Small claims court in Oregon

$10,000maximum claim in Small claims department of circuit court, as of 29 October 2026

The basics

Small claims limit: $10,000¹ORS 46.405(2), (3)
You can file claims of up to $10,000 in small claims. Claims of $750 or less must be filed there.
Court: Small claims department of circuit court¹ORS 46.405
Small claims are heard in the small claims department of the circuit court.
Filing fee: $57 or $102 (by claim amount)¹ORS 46.570
The statewide fee is $57 for claims of $2,500 or less and $102 for larger claims. A defendant who asks for a hearing or a jury trial also pays a fee.
Lawyers: No, unless the judge consents¹ORS 46.415(4), (5)
Lawyers and other helpers may not appear for you without the judge's consent. Businesses and public bodies may take part without a lawyer.
Appeals: No appeal¹ORS 46.485(4), 46.455
A small claims judgment is final and cannot be appealed. If the claim is over $750, the defendant can instead ask for a jury trial in writing within 30 days after being served.

Deadlines to sue (statutes of limitations)

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

Written contract: 6 years²ORS 12.080(1)
6 years for a contract claim, written or implied, unless another law sets a different period.
Oral contract: 6 years²ORS 12.080(1)
6 years. Oregon uses the same period for written and oral contracts.
Property damage: 6 years²ORS 12.080(4)
6 years for taking, keeping or damaging personal property.
Personal injury: 2 years²ORS 12.110(1)
2 years for injury to the person not based on a contract, unless another law sets a different period.

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

ORS Chapter 46, Justice and small claims procedure (2025 edition), Oregon State Legislature, 2025official
ORS Chapter 12, Limitations of actions (2025 edition), Oregon State Legislature, 2025official

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.