Small claims limit in Maine: $10,000

The rule in Maine

The small claims limit in Maine is $10,000. The rule is 14 M.R.S. § 7482; the Maine Legislature, 14 M.R.S. § 7482 puts it this way: “if the debt or damage does not exceed $10,000 exclusive of interest and costs”. The court that hears these cases: District court small claims.

Among the 51 jurisdictions with a verified figure on this site, Maine 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, District of Columbia, Illinois and Indiana.

Next door, New Hampshire allows $10,000. Every neighbour with a verified figure uses the same limit.

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 and costs out of that count.

The source checked for Maine 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.

Deposit disputes are a common small claims case. Maine caps deposits at 2 months' rent (deposit rules), so a claim for a full deposit stays under the $10,000 limit whenever the monthly rent is $5,000 or less.

Source: Maine Legislature, 14 M.R.S. § 7482 · 14 M.R.S. § 7482 · last checked October 20, 2026.

Where the case goes

A claim within the limit is filed with the District court small claims. 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.