New York County Small Claims Court Locations

New York City Civil Court, New York County - Small Claims Part

• In person at the Small Claims Clerk's Office, Room 118, 111 Centre Street, New York
• By mail - send the completed and signed Statement of Claim (CIV-SC-50), the filing fee, and a self-addressed 6"x9" envelope with postage to the court

Filing locations

1

Hours

Small Claims Clerk's Office (Room 118): 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri; 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Thu. Evening Small Claims courtroom: 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Tue and Thu. Small Claims cashier closes at 7:30 p.m. on Thu.

Filing fee

$15–$20

File without going in

Yes, by mail

Is New York County the right court for your case?

Which court may hear a small claims case turns on where the dispute belongs, not on where it is convenient for you to go. It is normally:

• Where the defendant lives — or, for a business, where it has its place of business.
• Where the events you are suing about actually happened.
• Where a contract was to be performed, where the claim is about an agreement.

If New York County fits one of those, New York City Civil Court, New York County - Small Claims Part can hear it. If none of them fits, the case belongs in another county's court and filing here costs you the fee and the time before it is transferred or dismissed.

We cannot advise you which venue to choose. Where two courts would both be proper, either is a valid filing.

Going to New York City Civil Court, New York County - Small Claims Part in person

If you are filing at the counter rather than by mail or online, this is the shape of the visit.

1. Go during filing hours, not court hours. The counter is open Small Claims Clerk's Office (Room 118): 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri; 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Thu. Evening Small Claims courtroom: 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Tue and Thu. Small Claims cashier closes at 7:30 p.m. on Thu.. Clerks stop accepting new filings before closing, so arriving in the last half hour is how people end up coming back.
2. Bring the completed claim form and your copies. Bring a copy for the court, one for each defendant, and one for yourself.
3. Bring the fee, in a form this clerk takes. The filing fee is $15–$20. New York City Civil Court, New York County - Small Claims Part accepts 5 forms of payment — cash is not always one of them, and cards are not always one either.
4. Know the defendant's exact legal name and address. The clerk will not look it up for you, and a judgment against a trade name that is not the legal entity is difficult to collect on afterwards.
5. Leave with your court date. New York County sets the first court date at filing, so you leave the counter knowing when to come back.

Court staff can explain procedure and check a form is complete. They cannot tell you what to write in your claim, or whether to bring it at all.

Ways to file without standing in line

New York City Civil Court, New York County - Small Claims Part accepts a filing:

• In person at the Small Claims Clerk's Office, Room 118, 111 Centre Street, New York
• By mail - send the completed and signed Statement of Claim (CIV-SC-50), the filing fee, and a self-addressed 6"x9" envelope with postage to the court

Free help at the courthouse

New York County runs a self-help center for people filing without a lawyer. It can:

• Point you at the right form for your case type
• Check a form is complete before you hand it in
• The New York County Civil and Housing Court Virtual Help Center assists self-represented litigants; the NYC Small Claims Court section and the UCS Guide to Small Claims give step-by-step help. Court clerks cannot give legal advice.

Court staff can explain procedure. They cannot tell you what to write in your claim, or whether you should file at all — that is the line they are not allowed to cross, and it is the part most people actually need.

Common questions

Where is small claims court in New York County?

New York City Civil Court, New York County - Small Claims Part, 111 Centre Street, Room 118, New York, NY 10013.

What are the New York County small claims court hours?

Small Claims Clerk's Office (Room 118): 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri; 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Thu. Evening Small Claims courtroom: 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Tue and Thu. Small Claims cashier closes at 7:30 p.m. on Thu.. Confirm before travelling — court hours change around holidays.

Do I have to go to the courthouse to file in New York County?

Not necessarily. New York County accepts a filing in person at the small claims clerk's office, room 118, 111 centre street, new york; by mail - send the completed and signed statement of claim (civ-sc-50), the filing fee, and a self-addressed 6"x9" envelope with postage to the court.