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Small claims · checked October 20, 2026

Small claims limit in District of Columbia: $10,000

District of Columbia caps small claims at $10,000, set by D.C. Code § 11-1321. It ranks 13th of 51 verified jurisdictions.

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  1. 1Limit$10,000
  2. 2CourtSuperior Court Small Claims and Conciliation Branch
  3. 3FeeSet by clerk
  4. 4RuleD.C. Code § 11-1321

The rule in District of Columbia

The small claims limit in District of Columbia is $10,000. The rule is D.C. Code § 11-1321; the Council of the District of Columbia, D.C. Code § 11-1321 puts it this way: “does not exceed $10,000, exclusive of interest, attorney fees, protest fees, and costs”. The court that hears these cases: Superior Court Small Claims and Conciliation Branch.

Among the 51 jurisdictions with a verified figure on this site, District of Columbia ranks 13th from the top. That is exactly the median of $10,000. It is 4 times Kentucky's $2,500 floor and 40% of the $25,000 top figure. 15 other verified jurisdictions use the same $10,000 figure, including Alaska, Illinois, Indiana and Kansas.

Next door, Maryland allows $5,000 and Virginia allows $5,000. A claim of $10,000 that fits in District of Columbia would be $5,000 over the line in Maryland.

Worked check against the $10,000 figure: a $5,000 claim uses 50% of the limit and leaves $5,000 of room; a claim of exactly $10,000 still fits, because the rule caps the amount rather than excluding it; a claim of $10,001 is $1 over, and the rule leaves interest, costs and attorney fees out of that count.

The source checked for District of Columbia does not publish a statewide filing fee, so this page shows none; the clerk of the court where the case is filed posts the current amount.

District of Columbia$10,000Maryland$5,000Virginia$5,000Median, verified$10,000
Small claims limits, District of Columbia against neighbouring or nearest states. Bar lengths are to scale.

Source: Council of the District of Columbia, D.C. Code § 11-1321 · D.C. Code § 11-1321 · last checked October 20, 2026.

Where the case goes

A claim within the limit is filed with the Superior Court Small Claims and Conciliation Branch. The linked source is the place to confirm forms, the filing fee and where to file before starting; the guides on filing a small claims case and serving the papers explain the usual steps in general terms.

Questions

What is the small claims limit in District of Columbia?

$10,000, under D.C. Code § 11-1321. Checked October 20, 2026.

Do interest and costs count toward the District of Columbia limit?

No. The source words the limit as “does not exceed $10,000, exclusive of interest, attorney fees, protest fees, and costs”, which leaves those amounts out of the count.

How much does it cost to file a small claim in District of Columbia?

The source checked does not publish a statewide fee; the clerk of the court where the case is filed posts it.

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