Small Claims Limits
General information from official sources, not legal advice. Rules change. Check with the court before you file.

All states

Small claims court in Alabama

$6,000maximum claim in Small claims court (district court), as of 29 October 2026

The basics

Small claims limit
$6,0001,2,3Ala. Code 12-12-31(a)

The most you can sue for in small claims is $6,000, not counting interest and costs.

Court
Small claims court (district court)1,2Ala. Code 12-12-31

Small claims are a division of the district court in each county.

Filing fee
Varies by county ($72 to $235 in Houston County)2

Fees depend on the county and the amount claimed. Houston County charges $72 for claims up to $1,500, $146 for $1,501 to $3,000 and $235 for $3,001 to $6,000, for one defendant.

Lawyers
Yes, not required2

Adults may file with or without a lawyer. A corporation that files without a lawyer must be represented by an officer or full-time employee.

Appeals
14 days2

File a notice of appeal within 14 calendar days after the judgment. The appeal is heard in circuit court.

Deadlines to sue (statutes of limitations)

How long you usually have to file, counted from when the claim arose. Exceptions apply.

Written contract
6 years4,5Ala. Code 6-2-34(4)

6 years for written promises that are not under seal.

Oral contract
6 years4,5Ala. Code 6-2-34(5), (9)

6 years for simple contracts and for money owed on a loan or account.

Property damage
Not yet confirmed

We have not confirmed this from an official source yet, so we do not show a figure.

Personal injury
2 years6,7Ala. Code 6-2-38(l)

2 years for injury to the person not based on a contract, unless another rule applies.

Small claims rules are set by state law and court rules, and fees are often set locally. Before you file, check the court's own page or call the clerk.

Sources

  1. Ala. Code 12-12-31 (2025), Justia (reproduction of state code text), 2025secondary
  2. Small Claims, Houston County, Alabama Unified Judicial Systemofficial
  3. Small Claims, Lawrence County, Alabama Unified Judicial Systemofficial
  4. Ala. Code 6-2-34 (2025), Justia (reproduction of state code text), 2025secondary
  5. Alabama Code 6-2-34, LawServer (reproduction of state code text)secondary
  6. Ala. Code 6-2-38 (2025), Justia (reproduction of state code text), 2025secondary
  7. Alabama Code 6-2-38, FindLaw (reproduction of state code text), 2024-12-30secondary

Checked 29 October 2026. "Secondary" sources reproduce the official text. We use them only where the official site could not be read and mark them here.