Why Some States Have No Single Small Claims Filing Fee

Ask what it costs to file a small claims case and some states have one answer and some don't. In California, Florida and North Carolina a statute or court schedule fixes the number. In Ohio the statute leaves the amount to each court, and in Washington the fee depends on the county. This guide explains how those structures differ and why this site sometimes shows a structure where you expected a dollar figure.

Four ways a state can set its filing fee

The Court Filing Fees by State table sorts every state and DC into one of four groups. In the snapshot behind the October 2026 table, 36 of the 51 rows are statewide, meaning one schedule applies everywhere in the state. Seven are a statewide base plus a local add-on. Six are set by each county's court. Two could not be verified on a primary source.

Group	What it means	Rows in the October 2026 snapshot
Statewide	One fee schedule applies in every court of that level	36
Statewide base plus a local add-on	A state figure, with counties or courts adding to it	7
Set by your county's court	The statute leaves the amount to the county or court	6
Not verified on a primary source	No figure could be read from the statute or the judiciary	2

The six county-set rows are Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee. The seven with a local add-on are Arizona, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada, Virginia and Washington. This site does not print a dollar figure for those states in this guide, because a single number would be wrong for part of each state.

Statewide: the fee is the fee

Where a state sets the fee for every court, the figure depends on the claim amount and not on the courthouse. California's fee runs $30 up to $1,500, $50 up to $5,000, and $75 up to $12,500, according to the California Courts Self-Help Guide. Florida's runs $50 up to $100, $75 up to $500, $170 up to $2,500, and $295 up to $8,000, under Fla. Stat. §34.041. North Carolina's small claims filing fee is a flat $96, under N.C. Gen. Stat. §7A-305.

County-set: the statute hands the decision to the court

In Ohio, the statute listing what a small claims complaint must include names "a filing fee as determined by the court" (R.C. 1925.04(A)(1)). No statewide schedule exists to quote, so the fee you pay is the one your own court has set. The same reasoning applies to the other five county-set states in the table above: the honest answer is the clerk's posted schedule for your court.

A statewide base with a local add-on

Washington shows the middle case. Its small claims fee is $35 in counties without a dispute resolution center and $50 in counties with one, according to Washington State Courts. The state law behind the difference lets "a county legislative authority" impose "a surcharge of up to fifteen dollars on each filing fee for small claims actions" to fund those centers (RCW 7.75.035). The base is the same everywhere; the total depends on the county you file in.

Why this matters before you file

The filing fee is only one line of what it costs to sue, and a range or a structure is not a failure to answer. It tells you to check your own court's schedule before you rely on a number you found elsewhere. The Court Filing Fees by State table shows, for each state, which group it falls in, the statute behind it, and the date the figures were last confirmed. For the filing-plus-service total, see What It Costs to Start a Small Claims Case.

Written by Eric, DocketClear founder. Last reviewed: October 2026.

This is informational only, not legal advice — confirm current rules and fees with your court clerk before filing.

Frequently asked questions

Why doesn't the table show one number for every state?

Because in some states no single number exists. In the October 2026 snapshot, 13 of 51 rows are either set by each county's court or carry a local add-on on top of a statewide base, so a single figure would be wrong for part of the state.

Which states set the small claims filing fee county by county?

In the October 2026 snapshot, Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee. Check the state's row in the table for the statute behind it.

Is Washington's small claims fee the same in every county?

No. It is $35 in counties without a dispute resolution center and $50 in counties with one, according to Washington State Courts.

Does a statewide fee mean there are no other charges?

Not necessarily. The filing fee is separate from service of process, which is charged on top in most places. See the guide linked above for the combined total.

Where do I find my own court's fee?

The Court Filing Fees by State table lists each state's schedule and statute, and your court clerk can confirm the current amount.