Small claims · CO
Colorado small claims court for diminished value claims
In Colorado, small claims cases are heard in County Court, Small Claims Division, which handles claims up to $7,500. If an insurer will not pay a diminished value claim and the amount is within the limit, this is where an owner can sue the at-fault driver. You bring the evidence, and the judge decides.
Court
County Court, Small Claims Division
Claim limit
$7,500
Attorneys
Limited
Deadline to sue
3 years
Colorado courts
How small claims court works in Colorado
- Claim limit
- $7,500. $7,500, not counting interest and costs. A larger claim can be filed but no more than $7,500 can be collected, and a claim cannot be split to fit. C.R.S. § 13-6-403(1)(a).
- Where to file
- File in the county court of the county where the defendant lives, is regularly employed, or has a business office.
- Attorneys
- Parties generally represent themselves and lawyers may not appear except in narrow cases set by statute or court rule; if a lawyer does appear as permitted, the other side may have one too (C.R.S. § 13-6-407).
- Filing fee
- $31 for claims up to $500; $55 for claims from $500.01 to $7,500 (service costs are extra)
- Appeals
- Either party may appeal to the district court by filing in the county court within 14 days of the judgment; the district court reviews the record of the small claims trial, it is not a new trial.
Colorado Judicial Branch Self-Help: Small Claims Cases, Opening a Case
Who you sue
Ask the County Court, Small Claims Division clerk how to name the defendant. In most states that is the at-fault driver, not the insurance company.
Diminished value law in Colorado
A claim against the at-fault driver in Colorado: allowed by case law. The general deadline to sue for vehicle property damage is 3 years (C.R.S. § 13-80-101(1)(n)). The cases and statutes are on the Colorado diminished value page.
What to bring
See using an appraisal in small claims court for the evidence list and what to ask the County Court, Small Claims Division clerk.
Sources
- C.R.S. § 13-6-403(1)(a)
- Colorado Judicial Branch Self-Help: Small Claims Cases, Opening a Case
- C.R.S. § 13-80-101(1)(n)
Researched October 11, 2026. General information from an appraisal perspective, not legal advice.
Evidence
An appraisal for a Colorado claim
A Colorado diminished-value appraisal is typically $250–$350 and comes with a custom demand letter. Autoloss is not a law firm and does not represent you in court.
Colorado small claims questions
What is the small claims limit in Colorado?
$7,500 in County Court, Small Claims Division. $7,500, not counting interest and costs. A larger claim can be filed but no more than $7,500 can be collected, and a claim cannot be split to fit.
Do I need a lawyer for small claims court in Colorado?
Parties generally represent themselves and lawyers may not appear except in narrow cases set by statute or court rule; if a lawyer does appear as permitted, the other side may have one too (C.R.S. § 13-6-407).
How long do I have to sue in Colorado?
Colorado generally allows 3 years to sue for vehicle property damage (C.R.S. § 13-80-101(1)(n)). Talking with the insurer does not pause the deadline.
Can a Colorado small claims decision be appealed?
Either party may appeal to the district court by filing in the county court within 14 days of the judgment; the district court reviews the record of the small claims trial, it is not a new trial.
Taking a Colorado claim to court?
The claim review is free: we look at your situation and tell you whether an appraisal is likely to help. The appraisal itself is a paid report. We help from start to finish, including a custom demand letter, and our support staff is a phone call away throughout the process.