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Small Claims Court Limits in Minnesota

In Minnesota, conciliation court hears claims up to $20,000 ($4,000 for consumer credit claims), the filing fee is $65, and parties may be represented by a lawyer.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Minnesota at a glance

Maximum claim
$20,000
$4,000 limit if the claim involves a consumer credit transaction. Raised from $15,000 by 2024 Minn. Laws ch. 123.
Filing fee
$65
Charged to each plaintiff and defendant on first filing, plus any applicable law library fee.
Lawyers allowed
Yes
A lawyer may participate in the trial to the extent the judge considers helpful.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Minnesota

What is the small claims court limit in Minnesota?

Maximum claim in Minnesota: $20,000. $4,000 limit if the claim involves a consumer credit transaction. Raised from $15,000 by 2024 Minn. Laws ch. 123.

How much does it cost to file a small claims case in Minnesota?

Filing fee in Minnesota: $65. Charged to each plaintiff and defendant on first filing, plus any applicable law library fee.

Can you bring a lawyer to small claims court in Minnesota?

Yes. Lawyers allowed in Minnesota: yes. A lawyer may participate in the trial to the extent the judge considers helpful.

Where do the Minnesota small claims court limits come from?

The rules above come from Minn. Stat. 491A.01, Minn. Stat. 357.022 and Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 512. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Small claims in Minnesota are called conciliation court, a division of district court.

What this means in practice

Before filing, send the other side a written demand that states what is owed, why, and a deadline to pay. A clear demand letter sometimes settles the dispute without court, and some courts ask whether you tried to resolve the matter first.

Bring organized evidence to the hearing: contracts, receipts, invoices, photos, text messages and any written promise to pay. Prepare a short timeline of what happened. Judges in small claims court decide cases quickly, so a clear, document backed explanation helps.

Winning a judgment does not mean you are paid automatically. If the other side does not pay voluntarily, you may need to use collection tools such as wage garnishment, a bank levy or a lien, and each of those has its own forms, fees and rules.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.