State |
Maximum Allowed |
Name of Court |
Where to Sue |
Who Serves Papers |
Alabama |
$3,000 |
District Court |
District where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Process Server
- Certified Mail
|
Alaska |
$7,500 |
Small Claims Court |
Court Nearest Defendant |
- Peace Officer (recommended)
- Process Server
- Certified Mail through Clerk
|
Arizona |
$2,500 |
Small Claims Division of Justice of the Peace Court |
Court Nearest Defendant |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Process Server
- First Class or Certified Mail
|
Arkansas |
$5,000 |
Small Claims Division of Municipal Court |
Where Defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Process Server
- Certified Mail
|
California |
$5,000 |
Small Claims Court |
District where Defendant lives or lived when promise was made |
- Disinterested Adult
- Certified or Registered Mail
|
Colorado |
$5,000 |
County Court, Small Claims Division |
County where defendant lives or works |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult
- Certified or Registered Mail
|
Connecticut |
$2,500 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Regular Mail through Clerk
|
Delaware |
$15,000 |
Justice of the Peace |
Anywhere in the State |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Coroner, Deputy Sheriff
|
District of Columbia |
$5,000 |
Superior Court or Small Claims Court |
Only One Location in State |
- US Marshall
- Disinterested Adult
- Certified or Registered Mail
|
Florida |
$5,000 |
County Court Summary Procedure Division |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Process Server
- Certified or Registered Mail
|
Georgia |
$15,000 |
Magistrate Courts |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Marshall of Court
- Deputy Sheriff
- Person appointed by court
|
Hawaii |
$3,500 |
District Court; Small Claims Division |
Judicial District where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Certified or Registered Mail
- Person appointed by court
|
Idaho |
$3,000 |
Small Claims Department of Magistrate's Division |
County where defendant lives or where the claim arose |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult
|
Illinois |
$5,000 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives or where the claim arose |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Process Server
- Certified Mail
|
Indiana |
$3,000 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives or where the claim arose |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Person appointed by court
- Registered or Certified Mail
|
Iowa |
$4,000 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives or where the claim arose |
- Peace officer (recommended)
- Person appointed by court
- Certified Mail
|
Kansas |
$1,800 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Process Server
- Certified Mail
|
Kentucky |
$1,500 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Bailiff appointed by court
- Certified Mail
|
Louisiana |
$2,000 |
Justice of the Peace |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Person appointed by court
- Constable
|
Maine |
$4,500 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Process Server
|
Maryland |
$2,500 |
District Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult
|
Massachusetts |
$1,750 |
District Court |
District where defendant or plaintiff lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Person appointed by court
- Registered or Certified Mail
|
Michigan |
$5,000 |
District Court |
County where defendant lives or where the claim arose |
|
Minnesota |
$7,500 |
Conciliation Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult
|
Mississippi |
$2,500 |
Justice Court |
County where defendant lives or where the claim arose |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult
|
Missouri |
$3,000 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Process Server
- Registered or Certified Mail
|
Montana |
$3,000 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult
|
Nebraska |
$2,100 |
County Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Person appointed by court or authorized by law
|
Nevada |
$3,500 |
Justice's Court for Small Claims |
City where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult
|
New Hampshire |
$5,000 |
Small Claims Court |
District where defendant or plaintiff lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Registered or Certified Mail
|
New Jersey |
$2,000 |
Superior Court, Special Civil Division |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Person appointed by court
- Sergeant at Arms
|
New Mexico |
$5,000 |
Magistrate's Court: Small Claims Division |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult
|
New York |
$3,000 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Process Server
|
North Carolina |
$3,000 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Process Server
|
North Dakota |
$5,000 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives |
|
Ohio |
$3,000 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Person appointed by court
|
Oklahoma |
$4,500 |
Small Claims Court of the District Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Person appointed by court
- Process Server
- Registered or Certified Mail
|
Oregon |
$3,500 |
District Court: Small Claims Division |
County where defendant lives |
- Disinterested Adult
- Registered or Certified Mail
|
Pennsylvania |
$5,000 |
Magistrate's Court |
Where defendant can be served |
|
Rhode Island |
$1,500 |
Small Claims Court of the District Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Town Sergeant
- Registered or Certified Mail
|
South Carolina |
$5,000 |
Magistrate's Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult
|
South Dakota |
$4,000 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Elector of County
- Registered or Certified Mail
|
Tennessee |
$15,000 |
Court of General Session |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Process Server
- Registered or Certified Mail return receipt requested
|
Texas |
$5,000 |
Small Claims Court |
Precinct where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult
|
Utah |
$5,000 |
Small Claims Division of Circuit Court |
County where defendant lives or where claim arose |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult over 21
|
Vermont |
$3,500 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant or plaintiff lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Person appointed by court
- Process Server
- Registered or Certified Mail
|
Virginia |
$15,000 |
Small Claims Court in Fairfax and Arlington counties, Circuit Court in other counties |
District where defendant lives or where claim arose |
- Officer (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult
|
Washington |
$2,500 |
District Court |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult
|
West Virginia |
$5,000 |
County Magistrate's Office |
County where defendant lives or where claim arose |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult
|
Wisconsin |
$5,000 |
Small Claims Court |
County where defendant lives or where claim arose |
- Disinterested Adult
- Registered or Certified Mail
|
Wyoming |
$4,000 |
County Court: Small Claims Division |
County where defendant lives |
- Sheriff (recommended)
- Disinterested Adult
- Registered or Certified Mail
|
