SueYou
For Lawyers

Resources · Small Claims

Ohio Small Claims Court

Small Claims Division of the Municipal or County Court, for claims up to $6,000.

Last checked November 1, 2026

The most you can ask for$6,000
LawyersLawyers allowed
Time to sue on a contract6 years
Good to know

$6,000 not counting interest and costs, money only. Excludes libel, slander, replevin, malicious prosecution and punitive damages. Assignees and agents generally can't file. A counterclaim over $6,000 moves the case to the regular docket.

Lawyers: Not required. A corporation's officer or employee can present some claims, but only a lawyer can cross-examine or argue for it.

How it works in Ohio

  1. Confirm your claim is for money and is $6,000 or less.
  2. Try to settle first, for example with a demand letter.
  3. Choose the court where the defendant lives or does business, or where the event happened.
  4. Get the Small Claims Complaint from that court, file it, and pay the fee or file a poverty affidavit.
  5. Go to any mediation offered and to the hearing, set within 40 days of filing, with printed evidence and witnesses.
  6. If you win, collect through voluntary payment, garnishment or a judgment lien.

What it costs

Varies by court, so check your local court. You can file a poverty affidavit if you can't afford it.

How long you have to sue

Written contract6 years
Spoken agreement4 years
Damage to property2 years
Personal injury2 years

Ohio Rev. Code §§ 2305.06, 2305.07, 2305.09, 2305.10. These are general limits. The clock can start late, pause or be much shorter, as it is for claims against a government agency.

If you lose

A party can appeal a final municipal court judgment to the Ohio court of appeals within 30 days of its entry.

§ 1925.02 was reissued effective 9 April 2025 (S.B. 237, 135th General Assembly). The limit remains $6,000. § 2305.06 has a new version effective 23 September 2026 (S.B. 219, 136th General Assembly). The written contract period remains six years.

Sources

Cities in Ohio

OhioColumbusFranklin County Municipal Court, Small Claims Division

Have a dispute in Ohio?

A demand letter settles many disputes before court. Build one here, or compare lawyers and their prices.

Demand Letter BuilderHire a Lawyer

General information to help you get organized, last checked November 1, 2026. It isn't legal advice, and SueYou isn't a law firm. Laws change and every case is different, so confirm anything important with a lawyer or the court. No lawyer has reviewed this page yet.