Massachusetts Small Claims Court: Limits, Fees, Forms, and Where to File
How small claims works in Massachusetts: the limit, filing fee, forms, where to file, and the basic steps. Checked 2026-10-24.
Checked against official court sources, updated October 2026.
Quick answer: Massachusetts small claims use one statewide procedure in the District Court, the Boston Municipal Court and the Housing Court. You can sue for up to $7,000 (motor-vehicle property damage isn't capped), and filing costs $40 to $150 depending on the amount. The clerk mails your claim to the defendant, and only the defendant can appeal. Check your court's rules.
Filing in Massachusetts? See a filled-in sample first.
Everything on this page is free. The Small Claims Playbook adds a filled-in sample of the Massachusetts Statement of Small Claim and Notice of Trial, using a made-up case, with a box-by-box guide. One membership covers every state. $149 for your first year (introductory offer), then $199 a year. Join now.
How does small claims court work in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has one small claims procedure statewide, used in the District Court, the Boston Municipal Court, and the Housing Court. The limit, forms, and fees are the same everywhere. What changes is which court division covers your city or town, and whether a rental-property claim goes to Housing Court.
Official sources are listed under Sources below.
How much can I sue for in Massachusetts?
You can sue for up to $7,000. Property damage caused by a motor vehicle isn't capped at $7,000.
| Type of claim | Limit |
|---|---|
| Contract or tort (except slander and libel) | $7,000 |
| Property damage caused by a motor vehicle | No $7,000 cap |
| Consumer-protection (Chapter 93A) or certain landlord-tenant claims | The base claim can't be more than $7,000, but a multiple-damages or fee award can go over it |
Most claims against the state, a state agency, or a city or town for a public employee's negligence or wrongdoing go to Superior Court under the Tort Claims Act, not small claims. Sources: Mass.gov: File a small claim; Mass.gov: Find out if you're eligible. Checked 2026-10-24.
Where do I file a small claim in Massachusetts?
In the District Court or Boston Municipal Court that covers a city or town where you or the defendant lives, works, or has a business, or, for a landlord-tenant claim, where the rental property is. Housing Court claims go only where the rental property is. A case filed in the wrong place can be transferred.
How much does it cost to file?
Filing costs $40 to $150, depending on how much you claim.
| Claim amount | Fee |
|---|---|
| $500 and under | $40 |
| $501 to $2,000 | $50 |
| $2,001 to $5,000 | $100 |
| $5,001 to $7,000 | $150 |
| Motor-vehicle property damage over $7,000 | $150 |
| E-filing service fee, if you e-file | $7 |
If you can't afford the fees, you can ask to have them waived.
What forms do I need in Massachusetts?
The main form is the Statement of Small Claim and Notice of Trial. The download on Mass.gov is only a sample; you pick up the original multi-part form at the courthouse, or use Small Claims Guide and File online, which walks you through it and can e-file in participating courts. Massachusetts small claims forms.
How do I file a small claim in Massachusetts?
Fill out the Statement of Small Claim and Notice of Trial, file it with the clerk-magistrate in person, by mail or online, and pay the fee; the clerk mails it to the defendant.
- Get the defendant's correct legal name. For a corporation, check with the Secretary of the Commonwealth; you sue the corporation, not its officers.
- Fill out the Statement of Small Claim (see Mass.gov's small claims court forms), on paper or through Guide and File.
- File it with the clerk-magistrate in person, by mail, or online, and pay the fee.
- The clerk mails the claim and trial notice to the defendant by first-class mail. Out-of-state defendants are served differently.
- The defendant can answer in writing, but doesn't have to. A counterclaim has to be mailed to you at least 10 days before trial.
- The hearing is usually before a clerk-magistrate.
Ready to do these steps yourself?
One thing to know early: in Massachusetts small claims, only the defendant can appeal. The steps above are free. The Playbook helps you do each one, with a filled-in sample of the Statement of Small Claim and Notice of Trial and every box explained, plus your Massachusetts Playbook section: a step-by-step filing walkthrough (made-up example), what to expect at your hearing, 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.
Which court handles small claims in my part of Massachusetts?
Massachusetts small claims aren't assigned by county. You file with the District Court, Boston Municipal Court or Housing Court division that covers a city or town where you or the defendant lives, works or has a business; Mass.gov lists the cities and towns each court serves. Some of Massachusetts's larger counties:
- Middlesex County
- Worcester County
- Essex County
- Suffolk County
- Norfolk County
- Bristol County
- Plymouth County
- Hampden County
- Barnstable County
- Hampshire County
Next step
- Find the court that covers your or the defendant's city or town.
- Get the Statement of Small Claim and Notice of Trial.
- Check the defendant's exact legal name before you file.
Know your next step? 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.
Massachusetts small claims FAQ
Do I need a lawyer for small claims in Massachusetts?
No. Lawyers are allowed, and the court can limit their role.
Does the defendant have to answer in Massachusetts small claims?
No. A written answer is optional, and not answering isn't a default. A counterclaim must be mailed to you at least 10 days before the trial date, with no filing fee.
Can I appeal a Massachusetts small claims decision?
Only the defendant can. Within 10 days after receiving the magistrate's finding, the defendant can claim a trial by a jury of six or by a single justice, with a $25 fee and a $100 bond, or a waiver. By filing, the plaintiff gives up the right to appeal.
What extra paperwork do business claims need in Massachusetts?
If the claim comes from your trade or business, or you're pursuing assigned debt, the claim must list the original creditor's name if different, the last four digits of the original account number, and the amount and date of the last payment. You also file a Verification of Defendant's Address.
Related guides
Free: the Small Claims Starter Kit (basic timeline and checklists).
Sources
- Mass.gov: File a small claim in the Boston Municipal Court, District Court, or Housing Court (checked 2026-10-24)
- Mass.gov: Small claims (checked 2026-10-24)
- Mass.gov: Find out if you're eligible to file a small claim (checked 2026-10-24)
- G.L. c. 218, § 21 (Mass.gov copy) (checked 2026-10-24)
- G.L. c. 218, § 22 (checked 2026-10-24)
- G.L. c. 218, § 23 (checked 2026-10-24)
- G.L. c. 262, § 4C (checked 2026-10-24)
- G.L. c. 185C, § 3 (checked 2026-10-24)
- Uniform Small Claims Rule 2 (checked 2026-10-24)
- Uniform Small Claims Rule 3 (checked 2026-10-24)
- Uniform Small Claims Rule 7 (checked 2026-10-24)
- Uniform Small Claims Rule 10 (checked 2026-10-24)
- Mass.gov: Special requirements for trade or business claims (checked 2026-10-24)
- Small Claims Standard 3:02 (checked 2026-10-24)
- Small Claims Standard 6:09 (checked 2026-10-24)
- Mass.gov: Small claims court forms (checked 2026-10-24)
What's in the Massachusetts Playbook section
- How to file a small claim in Massachusetts, step by step (made-up example)
- Massachusetts small claims checklist
- Massachusetts small claims timeline and deadlines
- What to expect at your Massachusetts small claims hearing
- Collecting after you win in Massachusetts
- Common mistakes and a printable checklist
You do the work. The Playbook hands you the plays.
This page covers the Massachusetts rules. The Playbook coaches you from filing to hearing day: a filled-in sample of the Statement of Small Claim and Notice of Trial, your Massachusetts 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.
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.