Louisiana Small Claims Court: Limits, Fees, Forms, and Where to File

How small claims works in Louisiana: the limit, filing fee, forms, where to file, and the basic steps. Checked 2026-10-11.

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Quick answer: In Louisiana, small claims go to the Small Claims Division of a City Court, or outside city courts to a justice of the peace court, for claims up to $5,000. Each city court sets its own costs and forms. In a city court small claims division there is no appeal, but justice of the peace judgments can be appealed. Check your court's rules.

Louisiana small claims summary card: claims up to $5,000 not counting interest, costs, attorney fees or penalties, filing fees set by each court, and filing in a city court small claims division or a justice of the peace court. — Louisiana small claims at a glance.

Filing in Louisiana? See a filled-in sample first.

Everything on this page is free. The Small Claims Playbook adds a filled-in sample of the Louisiana Supreme Court's uniform small claims Statement of Claim and Citation for city and parish courts, using a made-up case, with a box-by-box guide. Courts may use their own forms, so ask your court's clerk which one it uses. One membership covers every state. $149 for your first year (introductory offer), then $199 a year. Join now.

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How small claims works in Louisiana

One statute governs small claims divisions, but each city court decides by court rule whether to create a small claims division (R.S. 13:5201(A)), sets local forms, and charges local costs. Outside city courts, small civil cases up to $5,000 can go to a justice of the peace court (C.C.P. art. 4911), which follows a different set of rules (C.C.P. arts. 4911–4925), including a right to appeal that small claims divisions don't have.

Court name: "Small Claims Division" of a City Court (for example Baton Rouge City Court, Alexandria City Court); Justice of the Peace Court (by ward/parish).

Checked on 2026-10-11. Official sources are listed under Sources below.

Does small claims work the same everywhere in Louisiana?

No. Each court sets its own forms. Baton Rouge, for example, accepts only its own Statement of Claim and Citation form.
Each city court covers its own city or wards.
City Court of East St. Tammany runs a Supreme Court online dispute resolution pilot for all small claims filed from Jan. 1, 2022 (R.S. 13:5200(B), 5201(E)).
In East St. Tammany, the small claims limit equals the justice of the peace civil limit (R.S. 13:5202(E)).

What is the small claims limit in Louisiana?

You can sue for up to $5,000, in a city court small claims division or a justice of the peace court.

City court small claims division: $5,000, not counting interest, court costs, attorney fees or penalties (R.S. 13:5202(A)).
Justice of the peace court: $5,000 (C.C.P. art. 4911(A)). JP courts also hear suits over movable property worth up to $5,000 (art. 4912).
Up to 10 plaintiffs can join one case. Class actions, summary and executory proceedings aren't allowed, and neither are injunctions, except to stop execution of the court's own writ (R.S. 13:5202(A)–(B)). Equitable relief is allowed (5202(B)).
Not available against state agencies (R.S. 13:5210). Baton Rouge also excludes suits against parishes, cities, other political subdivisions, public officials, and evictions.
Courts may set mass filing limits by rule (R.S. 13:5202(D)).

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

Item	Amount
Statutory small claims filing fee	$35 per defendant
Extra service / amended suit	up to $20 per added service
Subpoena	up to $20 each
Transmittal fee, over-limit reconventional demand	$10 + filing costs in the other court
Baton Rouge City Court filing	$86.50 for 1 defendant; +$35 each added
Baton Rouge transfer to regular docket	$50
Alexandria City Court filing	$54 (with certified-mail service); transfer: check your court's rules

Fee waiver for indigent parties under C.C.P. arts. 5181–5188 (R.S. 13:5205(B)).

Who can sue in Louisiana small claims?

Adults 18 and older and emancipated minors can sue. Other minors and incompetent people sue through a parent or guardian.
Lawyers aren't banned statewide, but a court may limit the role of lawyers by local rule (R.S. 13:5208(A)).

Where do I file a small claim in Louisiana?

File in the city court or justice of the peace court whose territory covers the case.

Justice of the peace courts follow the ordinary venue rules (C.C.P. arts. 41–45, 71–79), treating the JP court's territory as the parish (art. 4916).
If the defendant's counterclaim is over the limit, the defendant files it in a proper court, and the small claims case is transferred there and combined with it (R.S. 13:5206).

How to file in Louisiana: the basic steps

Pick the court: the city court small claims division covering where the defendant lives or the damage happened, or a justice of the peace court. Check your court's rules.
Get that court's own claim form (Baton Rouge, for example, requires its Statement of Claim and Citation).
File and pay the court's costs, or ask for an indigent fee waiver.
The court serves the defendant by certified mail, or by sheriff, marshal or constable.
The defendant has 10 days after service to answer (15 if served through the Secretary of State).
Go to the informal hearing. The judge can ask questions, and there's no jury.
City court small claims: no appeal; a new-trial motion is due within 3 days. Justice of the peace: file for a new trial in parish or district court within 15 days.

Ready to do these steps yourself?

Deadlines are short: in a city court small claims division there's no appeal, and a new-trial motion is due within 3 days. The steps above are free. The Playbook helps you do each one, with a filled-in sample of the Statement of Claim and Citation and every box explained, plus your Louisiana Playbook section: serving the other side, what to expect at your hearing, appeals, and collecting a judgment.

You also get prep guides that work in any state: a document checklist, exhibit labels, a prep timeline and a hearing-day outline. $149 for your first year (introductory offer), then $199 a year. Join now.

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Do I need a lawyer for small claims in Louisiana?

No. There's no statewide ban on lawyers, but each court may limit the role of lawyers by local rule (R.S. 13:5208). A business may bring or defend a claim up to $5,000 through an authorized partner, officer, employee or representative (R.S. 37:212(C)). Some court pages use older, narrower wording, so check with your court.

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

Louisiana small claims forms and official help

Baton Rouge City Court
Alexandria City Court
Required notice on every citation (R.S. 13:5204(B)): no rules of evidence, no right to appeal, and the right to transfer to regular civil court by written notice plus fee within 10 days of receiving it.

Found your court? Next, get your proof in order.

You can present your own case. The Playbook's exhibit-label guide and hearing-day outline help you put your documents in order and explain them clearly, step by step. General legal information, not advice about your case.

See how the Playbook works →

Louisiana small claims FAQ

What is the small claims limit in Louisiana?

$5,000, not counting interest, court costs, attorney fees or penalties, in a city court small claims division (R.S. 13:5202). Justice of the peace courts also hear cases up to $5,000.

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

Each court sets its own costs. The statute sets a $35 filing fee, but courts list more; for example, Alexandria City Court lists $54. Check your city court's cost schedule.

Where do I file a small claim in Louisiana?

In the city court small claims division whose territory covers the case, or in a justice of the peace court. Check your court's rules.

Can I appeal a Louisiana small claims judgment?

Not from a city court small claims division. A defendant can keep appeal rights only by moving the case to the regular civil docket within the answer period. Justice of the peace judgments can be taken to parish or district court within 15 days.

How long does the defendant have to answer in Louisiana small claims?

10 days after service, or 15 days if served through the Secretary of State.

Can a business sue in Louisiana small claims?

Yes. A partnership, corporation or other entity may bring or defend a claim up to $5,000 through an authorized representative, but not an assigned claim.

Is there a jury in Louisiana small claims?

No. City courts and justice of the peace courts don't use juries.

Sources

All checked 2026-10-11.

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

What's in the Louisiana Playbook section

How to serve the other side in Louisiana
What to expect at your Louisiana small claims hearing
Appeals in Louisiana small claims
Collecting after you win in Louisiana
Common mistakes and a printable checklist

You do the work. The Playbook hands you the plays.

This page covers the Louisiana rules. The Playbook coaches you from filing to hearing day: a filled-in sample of the Statement of Claim and Citation, your Louisiana Playbook section, and step-by-step prep guides. Every state and DC has a filled-in sample claim (for Mississippi, Oklahoma and Wyoming it's a sample layout we made, so you'd get the real form from the court clerk). One membership covers every state.

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.