Illinois · before you file

Court filing fees in Illinois

set by your county's courtsmall claims filing fee
Set by your county's court

Illinois has no single statewide small claims filing fee: Your county's circuit clerk sets the fee within the cap. Below is how the fee is set, what cited courts charge, and the fees at the other court levels.

Fees at each court level

Small claims (up to $10,000): Set by each county board within statutory caps: ≤$2,500 up to $94 ($270 in Cook County); $2,500.01–$10,000 up to $266 ($362 in Cook)
Limited or county civil: None: everything is in the circuit court; the $2,500.01–$15,000 band (cap $266, Cook $362) is the middle in effect
General civil: Over $15,000: up to $321 ($371 in Cook County); Cook charges $388 with authorized add-ons

Who sets the fee

705 ILCS 105/27.1b sets a maximum for each of three fee schedules by claim band and says the amount "shall be determined by ordinance or resolution of the county board". The Supreme Court assigns case types to the schedules. The judiciary publishes no per-county table.

Locally: Your county's circuit clerk sets the fee within the cap.

Cited examples

Cook County Circuit Court (≤$2,500 / $2,500.01–$15,000 / over $15,000): $287 / $379 / $388
McHenry County Circuit Court (≤$2,500 / $2,500.01–$10,000): $89 / $264

Sources and verification

Schedule: 705 ILCS 105/27.1b (Current)
Authority: 705 ILCS 105/27.1b, via ilga.gov
Last confirmed: 2026-10-23, by re-reading the schedule
Usually changes: General Assembly amends the caps; county boards change any time

What this page does not include

Last reviewed: October 2026

Service of process: a sheriff or constable fee per defendant, or certified mail through the clerk. See the service of process cost tool.
Jury demands, motions, subpoenas, appeals and post-judgment filings, each with its own fee.
Fee waivers. Every court has one for filers who cannot pay; the fee waiver checker covers the usual tests.

Informational only, not legal advice. Every figure is cited to the judiciary's schedule or the statute; confirm with the clerk before filing.

Also for Illinois: post-judgment interest rate

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to file a small claims case in Illinois?

There is no single statewide figure. 705 ILCS 105/27.1b sets a maximum for each of three fee schedules by claim band and says the amount "shall be determined by ordinance or resolution of the county board". The Supreme Court assigns case types to the schedules. The judiciary publishes no per-county table.

What does it cost to file a regular civil case in Illinois?

None: everything is in the circuit court; the $2,500.01–$15,000 band (cap $266, Cook $362) is the middle in effect. Over $15,000: up to $321 ($371 in Cook County); Cook charges $388 with authorized add-ons.

Does the filing fee include serving the defendant?

Almost never. Service of process is a separate charge, a sheriff or constable fee per defendant or certified mail through the clerk, and it is not in the figures on this page. A jury demand, a motion or an appeal also carries its own fee.

Can the fee be waived?

Every state court system has a fee waiver for people who cannot afford the fee, usually by filing an affidavit of indigency or an application to proceed without payment with the clerk. The Illinois schedule linked above is where the court publishes its form, and this site's fee-waiver eligibility checker explains the usual tests.

Related tools

Small Claims Filing Fee Calculator

See exactly what it costs to file a small claims case, by state — cited to your court's own fee schedule.

Open tool →Total Cost to Sue Calculator

The full out-of-pocket cost to sue in small claims court — filing fee plus service of process, added together and cited to each court's own fee schedule.

Open tool →Small Claims Limit Checker

See whether your claim qualifies for small claims court and what the dollar limit is, by state and by plaintiff type — individual or business.

Open tool →Fee Waiver Eligibility Checker

See whether you qualify to have your small claims filing fee waived for financial hardship, by state — cited to each court's own fee-waiver rule.

Open tool →Service of Process Cost Calculator

See what it costs to serve a defendant, by state and by method — sheriff, court-arranged mail, or certified mail — cited to each state's own fee schedule.

Open tool →Small Claims Court Costs by State

Filing fees, claim limits, and service costs for every covered state, side by side.

Compare states →