How to file small claims in Massachusetts
Sue for up to $7,000 in the Small Claims session (District or Boston Municipal Court); filing fee around $40.
Massachusetts small claims top out at $7,000 (no cap for car-related property damage), can be filed online, and are first heard by a clerk-magistrate.
- Dollar limit: $7,000 — $7,000 generally; there is NO cap for claims arising from property damage caused by a motor vehicle.
- Filing fee: $40 — Tiered: about $40 (≤$500), $50 ($501–$2,000), $100 ($2,001–$5,000), $150 ($5,001–$7,000).
- Where to file: Small Claims session (District or Boston Municipal Court)
- Lawyers at the hearing: allowed
- Confirm your claim is at or under the dollar limit and within the statute of limitations for your claim type.
- Send a written demand letter first — most courts expect it, and it often gets you paid without filing.
- Get the correct filing form (often a "Statement of Claim" or "Plaintiff's Claim") from the Small Claims session clerk or the court's website.
- File the form with the Small Claims session for the county where the defendant lives or where the dispute happened, and pay the filing fee.
- Arrange service of process so the defendant is officially notified (by the sheriff, certified mail, or a process server, per local rules).
- Gather your evidence — contract, texts, photos, receipts, the demand letter — and bring organized copies to your hearing.
- Show up on your court date and present your case; if you win, ask the judge how to collect the judgment.
- You can file online through the Massachusetts court system; a clerk-magistrate often hears the case first, and only the defendant may appeal to a jury.
What are you suing for?
Source: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 218, § 21. Reviewed 2026-06-17.
Nearby states: New Hampshire ($10,000) · Rhode Island ($5,000) · Connecticut ($5,000) · New York ($10,000) · Vermont ($5,000).
General legal information, not legal advice. Rules change and vary by county and court; consult a licensed attorney or your court clerk.
Updated July 2026