North Carolina Small Claims Courts

Small Claims Courts in North Carolina

Small Claims Desk currently supports 22 courts in North Carolina. Tap a pin or a court below for its filing details, fees, and forms.

• Buncombe County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Buncombe County
  60 Court Plaza, Asheville, NC 28801
• Cabarrus County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Cabarrus County
  61 Union Street South, Concord, NC 28025
• Catawba County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Catawba County
  100 Government Drive, Newton, NC 28658
• Cleveland County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Cleveland County
  100 Justice Place, Shelby, NC 28150
• Cumberland County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Cumberland County
  117 Dick St., Fayetteville, NC 28301
• Davidson County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Davidson County
  110 West Center St, Lexington, NC 27292
• Durham County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Durham County
  510 South Dillard St., Durham, NC 27701
• Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Forsyth County
  175 N. Chestnut Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
• Gaston County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Gaston County
  325 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Suite 1004, Gastonia, NC 28052
• Guilford County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Civil/Small Claims) — Guilford County
  201 South Eugene St, Greensboro, NC 27401
• Harnett County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Harnett County
  301 W. Cornelius Harnett Blvd, Suite 100, Lillington, NC 27546
• Iredell County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Iredell County
  226 Stockton St, Statesville, NC 28677
• Johnston County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Johnston County
  207 E Johnston St, Smithfield, NC 27577
• Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Civil/Small Claims) — Mecklenburg County
  832 East Fourth St, Charlotte, NC 28202
• Nash County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Nash County
  234 W Washington St, Nashville, NC 27856
• New Hanover County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — New Hanover County
  316 Princess St, Wilmington, NC 28401
• Onslow County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Onslow County
  602 Anne Street, Jacksonville, NC 28540
• Pitt County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Pitt County
  100 W Third St, Greenville, NC 27834
• Randolph County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Randolph County
  176 East Salisbury St, Asheboro, NC 27203
• Rowan County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Rowan County
  210 N Main St, Salisbury, NC 28144
• Union County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Union County
  400 North Main St, Monroe, NC 28112
• Wake County Clerk of Superior Court — Magistrates (Small Claims) — Wake County
  316 Fayetteville St. Mall, Raleigh, NC 27601

Which court is the right one

Venue — which court may hear your case — normally turns on:

• Where the defendant lives, or where a business defendant has its place of business
• Where the events giving rise to the claim happened
• Where a contract was to be performed, in a contract dispute

Filing in the wrong court gets the case transferred or dismissed, and either way costs you the time. If two courts would both be proper, either is a valid choice.

We cannot advise which venue to choose. Each county page below sets out that court’s own rule where it publishes one.

Claim limit

$10,000

Court

Small Claims Court

File online

Yes (statewide)

Appeal window

10 days

What each county page tells you

Picking your county below gives you that court’s own facts rather than a state generalisation:

• The filing address, the counter hours, and the phone number for the clerk.
• That court’s filing fee — which steps with the size of the claim in most counties — and what it charges for service.
• The forms that court requires, under the names it actually uses for them.
• Which filing methods it accepts: counter, post, or an electronic portal.
• Whether it sets your first court date when you file, or after the defendant is served.

Those facts are verified per court and re-checked quarterly, because a fee schedule or an address that is a year out of date sends somebody to the wrong building with the wrong money.

Where a county is not listed, we have not verified that court to the standard we hold ourselves to, and we would rather say so than guess.

Common questions

Where do I file a small claims case in North Carolina?

In the small claims court for the county where the defendant lives or where the dispute happened. Pick your county above for that court's address and hours.

Can I file in the county where I live?

Only if it is also proper venue — usually meaning the defendant is there or the dispute happened there. Convenience to you is not by itself a basis.

How many North Carolina courts does Small Claims Desk cover?

22. Each has its own page with the address, hours, filing methods, fee schedule and forms that court requires.

What if my county is not listed?

The North Carolina rules on this site still apply and are free to use. We add counties as their court records are verified to the standard we hold ourselves to.