- Claim limit
- $10,000
- Court
- New York City Civil Court, Small Claims Part
- File online
- No — in person/mail
- Appeal window
- 30 days
How filings are accepted here
Without a statewide portal, the filing method is set court by court:
- 0 of the 4 New York counties we cover accept some form of electronic filing
- The rest take a filing in person or by mail
- Filing electronically, where available, does not change the fee and does not serve the defendant
However you file, service of the defendant is a separate step with its own cost and its own proof.
Filing without going to the courthouse
Where the portal is closed to you, or your county is not on it, the counter is not the only route:
- Check whether your clerk takes a mailed filing. Many do, and it is the most commonly missed option. Each county page on this site lists the filing methods that court accepts.
- Send the complete set, not the form alone. The claim form, any document the claim is based on, the fee in the form the clerk accepts, and a return address. An incomplete mailed filing comes back, and the round trip costs a fortnight.
- Pay in a form that survives the post. Clerks that take mailed filings generally want a money order or a cashier’s cheque rather than cash or a personal card number.
- Remember that filing is not serving. However the case gets to the court, the defendant still has to be formally served, and that is a separate step with its own cost and its own proof.
Confirm with your clerk before posting anything. A rejected filing is charged again when you refile.
Common questions
Can you file a small claims case online in New York?
There is no small claims e-filing in New York — cases are filed in person or by mail. Pick your county to see its exact filing steps.
Is e-filing open to people without a lawyer in New York?
No. None for small claims — the New York State Courts Electronic Filing system (NYSCEF) does not accept small claims matters; filing is in person or by mail only is limited to attorneys, so a filer representing themselves files at the counter or by mail.
Does filing online cost more in New York?
The filing fee is the same. Card payment may carry a processing surcharge, which your county's fee page sets out.
If I file online, is the defendant notified?
No. Filing and service are separate steps. Filing electronically does not serve anybody.
Pick your county to see how it accepts filings
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 2026-08-20 · Sourced from New York judiciary self-help resources and each county's clerk of court and N.Y.C. Civil Court Act, Article 18 — Small Claims (§§ 1801-1814): §1801 (defines a small claim; $10,000 ceiling, exclusive of interest and costs), §1803 (commencement; $15 fee for claims of $1,000 or less and $20 for claims over $1,000; clerk serves notice of claim by ordinary first-class and certified mail), §1804 (informal, simplified procedure — court does substantial justice and is not bound by rules of practice, procedure, pleading or evidence), §1807 (review — either party may appeal only on the ground that substantial justice was not done). See how we verify.