Alaska Small Claims Playbook: Filing, Service, Hearing and Collecting

Home › States › Alaska

How small claims works in Alaska

The unified Alaska Court System runs small claims in the District Court under one statute, one set of Small Claims Rules, one statewide fee schedule and one set of SC-series forms and Handbook (SC-100) for every court location. Only the courthouse location changes.

Court name: District Court for the State of Alaska — small claims. There is no separately named "small claims court"; small claims is a simplified procedure inside District Court.

Checked October 2026. Official sources are listed under Sources below.

Find your borough's court in the Playbook ↓

Does small claims work the same everywhere in Alaska?

• Not county-style. Alaska has no county courts; the same rules, forms and fees apply at every District Court / magistrate location.
• One real difference: who hears the case. A magistrate judge can't hear a small claim if the papers were served on the defendant outside Alaska, except for out-of-state landlords and nonresident drivers or vehicle owners in Alaska accidents. A district court judge can hear small claims against any out-of-state defendant.

What is the small claims limit in Alaska?

$10,000, "exclusive of costs, interest, and attorney fees". Exception: the Department of Labor and Workforce Development can bring wage claims as small claims up to $20,000.

• Over $10,000: you can still use small claims, but you waive anything over $10,000 in principal; interest and costs can go over the cap.
• Small claims needs everyone's agreement. Small claims court can only be used if all parties agree to use this simplified procedure. The defendant can opt into formal rules (Part I) within the answer deadline, and the plaintiff can do the same after a counterclaim. Either way, the case stops being a small claim.
• The judge must hear it as a small claim unless important or unusual points of law are involved or the state is a defendant. The court can also order formal rules for difficult questions.
• Excluded: disputes over title to real property, recovering possession of real property, evictions, claims against the State of Alaska or the U.S. government, injunctions, and actions to foreclose or enforce liens.
• Multiple claims can be joined only while the total stays within the limit. Counterclaims are capped at $10,000 in small claims.

How much does it cost to file small claims in Alaska?

• Fee waiver: Request for Exemption from Payment of Fees (TF-920).
• Certified-mail service: you pay the post office directly.

Where do I file a small claim in Alaska?

File at a place that won't cause the defendant unnecessary expense or inconvenience, and at least one of these must be true:

1. the court is the one nearest where the defendant lives or works;
2. it's where the defendant caused personal injury or property damage;
3. for a business, it's anywhere the business does or solicits business.

The defendant can ask to move the trial in the answer. The plaintiff has 20 days to oppose using form SC-5, and the court decides. Find your court in the Court directory.

How to file in Alaska: the basic steps

1. Pick the court nearest where the defendant lives or works, where the injury or damage happened, or, for a business, where it does business.
2. Fill out SC-1 Complaint and SC-2 Summons (one per defendant), plus a blank-topped SC-3 Answer.
3. File and pay $50 (claims of $2,500 or less) or $100, or ask for a fee exemption on TF-920.
4. You serve each defendant by certified mail (restricted delivery, return receipt) or a process server, within 120 days, and file an Affidavit of Service (SC-4).
5. The defendant has 20 days after service to answer (40 if served outside the U.S.).
6. The court mails a trial notice at least 15 days ahead. There's no jury.
7. Either side can appeal to superior court within 30 days of the date on the judgment's distribution certificate (AP-100, $100). The appeal reviews the record; it isn't a new trial.

Do I need a lawyer for small claims in Alaska?

No. You don't need a lawyer, but you can hire one; attorney fees awarded to a winner are capped at $1,000. Only lawyers or legal interns can represent another person, and a power of attorney doesn't let you represent someone.

A lawyer may be worth a call if your case is complicated, the other side has one, or a deadline is close.

Can a business sue in Alaska small claims?

Yes. Partnerships, LLCs, corporations and other groups can file. An officer or an employee with written permission can represent the business at every stage, including appeal, AS 22.20.040 notwithstanding. Who signs: an officer or authorized employee for a corporation, a managing member or authorized employee for an LLC, and a general partner for a partnership.

For an unincorporated association, a person authorized in writing by its charter, bylaws or governing body signs. The written authorization must be filed with the complaint, and the signer's title must be listed. On the Complaint (SC-1), a corporate plaintiff checks a box stating it has paid its taxes due the state and filed its required reports.

Assigned claims need a lawyer. Anyone suing on an assigned claim (for example a collection agency or debt buyer) must be represented at every stage by a lawyer or legal intern. Otherwise the court dismisses the case.

Alaska small claims FAQ

What is the small claims limit in Alaska?

$10,000, not counting costs, interest and attorney fees. Check your court's rules.

How much does it cost to file small claims in Alaska?

$50 for claims of $2,500 or less, and $100 for claims over $2,500. You can ask for a fee exemption on form TF-920.

Where do I file small claims in Alaska?

At a place that won't cause the defendant unnecessary expense or inconvenience, such as the court nearest where the defendant lives or works.

Do I need a lawyer for small claims in Alaska?

You don't need a lawyer, but you can hire one. Only lawyers or legal interns can represent another person.

How long does the defendant have to answer in Alaska?

20 days after service, or 40 days if served outside the U.S.

How long do I have to appeal in Alaska small claims?

30 days from the date on the judgment's distribution certificate, to the superior court. The fee is $100.

Is there a jury in Alaska small claims?

No. A judge or magistrate judge decides the case.

Sources

• Small Claims - Alaska Court System
• Alaska Small Claims Handbook, SC-100, August 2021, incl. Appendix A statute + District Court Civil Rules 8–22
• Small Claims Information Sheet SC-95, rev. 4/21
• AS 22.15.040, Alaska Statutes 2025
• Current District Court Rules of Civil Procedure, Part II Small Claims Rules 8–22
• Alaska Rules of Administration, Rule 9 fee schedule
• Appellant Instructions: District Court to Superior Court Appeals, AP-200, April 2025
• Debt Collection - Collecting a Debt - Alaska Court System
• Execution Procedure: Judgment Creditor Booklet CIV-550
• Forms by Topic & Number (J - Z) - Alaska Court System

All checked 2026-10-12.

Related guides: Ready to sue · Just got sued · Small claims court basics · 10 things to do before you sue · How to save text messages as evidence · Sued in small claims? What to do next

Small Claims Starter Kit (basic timeline and checklists).

Want the whole game plan for Alaska? The Alaska Playbook takes you from filing to hearing day: what to gather, how to label your exhibits, a one-page timeline, and a day-of plan for your hearing. One yearly membership covers every state guide. See the Playbook

Small Claims Coach is built to help you handle your case yourself, without a lawyer — but if your situation is complicated, does not fit our samples, or a deadline is close, you may want to call a lawyer.

Small Claims Coach uses public information to build the Playbook, which coaches you as you organize and present your own case. We are not your lawyer, there is no attorney-client relationship, and we don't want the details of your case.

This information is for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice.