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BIZREFUND guide

Small claims limits by state, from court pages

Each state sets its own small claims limit. The table below gives the limit, court, filing fee and the rule on asking first for 12 states, each read from an official court or state source on the date shown.

Last reviewed 16 October 2026. General information only. Not legal, tax, medical or financial advice.

Small claims rules are set state by state. This list covers 12 states so far: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas. Each state page carries seven facts with their official sources and the date they were checked. The list grows as states are checked.

The states checked so far

Small claims facts for 12 US states, from official court pages
StateSmall claims limitCourtFiling feeAsking for the money firstChecked onOfficial source
CaliforniaUSD 12,500Small claims courtUSD 30 to USD 75Required2026-10-11California limit source
FloridaUSD 8,000County courtUSD 50 to USD 295Not stated on the official pages2026-10-11Florida limit source
GeorgiaUSD 15,000 (USD 25,000 for cases filed from 2027-01-01)Magistrate CourtSet by the court or countyRecommended2026-10-11Georgia limit source
IllinoisUSD 10,000Circuit Court, small claimsSet by the court or countyRecommended2026-10-11Illinois limit source
KentuckyUSD 2,500Small Claims Division of District CourtUSD 38 to USD 38Recommended2026-10-11Kentucky limit source
MichiganUSD 7,000Small claims division of the district courtUSD 30 to USD 70Not stated on the official pages2026-10-11Michigan limit source
New YorkUSD 10,000Small Claims CourtUSD 10 to USD 20Not required2026-10-11New York limit source
North CarolinaUSD 10,000Small claims courtUSD 96 to USD 96Not stated on the official pages2026-10-11North Carolina limit source
OhioUSD 6,000Small claims division of the municipal court or county courtSet by the court or countyRecommended2026-10-11Ohio limit source
PennsylvaniaUSD 12,000Magisterial District CourtUSD 68.50 to USD 171Recommended2026-10-11Pennsylvania limit source
TennesseeUSD 25,000General Sessions CourtSet by the court or countyNot stated on the official pages2026-10-11Tennessee limit source
TexasUSD 20,000Justice courtUSD 54 to USD 54Recommended2026-10-11Texas limit source

State pages

How to read the table

The limit is the most you can claim in that state's small claims court. Where a business has a lower limit than a person, the state page says so.

The filing fee range runs across the amounts claimed; the exact fee is on the court's own page.

Asking first means the state's official guidance (the court, the attorney general or a state law library, named on each state page) expects or recommends a request for the money before a case is filed. The refund desk's letter is that request.

Checked on is the date the official pages were read. Limits and fees change; confirm on the court's page before you file.

States not listed yet

For any other state, no figures are given here yet, and none are guessed. Rung 4 of the refund desk still applies. The list grows as states are checked.

Not legal advice and not a law firm. This page says what the court and the rule are, not whether you should file.

Common questions

Where do the numbers come from?

Each number is read from the state court's own page, the statute on the legislature's site, or the attorney general's site, and each state page links to that source next to the fact.

What if my state is not listed?

Its figures have not been checked yet, so this page says nothing about it. The refund desk's rung 4 still applies. More states are added as they are checked.

Is this legal advice?

No. The pages say what the court and the rule are, not whether you should file.

Next step

Use the free refund window calculator and letter starterAbout BIZREFUND

Also read: How to count a refund or dispute window, How to write a card dispute in plain facts

This guide was drafted with AI help and edited by a person. Check anything important against the official source for your situation.