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 Connecticut

$5,000maximum claim in Small Claims Session of the Superior Court, as of 29 October 2026

The basics

Small claims limit
$5,0001,2

You can sue for up to $5,000. Home improvement contract cases can go up to $15,000, and security deposit cases have their own rule.

Court
Small Claims Session of the Superior Court1,2

Small claims are heard in the Small Claims Session of the Superior Court, usually by a magistrate.

Filing fee
$952

The statewide entry fee is $95. Filing a counterclaim also costs $95.

Lawyers
Yes, not required2

You do not need a lawyer for a small claims case.

Appeals
No appeal2Practice Book 24-21

You cannot appeal a small claims decision. Before the hearing, you may ask to move the case to the regular court docket, which costs $125.

Deadlines to sue (statutes of limitations)

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

Written contract
6 years3,4Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-576(a)

6 years for written contracts, accounts and simple or implied contracts.

Oral contract
Not yet confirmed

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

Property damage
2 years5,6Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-584

2 years from when the damage is found or should have been found, and no more than 3 years after the act, for negligence claims.

Personal injury
2 years5,6Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-584

2 years from when the injury is found or should have been found, and no more than 3 years after the act, for negligence claims.

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. Small Claims Session, State of Connecticut Judicial Branchofficial
  2. Frequently Asked Questions about Small Claims, State of Connecticut Judicial Branchofficial
  3. Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-576 (2025), Justia (reproduction of state code text), 2025secondary
  4. Connecticut General Statutes 52-576, FindLaw (reproduction of state code text), 2025-01-01secondary
  5. Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-584 (2025), Justia (reproduction of state code text), 2025secondary
  6. Connecticut General Statutes 52-584, FindLaw (reproduction of state code text), 2025-01-01secondary

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.