Small claims court in North Carolina

North Carolina handles small claims in Magistrate's Court for amounts up to $10,000. The losing party has only 10 days to appeal de novo to District Court — one of the shortest small-claims appeal windows in the country.

Max claim (individual)

$10,000

Filing fee

$96.00

Filing → judgment: 4-8 weeks

Court

Magistrate's Court (Small Claims Division)

In person only

The rules at a glance

Lawyers allowed?: Yes
Corporations allowed?: Yes
Right of appeal?: Yes — 10 days
Appeal goes to: District Court (de novo)

Official resources

North Carolina judicial branch — small-claims overview Court forms (official)

More North Carolina tools

Service of process

Did I get served correctly? →

Eviction rules

North Carolina tenant rights →

Cost to sue

North Carolina all-in cost →

Other states

Alaska $10,000 Alabama $6,000 Arkansas $5,000 Arizona $3,500 California $12,500 Colorado $7,500 Connecticut $5,000 District of Columbia $10,000 Delaware $25,000 Florida $8,000 Georgia $15,000 Hawaii $5,000 Iowa $6,500 Idaho $5,000 Illinois $10,000 Indiana $10,000 Kansas $4,000 Kentucky $2,500 Louisiana $5,000 Massachusetts $7,000 Maryland $5,000 Maine $6,000 Michigan $7,000 Minnesota $15,000 Missouri $5,000 Mississippi $3,500 Montana $8,000 North Dakota $15,000 Nebraska $3,800 New Hampshire $10,000 New Jersey $5,000 New Mexico $10,000 Nevada $10,000 New York $10,000 Ohio $6,000 Oklahoma $10,000 Oregon $10,000 Pennsylvania $12,000 Rhode Island $5,000 South Carolina $7,500 South Dakota $12,000 Tennessee $25,000 Texas $20,000 Utah $15,000 Virginia $5,000 Vermont $10,000 Washington $10,000 Wisconsin $10,000 West Virginia $10,000 Wyoming $6,000

Not legal advice. Procedures vary by court and change periodically. Always confirm details with the clerk's office or the official court website (linked above) before filing.