Miami-Dade County Small Claims Court (Florida): How to File in County Court

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This independent guide covers small claims cases in Miami-Dade County, Florida, including Miami, Hialeah, Miami Beach, Coral Gables and North Miami. Small Claims Coach is not the court; we link to the Clerk's and the court's official pages throughout.

Checked on 2026-10-27 against the Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller and Eleventh Judicial Circuit websites. Sources are listed below. Jump to court addresses and phones ↓ For the statewide rules, see our Florida small claims guide.

Which court hears small claims in Miami-Dade County?

• Court: County Civil judges of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit hear small claims and debt collection cases. The Clerk of the Court and Comptroller handles filing.
• Limit: up to $8,000, not including costs, interest and attorneys' fees (Florida Small Claims Rule 7.010).
• Pretrial first: you get a pretrial date. If you don't appear, your case may be dismissed; if the defendant doesn't appear, the judge may enter a default.

Which courthouse do I file in?

• Small claims can be brought only in the county where the defendant resides, where the cause of action occurred, or where the property involved is located.
• County Civil judges sit at seven locations: the Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center, Coral Gables, the Harvey Ruvin Justice Center (formerly North Dade Justice Center), South Dade, Hialeah, the Joseph Caleb Center and the Miami Beach Branch Court.
• Which courthouse hears a case from a given city or ZIP code isn't confirmed on the pages we checked. Before you file, call the Clerk at 305-275-1155 to ask which courthouse will hear your case.

Miami-Dade courthouses by city (approximate)

Approximate guide. These are the cities where the courthouses sit. It isn't a coverage map: the facts of your case (such as the defendant's address) decide where it's heard, not the city name. Ask the Clerk before you file.

Checked 2026-10-27, from the Clerk's District Courts page.

Addresses, phone numbers and hours

Hours: County Civil is listed as 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Addresses are from the Clerk's District Courts page and Small Claims page. For fee schedules and information, call 305-275-1155.

How much does small claims cost in Miami-Dade County?

The Clerk lists these small claims filing fees:

• Claims under $100: $55
• $100.01 to $500: $80
• $500.01 to $2,500: $175
• $2,500.01 to $8,000: $300

Service fee: costs also include a service fee for summoning each party to court, but the Clerk's page doesn't give the amount. Call the Clerk at 305-275-1155 for the current service fee.

Can I e-file in Miami-Dade County?

We haven't confirmed e-filing options for people filing without a lawyer in Miami-Dade small claims. Ask the Clerk at 305-275-1155, or file in person.

Miami-Dade County small claims forms

Forms are available in Room 06.240 of the Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center and at the district court locations. See the Clerk's Small Claims page.

How to file in Miami-Dade County, step by step

1. Make sure your claim is $8,000 or less, not counting costs, interest and attorneys' fees.
2. Suing a business? Look up its exact name with the Florida Division of Corporations (850-245-6052 or sunbiz.org) or the Miami-Dade Occupational License Bureau (305-270-4949).
3. Get the forms (Room 06.240 at the Soto Justice Center or a district court), and call 305-275-1155 to ask which courthouse will hear your case.
4. File with the Clerk and pay $55 to $300, plus the service fee.
5. Go to your pretrial with your documents, but no witnesses. Your case may be referred to a mediator.
6. If there's no agreement, you get a trial date. Subpoena your witnesses for the trial. Statewide rules are in our Florida guide.

How to look up a Miami-Dade County small claims case

• Use the Clerk's online case search (OCS). Pick a search method in the left menu and fill in the fields marked with an asterisk.
• Registering or logging in avoids the reCaptcha and search limits.
• The Clerk makes no warranties about the completeness, accuracy or timeliness of the information.
• The County Civil page also has View Today's Calendar for Soto Justice Center (Soto only): search by case number for the hearing time and courtroom, or by party name.
• We couldn't confirm the exact search methods. If you can't find your case, call the Clerk at 305-275-1155.

What does it cost to collect a judgment?

Winning doesn't mean you get paid automatically. Miami-Dade's collection fees weren't on the pages we checked. Ask the Clerk at 305-275-1155, and see our Florida guide for the statewide steps.

Fee waivers and venue changes

• Fee waiver: ask the Clerk at 305-275-1155 how to apply.
• Wrong county? Small claims can be brought only where the defendant resides, where the cause of action occurred, or where the property is located. If none of those is Miami-Dade, ask the Clerk before you file.

Coach's Tips for Miami-Dade County

• Documents yes, witnesses no (at first). Bring your documents to the pretrial, but leave your witnesses home. Witnesses come to the trial date, and you have to subpoena them.
• Don't skip the pretrial. If you're the plaintiff and you don't appear, your case may be dismissed.
• Free information sessions. The Miami-Dade Office of Consumer Protection runs free small claims sessions; the Clerk's page says no reservation is required.

Miami-Dade County small claims checklist

• My claim is $8,000 or less (not counting costs, interest and attorneys' fees).
• Miami-Dade is the right county (defendant, cause of action or property).
• I have the defendant's exact name (for a business, from sunbiz.org).
• I called the Clerk to ask which courthouse will hear my case and the service fee.
• I have the filing fee.
• My documents are ready for the pretrial.
• I know I must subpoena witnesses for the trial.

Miami-Dade County small claims FAQ

What is the small claims limit in Miami-Dade County?

Up to $8,000, not including costs, interest and attorneys' fees, under Florida Small Claims Rule 7.010.

How much does it cost to file small claims in Miami-Dade County?

The Clerk lists $55 for claims under $100, $80 up to $500, $175 up to $2,500 and $300 up to $8,000. There is also a service fee for each party; call the Clerk at 305-275-1155 for the amount.

Which Miami-Dade courthouse will hear my case?

County Civil judges sit at seven locations. Call the Clerk at 305-275-1155 before you file to ask which courthouse will hear your case.

Where is small claims court in Miami?

The main location is the Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center, 20 NW 1st Avenue, Miami. Small claims forms are in Room 06.240.

How do I look up a small claims case in Miami-Dade County?

Use the Clerk's online case search (OCS) at www2.miamidadeclerk.gov/ocs/. If you can't find your case, call the Clerk at 305-275-1155.

Where do I get Miami-Dade small claims forms?

In Room 06.240 of the Osvaldo N. Soto Miami-Dade Justice Center and at the district court locations.

Do I need a lawyer for small claims in Miami-Dade County?

No. Many people handle small claims themselves. Bring your documents to the pretrial, and subpoena any witnesses for the trial.

Is Miami-Dade small claims court part of County Court?

Yes. Small claims cases are heard by County Civil judges of the County Court, Eleventh Judicial Circuit.

What is a Statement of Claim in Miami-Dade small claims?

It's the document that starts a small claims case. Under Fla. Sm. Cl. R. 7.050(a)(1), "Actions are commenced by the filing of a statement of claim in concise form, which shall inform the defendant of the basis and the amount of the claim."

How do I search a Miami-Dade small claims case with the Clerk?

Use the Clerk's online case search at https://www2.miamidadeclerk.gov/ocs/. Registering or logging in avoids the captcha and search limits. If you can't find your case, call the Clerk at 305-275-1155.

Sources

• Miami-Dade Clerk: Small Claims
• Miami-Dade Clerk: District Courts
• Eleventh Judicial Circuit: County Civil
• Miami-Dade Clerk: Online Case Search (OCS)
• Florida Small Claims Rules (Rule 7.010)

Checked 2026-10-27.

Nearby counties

• Palm Beach County small claims guide
• Orange County small claims guide
• Hillsborough County small claims guide
• All county small claims guides

More for Florida: Florida small claims guide · Ready to sue · Just got sued · How to serve small claims papers · What to say on hearing day

Free: the Small Claims Starter Kit (basic timeline and checklists).

Small Claims Coach is built to help you handle your case yourself, without a lawyer. But if your situation is complicated, doesn't 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.