recorded in the files
Newest first. Each line repeats what that state's file says, so the effective date is the one the official source gives.
- Utah: $15,000 to $20,000, effective January 1, 2025. The same section sets $25,000 from January 1, 2030. File note: "$20,000 from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2029"
- West Virginia: $10,000 to $20,000, effective July 7, 2025. File note: "in effect July 7, 2025"
- Nebraska: $6,000 to $7,500, effective July 1, 2025. File note: "rose from $6,000 to $7,500 effective July 1, 2025"
- Vermont: $5,000 to $10,000, effective June 5, 2023. File note: "eff. June 5, 2023"
- Minnesota: $15,000 to $20,000; the file gives no effective date. File note: "General claims of $20,000 or less"
Proposed, not recorded as law
- Oregon: Senate Bill 484 (2025 session) proposed raising the limit to $20,000. The 2025 ORS edition still shows $10,000; the file records no enacted change.
The full table
51 rows. Select a column heading to sort. "Not confirmed" means the official source read did not state it. On a phone, swipe the table sideways.
| Alabama | $6,000 | None listed | $85 (Russell County: claim up to $1,500, one defendant) | allowed | 0 | russell.alacourt.gov lawrence.alacourt.gov efile.alacourt.gov | November 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $10,000 | None listed | $50 (claim of $2,500 or less) | allowed | 0 | public.courts.alaska.gov public.courts.alaska.gov courts.alaska.gov | November 2026 |
| Arizona | $3,500 | None listed | $30 (small claims filing) | not allowed | 0 | azcourts.gov azcourts.gov azcourts.gov azcourts.gov | November 2026 |
| Arkansas | $5,000 | None listed | $30 (filing fee, typical low end) | Not confirmed | 2 | arkansasag.gov | November 2026 |
| California | $12,500 | $6,250 businesses and other entities | $30 (claim up to $1,500) | not allowed | 0 | selfhelp.courts.ca.gov selfhelp.courts.ca.gov selfhelp.courts.ca.gov selfhelp.courts.ca.gov | November 2026 |
| Colorado | $7,500 | None listed | $31 (plaintiff, claim up to $500) | allowed with limits | 2 | lawhelp.colorado.gov lawhelp.colorado.gov coloradojudicial.gov coloradojudicial.gov coloradojudicial.gov | November 2026 |
| Connecticut | $5,000 | $15,000 home improvement contracts | $95 (entry (filing) fee) | allowed | 0 | jud.ct.gov jud.ct.gov | November 2026 |
| Delaware | $25,000 | None listed | $35 (Debt or trespass claim under $1,000) | allowed | 0 | courts.delaware.gov courts.delaware.gov courts.delaware.gov courts.delaware.gov courts.delaware.gov | November 2026 |
| District of Columbia | $10,000 | None listed | $5 (claims $500 or less) | allowed | 0 | dccourts.gov dccourts.gov dccourts.gov dccourts.gov dccourts.gov | November 2026 |
| Florida | $8,000 | None listed | $55 (claim of $0.01 to $99.99) | allowed | 0 | lakeclerkfl.gov myflcourtaccess.com www-media.floridabar.org (The Florida Bar (secondary source)) | November 2026 |
| Georgia | $15,000 | None listed | $45 (filing fee with serving one defendant, low end) | allowed | 0 | consumer.georgia.gov fultoncountyga.gov | November 2026 |
| Hawaii | $5,000 | $40,000 counterclaims | $35 (Statement of Claim) | allowed with limits | 1 | courts.state.hi.us courts.state.hi.us courts.ehawaii.gov | November 2026 |
| Idaho | $15,000 | None listed | $69 (small claims filing fee) | not allowed | 0 | courtselfhelp.idaho.gov courtselfhelp.idaho.gov | November 2026 |
| Illinois | $10,000 | None listed | $94 (Madison County, claims up to $2,500) | allowed | 0 | illinoiscourts.gov illinoiscourts.gov madisoncountyil.gov stclaircountyil.gov | November 2026 |
| Indiana | $10,000 | None listed | $97 (Small claim filed on paper, one defendant (filing fee plus the fees collected with it)) | allowed | 0 | in.gov in.gov in.gov | November 2026 |
| Iowa | $6,500 | None listed | $115 (electronic filing fee) | allowed | 0 | iowacourts.gov iowacourts.gov legis.iowa.gov | November 2026 |
| Kansas | $10,000 | None listed | $47.50 (claim up to $500) | not allowed | 0 | kjc.ks.gov ksrevisor.gov kscourts.gov dgcoks.gov kscourts.gov | November 2026 |
| Kentucky | $2,500 | None listed | $38 (small claims filing fee (CR 3.03(1)(a))) | allowed | 0 | kycourts.gov kycourts.gov codes.findlaw.com (FindLaw Codes (secondary source)) | November 2026 |
| Louisiana | $5,000 | None listed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | 5 | legis.la.gov shreveportla.gov | November 2026 |
| Maine | $10,000 | None listed | $70 (entry of a small claims action) | allowed | 0 | courts.maine.gov courts.state.me.us | November 2026 |
| Maryland | $5,000 | None listed | $34 (Small claim (up to $5,000), new suit) | allowed | 0 | mdcourts.gov mdcourts.gov mdcourts.gov mdcourts.gov | November 2026 |
| Massachusetts | $7,000 | None listed | $40 (claim of $500 or less) | allowed | 0 | mass.gov mass.gov | November 2026 |
| Michigan | $7,000 | None listed | $30 (claim up to $600) | not allowed | 0 | courts.michigan.gov courts.michigan.gov courts.michigan.gov | November 2026 |
| Minnesota | $20,000 | None listed | Not confirmed | allowed with limits | 2 | mncourts.gov mncourts.gov mncourts.gov mncourts.gov mncourts.gov | November 2026 |
| Mississippi | $3,500 | None listed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | 7 | courts.ms.gov | November 2026 |
| Missouri | $5,000 | None listed | Not confirmed | allowed | 2 | courts.mo.gov | November 2026 |
| Montana | $7,000 | $7,000 interpleader (MCA 25-35-508) | $30 (Park County Justice Court) | allowed with limits | 1 | mca.legmt.gov courts.mt.gov parkcountymt.gov | November 2026 |
| Nebraska | $7,500 | None listed | $6.25 (small claims filing fee under Neb. Rev. Stat. 25-2804(2)) | not allowed | 0 | nebraskajudicial.gov nebraskajudicial.gov nebraskajudicial.gov nebraskalegislature.gov nebraskajudicial.gov | November 2026 |
| Nevada | $10,000 | None listed | $55 (claims up to $2,500) | allowed | 0 | trialcourts.nvcourts.gov nvcourts.gov lasvegasjusticecourt.us | November 2026 |
| New Hampshire | $10,000 | None listed | $5 (mediation surcharge added to entry fee, claims $5,000 or less (RSA 503:4, II)) | allowed | 0 | courts.nh.gov courts.nh.gov courts.nh.gov gc.nh.gov courts.nh.gov | November 2026 |
| New Jersey | $5,000 | $5,000 security deposit claims | $35 (one defendant) | allowed | 0 | njcourts.gov njcourts.gov proddrupal.njcourts.gov | November 2026 |
| New Mexico | $10,000 | None listed | $72 (civil complaint filing fee) | allowed with limits | 1 | languageaccess.nmcourts.gov supremecourt.nmcourts.gov | November 2026 |
| New York | $10,000 | $5,000 City Courts outside NYC; $3,000 Town and Village Justice Courts; $5,000 commercial small claims (City Courts outside NYC); $10,000 commercial claims (NYC Civil Court) | $15 (NYC small claims under $1,000) | allowed | 0 | nycourts.gov nycourts.gov nycourts.gov nycourts.gov | November 2026 |
| North Carolina | $10,000 | None listed | $80 (General Court of Justice fee (magistrate case)) | allowed | 0 | ncleg.gov ncleg.gov nccourts.gov nccourts.gov | November 2026 |
| North Dakota | $15,000 | None listed | $20 (filing fee) | allowed | 0 | ndcourts.gov ndcourts.gov | November 2026 |
| Ohio | $6,000 | None listed | $60 (Montgomery County (Miamisburg Municipal Court), claims up to $3,000) | allowed | 1 | codes.ohio.gov codes.ohio.gov miamisburgcourts.com portagecounty-oh.gov medinamunicipalcourt.org warrencountyohio.gov | November 2026 |
| Oklahoma | $10,000 | None listed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | 7 | mccurtain.okcounties.org | November 2026 |
| Oregon | $10,000 | $750 mandatory small claims (claims of $750 or less) | $57 (claim of $2,500 or less) | allowed with limits | 0 | oregonlegislature.gov courts.oregon.gov courts.oregon.gov apps.oregonlegislature.gov courts.oregon.gov | November 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | $12,000 | None listed | Not confirmed | allowed | 5 | legis.state.pa.us pacourts.us | November 2026 |
| Rhode Island | $5,000 | None listed | $75.75 (filing fee) | allowed | 2 | courts.ri.gov courts.ri.gov webserver.rilegislature.gov | November 2026 |
| South Carolina | $7,500 | None listed | $25 (assessment on summons and complaint filing (S.C. Code 22-3-340)) | Not confirmed | 6 | scstatehouse.gov | November 2026 |
| South Dakota | $12,000 | None listed | $24.84 (claims $100 or less) | allowed | 0 | ujs.sd.gov ujs.sd.gov ujs.sd.gov | November 2026 |
| Tennessee | $25,000 | None listed | Not confirmed | allowed | 5 | ctas.tennessee.edu hamiltontn.gov | November 2026 |
| Texas | $20,000 | None listed | $54 (Filing fee, every Texas justice court (civil cases, including small claims, since January 1, 2022)) | allowed | 0 | sll.texas.gov guides.sll.texas.gov guides.sll.texas.gov jp.hctx.net wheelercounty.texas.gov jeffersoncountytx.gov sll.texas.gov | November 2026 |
| Utah | $20,000 | $25,000 limit scheduled from January 1, 2030 | $60 (claim of $2,000 or less) | allowed | 1 | le.utah.gov utcourts.gov utcourts.gov | November 2026 |
| Vermont | $10,000 | $5,000 consumer credit transaction or medical debt collection | $65 (claim $1,000 or less) | allowed | 0 | legislature.vermont.gov vtcourts.gov vtcourts.gov vtcourts.gov vtcourts.gov | November 2026 |
| Virginia | $5,000 | None listed | Not confirmed | not allowed | 1 | law.lis.virginia.gov vacourts.gov | November 2026 |
| Washington | $10,000 | $5,000 claims by non-natural persons (businesses, other entities) | $35 (filing fee) | allowed with limits | 0 | lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov atg.wa.gov kingcounty.gov | November 2026 |
| West Virginia | $20,000 | None listed | $50 (damages $0.01 to $500) | Not confirmed | 5 | code.wvlegislature.gov wvlegislature.gov code.wvlegislature.gov courtswv.gov | November 2026 |
| Wisconsin | $10,000 | $5,000 tort / personal injury claims; $25,000 replevin, consumer credit transaction (amount financed) | $94.50 (small claims action, $10,000 or less (total fee, includes evictions)) | allowed | 0 | docs.legis.wisconsin.gov co.winnebago.wi.us wicourts.gov efiling.wicourts.gov | November 2026 |
| Wyoming | $6,000 | None listed | $10 (filing fee) | allowed | 2 | wyocourts.gov wyocourts.gov | November 2026 |
Methodology
One JSON file per jurisdiction sits in the site's data/small-claims folder. Each file was filled from that state's judiciary self-help pages, court forms or statute text, and each source line carries the month it was opened (November 2026 for this release). This page reads every file when you load it, so a corrected file shows up here and in the CSV straight away.
The "Limit" column is the general dollar cap the file records. Several states set a second cap for businesses or certain claim types; those appear under "Other caps". Where a file leaves a field empty, the page prints "Not confirmed" and the CSV says the same; nothing is estimated. The fee column shows only the first fee the file lists, with its label, because states charge by different steps (by amount, by defendant, by service method). Open the state's source for the full fee list.
The increases list comes from sentences in the files' own notes. A test in the site's code checks that each quoted sentence is still present and that the limit in the table matches the new figure.
Fields the source didn't state show as "Not confirmed" here and in the CSV, never as a guess. The CSV is built from the same files each time it is downloaded and includes the source title, URL and checked date on every row. General information only, not legal or tax advice.
Cite this page
Link: https://mcc-solutionsnj.com/data/small-claims-limits-by-state. When quoting a single state, please also link the official source in that row.
Common questions
What is the highest small claims limit in this data?
$25,000, in Delaware and Tennessee. 6 jurisdictions allow $20,000 or more.
What is the lowest?
$2,500, in Kentucky. The median across the 51 confirmed limits is $10,000.
Which states raised the limit recently?
Utah (to $20,000 on January 1, 2025), West Virginia (to $20,000 on July 7, 2025) and Nebraska (to $7,500 on July 1, 2025), according to the official sources in each file. Vermont moved to $10,000 in 2023.
Why does Tennessee show no limit?
Tennessee has no separate small claims court, and the only page the file could cite was a university reference page, not a court or legislature page. The figure is therefore not recorded as confirmed.
Can I reuse these numbers?
Yes. Cite the page with the citation box below, and link to the official source in the row when you quote a single state.