- Claim limit
- $20,000
- Court
- Justice Court
- File online
- Yes (statewide)
- Appeal window
- 21 days
What eFileTexas.gov (Odyssey File & Serve) is
Texas's statewide portal is where electronic filings go:
- System: eFileTexas.gov (Odyssey File & Serve)
- A filer representing themselves may register and file
- 5 of the 5 Texas counties we cover accept an electronic filing
- Filing electronically 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.
Texas counties that take an electronic filing
Of the counties Small Claims Desk covers:
- Harris County — eFileTexas.gov (Odyssey File & Serve)
- Bexar County — eFileTexas.gov (Odyssey File & Serve) / Guide & File
- Dallas County — eFileTexas.gov (Odyssey File & Serve) / Guide & File self-help interview
- Tarrant County — eFileTexas.gov (Odyssey File & Serve) / Guide & File
- Travis County — eFileTexas.gov (Odyssey File & Serve) / Guide & File
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 Texas?
Texas offers statewide e-filing through eFileTexas.gov (Odyssey File & Serve). Some counties also accept in-person or mail filing.
Is e-filing open to people without a lawyer in Texas?
Yes — Texas lets a filer representing themselves register for eFileTexas.gov (Odyssey File & Serve).
Does filing online cost more in Texas?
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 Texas judiciary self-help resources and each county's clerk of court and Tex. Gov't Code Ch. 27 (Justice Courts) — §27.031 (civil jurisdiction, $20,000), §27.031(d) (corporation need not be represented by attorney), §27.060 (small claims). See how we verify.