Who New Jersey permits to file
New Jersey allows a small claims case to be brought by:
- Individual 18 years of age or older
- Parent or guardian, if the person suing is under 18
- Sole proprietorship or business (subject to attorney-representation rules for corporations in matters over $5,000 in the regular Special Civil Part)
Whoever files has to be the person or entity that actually holds the claim. Suing in your own name over a debt owed to your company — or the reverse — is the kind of defect a defendant raises at the hearing.
- Claim limit
- $5,000
- Court
- Special Civil Part
- File online
- Yes (statewide)
- Appeal window
- 45 days
The three that catch people out
Can I sue as my LLC or company?
New Jersey permits it, and the form needs the full registered legal name and address of the entity — not the trading name. Some courts also limit how a company may be represented at the hearing.
Can I sue on behalf of someone else?
A parent or guardian may bring a claim for a minor child in New Jersey. Otherwise you cannot file for a friend, a relative or a tenant — they file for themselves.
Do I need a lawyer?
No. Small claims exists so that people can represent themselves, and most attorneys will not take a case of this size. That is the whole design of the division.
Common questions
Who can file a small claims case in New Jersey?
Individual 18 years of age or older; Parent or guardian, if the person suing is under 18; Sole proprietorship or business (subject to attorney-representation rules for corporations in matters over $5,000 in the regular Special Civil Part).
Can an LLC or corporation file small claims in New Jersey?
Yes. The claim form requires the entity's full legal business name, address and phone.
Can I sue someone in New Jersey if I live in another state?
Usually yes — what matters is that the court has jurisdiction over the defendant, which normally means suing where the defendant lives or where the dispute happened, not where you live.
Do I need a lawyer to file small claims in New Jersey?
No. Special Civil Part small claims is designed for self-representation.
Pick the county where you would sue
Small claims is filed at the county level. Pick your county for its court, fee, and forms — or start your claim and we'll ask where you'd sue.
Start my claimYour small claims filing packet — $49
Everything above, assembled and filled in with your facts:
- Your court's own forms, with your claim written in the language the court expects
- A demand letter built from the same facts
- A filing checklist with your court's address, hours, and fee
- What to bring to your hearing
Answer a few questions first. See your claim written out before you pay anything.
Reviewed by Small Claims Desk · Last reviewed 2026-08-23 · Sourced from New Jersey judiciary self-help resources and each county's clerk of court and N.J.S.A. 22A:2-37.1 (Special Civil Part filing, service and process fees, incl. Small Claims Section). See how we verify.