Question 1 of 8. The fee above is the court's; ours is $49 for the paperwork.
- Filing fee
- $54
- Claim limit
- $20,000
- Service per defendant
- $90
- Pay online
- Yes
What Travis County charges to file
Source: Travis County Justice of the Peace Courts fee schedule
| Your claim | You pay |
|---|---|
| Up to $20,000 | $54 |
Fees change — confirm the current amount with the clerk at 512-854-7700 before you file.
The costs that are not the filing fee
Filing is the first charge, not the only one. Travis County also charges:
- Constable service per party: $90
- Total small claims file and serve one defendant: $144
- Counterclaim cross action third party or intervention filing: $54
- Eviction filing and service one party: $144
- Repair and remedy filing and service one party: $144
- Writ of garnishment: $204
- Writ of attachment: $200
- Writ of sequestration: $200
- Summons service: $90
- Subpoena service plus 10 cash witness fee: $90
- Appeal: $54
- Transcript making and certifying docket entries: $10
None of these are optional once the case is moving, and all of them are recoverable in the judgment if you win. They are simply not quoted at the counter when you ask what it costs to file.
Fees change — confirm the current amount with the clerk at 512-854-7700 before you file.
What it costs to serve the defendant
Travis County charges $90 per defendant for service. That is on top of the filing fee, and you pay it for each person or business you are suing.
- Sheriff or constable (for a fee, per county constable fee schedule)
- Private process server certified under order of the Texas Supreme Court
- Clerk of the court by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested
- Any other person authorized by written court order who is 18 or older and not a party to or interested in the outcome (Tex. R. Civ. P. 501.2)
Service by certified mail is not complete unless the return receipt is signed by the addressee; an unsigned or unreturned green card will stall the case.
How this clerk takes payment
Travis County Justice of the Peace Courts accepts:
- Credit or debit card through the eFileTexas electronic filing provider at the time of filing
- In-person or by-mail payment to the Justice Court where the case is filed
- Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs (fee waiver) in lieu of payment
Filing through eFileTexas.gov (Odyssey File & Serve) / Guide & File takes card payment at the time you file.
Common questions
How much does it cost to file a small claims case in Travis County?
$54 to file, plus $90 per defendant for service. Fees change — confirm the current amount with the clerk at 512-854-7700 before you file.
Can I get the filing fee back if I win?
Court costs, including the filing fee and service, are normally included in the judgment you ask for. Getting them back still depends on collecting the judgment.
What if I cannot afford the filing fee in Travis County?
Courts have a fee-waiver application for filers below an income threshold. Travis County's self-help center can point you at it. We cannot tell you whether you qualify.
How do I pay the Travis County filing fee?
Travis County Justice of the Peace Courts takes 3 forms of payment, listed above.
The Travis County filing packet — $49
Everything above, assembled and filled in with your facts:
- Your Travis County filing forms, completed with your claim in the language the court expects
- A demand letter built from the same facts
- A filing checklist with Travis County Justice of the Peace Courts's address, hours, and the current 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 traviscountytx.gov (Travis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 civil suits/forms and the JP Civil Fee Schedule effective 2026-01-01; Constable Precinct 2 civil fees), txcourts.gov, and statutes.capitol.texas.gov 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.