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New York small claims cost guide
In New York you can claim up to $10,000 NYC · $5,000 city courts · $3,000 town & village courts. The filing fee is NYC & city courts: $15 (to $1,000) · $20 (above). Town & village courts: $10 (to $1,000) · $15 (above).
| New York at a glance | Figure |
|---|---|
| Maximum claim | $10,000 NYC · $5,000 city courts · $3,000 town & village courts |
| Court | Civil / District / City / Town & Village Court — Small Claims Part |
| Filing fee | NYC & city courts: $15 (to $1,000) · $20 (above). Town & village courts: $10 (to $1,000) · $15 (above) |
| Service of process | No separate service cost — the clerk serves the defendant by first-class and certified mail |
Before you file anywhere, check the claim limit and filing fee for your state — a claim $1 over the limit can be dismissed or bounced to regular civil court.
Open the cost calculatorWhere you file
Where you file — and what you can claim — depends on the court. In New York City, file in the Small Claims Part of the Civil Court (limit $10,000). In Nassau County, western Suffolk County, and other city courts the limit is $5,000; in eastern Suffolk County and in town and village courts it is $3,000. File where the defendant lives, works, or has a place of business.
Filing fees by claim amount
NYC & city courts: $15 (to $1,000) · $20 (above). Town & village courts: $10 (to $1,000) · $15 (above). Because the schedule is tiered, the exact fee for your claim is in the calculator on the homepage — select New York and enter your amount.
Service of process: options and costs
| Method | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk service (included) | No separate charge — the clerk mails the notice of claim by ordinary first-class mail AND certified mail, return receipt requested | The standard method for individual claims; no process server needed |
| Personal service | Private server rates ($50–$100 typical) if mail service fails or the court directs it | Rarely needed to start a New York small claim |
Step by step: filing in New York
- Go to the small claims clerk in the courthouse (or file through the court's e-filing/online options where offered) and complete the statement of claim.
- Pay the filing fee: $15 for claims up to $1,000, $20 above that in NYC, city, and district courts; $10/$15 in town and village courts.
- The clerk mails the notice to the defendant — by first-class and certified mail. You do not hire a process server for an ordinary individual claim.
- A commercial (business) claim costs $25 plus postage, and a business claimant must first send the defendant a certified-mail demand letter at least 10 days before filing.
- The defendant may counterclaim for a $5 fee plus postage. There is no fee to defend.
- Hearings are informal, often in the evening in NYC. A party may demand a jury trial ($70 in city/district courts, $10 in town and village courts), which moves the case off the small claims track. Free mediation is available in every county through Community Dispute Resolution Centers.
Timelines and extra fees
- Demand letter (commercial claims): certified mail at least 10 days before filing.
- Notice of appeal: $30 fee; a transcript of judgment costs $15 to issue / $25 to file.
- Enforcement: judgments are enforced by a city marshal or sheriff, whose fees and poundage are set by statute rather than a flat small claims fee.
The honest summary: New York has the cheapest all-in filing experience in the country: a $15–$20 fee and the clerk handles service by mail. The catch is the patchwork of limits — the same claim that fits comfortably in Manhattan ($10,000) would be three times too big for a town court upstate ($3,000). Confirm which court's limit applies before choosing where to file.
In nearly every state the loser is ordered to reimburse your filing and service fees. Here is how that actually works, and when it doesn't.
Read: recovering your court costsWorked total: what a case costs to file
| Claim amount | Filing fee | Service | Total to file |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $15 | $0 | $15 |
| $2,500 | $20 | $0 | $20 |
| $5,000 | $20 | $0 | $20 |
These totals are filing fee plus service only, for one defendant, before any mediation, jury, or enforcement charges itemised above. If you win, courts generally order the defendant to reimburse these costs — see recovering your court costs.
Sources: NY Courts — Filing Fees (official) · NY Courts — Starting a Case in NYC Small Claims Court. Researched October 2026 — confirm current figures with the court clerk.
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