Court filing fees by state · Washington
Washington · before you file
Court filing fees in Washington
Filing a small claims case in Washington costs $35, or $50 in a county that funds a dispute resolution center, for claims up to $10,000. Service of the defendant is extra.
Fees at each court level
- Small claims (up to $10,000)
- $35, or $50 in a county that funds a dispute resolution center Limit: $10,000 for a natural person; $5,000 otherwise.
- Limited or county civil (up to $100,000)
- District court civil $43 + $30 surcharge, plus up to $10 dispute-resolution surcharge: $73 to $83
- General civil
- Superior court $290 ($200 + $40 + $50)
Who sets the fee
RCW 12.40.020 sets the $35 fee and RCW 7.75.035 lets a county add up to $15 for a dispute resolution center. District court fees are in RCW 3.62.060 and superior court fees in RCW 36.18.020. No per-county table is published.
Locally: Counties with a dispute resolution center charge $50; others $35.
Sources and verification
- Schedule
- RCW 12.40.020 (Current)
- Authority
- RCW 12.40.020, via app.leg.wa.gov
- Last confirmed
- 2026-10-23, by re-reading the schedule
- Usually changes
- Legislature (last raised 2019)
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 Washington: the full cost to sue in small claims court · post-judgment interest rate
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to file a small claims case in Washington?
$35, or $50 in a county that funds a dispute resolution center, for claims up to $10,000. RCW 12.40.020 sets the $35 fee and RCW 7.75.035 lets a county add up to $15 for a dispute resolution center. District court fees are in RCW 3.62.060 and superior court fees in RCW 36.18.020. No per-county table is published.
What does it cost to file a regular civil case in Washington?
District court civil $43 + $30 surcharge, plus up to $10 dispute-resolution surcharge: $73 to $83. Superior court $290 ($200 + $40 + $50).
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 Washington schedule linked above is where the court publishes its form, and this site's fee-waiver eligibility checker explains the usual tests.
Related tools
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 CalculatorThe 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 CheckerSee 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 CheckerSee 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 CalculatorSee 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 StateFiling fees, claim limits, and service costs for every covered state, side by side.
Compare states →