State courts
Small claims court limits by state
When an insurer will not pay a diminished value claim, small claims court is a common next step, because most claims fall under the court’s dollar limit. Limits and rules differ in every state. Choose yours to see the court, the limit, whether attorneys may appear and how long you have to sue.
Small claims limit lookup
Small claims limit
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General information with the sources on each state page. Not legal advice.
| State | Limit | Court | Source | Deadline to sue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $6,000 | District Court (small claims docket) | Ala. Code § 12-12-31(a) | — |
| Alaska | $10,000 | District Court (small claims) | AS 22.15.040(a) | 2 years |
| Arizona | $5,000 | Justice Court, Small Claims Division | A.R.S. § 22-503(A) | 2 years |
| Arkansas | $5,000 | District Court, Small Claims Division | Ark. Sup. Ct. Administrative Order No. 18, §§ 3-4 | 3 years |
| California | $12,500 | Superior Court, Small Claims Division | Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §§ 116.221, 116.220(a)(1), 116.231(a) | 3 years |
| Colorado | $7,500 | County Court, Small Claims Division | C.R.S. § 13-6-403(1)(a) | 3 years |
| Connecticut | $5,000 | Superior Court, Small Claims Session | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-15(d) | 2 years |
| Delaware | $25,000 | Justice of the Peace Court | 10 Del. C. § 9301(1) | 2 years |
| District of Columbia | $10,000 | Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Small Claims and Conciliation Branch | D.C. Code § 11-1321 | 3 years |
| Florida | $8,000 | County Court (small claims) | Fla. Sm. Cl. R. 7.010(b) | 2 years |
| Georgia | $15,000 | Magistrate Court (small claims) | O.C.G.A. § 15-10-2(a)(5) | 4 years |
| Hawaii | $5,000 | District Court, Small Claims Division | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 633-27(a)(1) | 2 years |
| Idaho | $15,000 | Small Claims Department of the Magistrate Division, District Court | Idaho Code § 1-2301 | 3 years |
| Illinois | $10,000 | Circuit Court (small claims) | Ill. S. Ct. R. 281 | 5 years |
| Indiana | $10,000 | Small claims docket of the Circuit or Superior Court (Marion County: township Small Claims Courts) | Ind. Code § 33-29-2-4; Ind. Code § 33-34-3-2 (Marion County) | 2 years |
| Iowa | $6,500 | Iowa District Court (small claims docket) | Iowa Code § 631.1(1)(b) | 5 years |
| Kansas | $10,000 | District Court (small claims) | K.S.A. 61-2703(a) | 2 years |
| Kentucky | $2,500 | Small Claims Division of District Court | KRS 24A.230(1) | 2 years |
| Louisiana | $5,000 | City Court small claims division, or Justice of the Peace Court | La. R.S. 13:5202(A) | 2 years |
| Maine | $10,000 | District Court (small claims) | 14 M.R.S. § 7482 | 6 years |
| Maryland | $5,000 | District Court of Maryland (small claims) | Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 4-405 | 3 years |
| Massachusetts | No cap for vehicle damage claims | District Court, Boston Municipal Court or Housing Court (small claims session) | M.G.L. c. 218, § 21 | 3 years |
| Michigan | $7,000 | District Court, Small Claims Division | MCL 600.8401 | 3 years |
| Minnesota | $20,000 | Conciliation Court (small claims) | Minn. Stat. § 491A.01, subd. 3a | 6 years |
| Mississippi | $3,500 | Justice Court | Miss. Code § 9-11-9 | 3 years |
| Missouri | $5,000 | Small Claims Court (a division of the Circuit Court) | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 482.305 | 5 years |
| Montana | $7,000 | Small Claims Court (a division of Justice Court) | Mont. Code Ann. § 25-35-502 | 2 years |
| Nebraska | $7,500 | Small Claims Court (a division of County Court) | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-2802(4) | 4 years |
| Nevada | $10,000 | Justice Court (small claims) | NRS 73.010(1) | 3 years |
| New Hampshire | $10,000 | Circuit Court, District Division (small claims) | N.H. RSA 503:1 | 3 years |
| New Jersey | $5,000 | Superior Court, Special Civil Part, Small Claims Section | New Jersey Courts, Lawsuits $5,000 or less (Small Claims) | 6 years |
| New Mexico | $10,000 | Magistrate Court (Metropolitan Court in Bernalillo County) | New Mexico Magistrate Court pamphlet, How to File a Lawsuit (CV-ADMIN-1070, rev. 07/2023) | 4 years |
| New York | $3,000 to $10,000, by court | Small Claims Part of the NYC Civil Court, City Courts, District Courts (Nassau and western Suffolk) and Town and Village Justice Courts | N.Y. City Civil Court Act § 1801; Uniform City Court Act § 1801; Uniform District Court Act § 1801; Uniform Justice Court Act § 1801 | 3 years |
| North Carolina | $10,000 | Small Claims Court (magistrate, District Court Division) | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-210 | 3 years |
| North Dakota | $15,000 | Small Claims Court (a division of District Court) | N.D. Cent. Code § 27-08.1-01(1) | 6 years |
| Ohio | $6,000 | Small claims division of the municipal or county court | Ohio Rev. Code § 1925.02(A)(1) | 2 years |
| Oklahoma | $10,000 | District Court, small claims docket | 12 O.S. § 1751(A) | 2 years |
| Oregon | $10,000 | Circuit Court small claims department (or a Justice Court small claims department) | ORS 46.405 | 6 years |
| Pennsylvania | $12,000 | Magisterial District Court (Philadelphia Municipal Court in Philadelphia) | 42 Pa.C.S. § 1515(a)(3) | 2 years |
| South Carolina | $7,500 | Magistrates Court | S.C. Code § 22-3-10 | 3 years |
| South Dakota | $12,000 | Small Claims Court (Circuit or Magistrate Court) | SDCL 15-39-45.1 | 6 years |
| Tennessee | $25,000 | General Sessions Court (handles small claims; Tennessee has no separate small claims court) | Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-15-501, as summarized by the University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS-495) | 3 years |
| Texas | $20,000 | Justice Court (small claims) | Tex. Gov't Code § 27.031(a)(1) | 2 years |
| Utah | $20,000 | Small claims (usually filed in Justice Court) | Utah Code § 78A-8-102(1), (5) | 3 years |
| Vermont | $10,000 | Small Claims (Civil Division of the Superior Court) | 12 V.S.A. § 5531(a), (b), (e) | 3 years |
| Virginia | $5,000 | Small Claims Court (a division of the General District Court) | Va. Code § 16.1-122.2 | 5 years |
| Washington | $10,000 | Small Claims Department of the District Court | RCW 12.40.010 | 3 years |
| West Virginia | $20,000 | Magistrate Court | W. Va. Code § 50-2-1 | 2 years |
| Wisconsin | $5,000 for vehicle damage claims | Circuit Court (small claims) | Wis. Stat. § 799.01(1)(cr), (d) | 3 years |
| Wyoming | $6,000 | Circuit Court (small claims) | Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-201 | 4 years |
Not sure whether an appraisal will help?
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