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Washington · Filing guide · District Court, Small Claims Department

How to file a small claims case in Washington, step by step

Everything from the first letter to getting paid, in the order you'll do it. Tick each step as you go; your progress is saved in this browser.

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Before you file

1–3 weeks before filing

Washington doesn't require a demand letter, but sending one is a good idea and can lead to a settlement.

Use the free demand letter generator, give them 10–14 days, and keep a copy with proof of the date you sent it.

In Washington you can sue for up to $10,000 in the District Court, Small Claims Department.

Run the 60-second case check to see the last day you can file.

  • Your name, address and phone
  • The defendant's correct legal name and address
  • For a business: its registered name and registered agent
  • The amount owed and when it was due
  • A short explanation of why they owe you
  • Whether the defendant is in the military

Find the exact legal name and registered agent, then serve the agent.

Search: WA Secretary of State Corporations & Charities Filing System.

  • The contract, lease, invoice or receipt
  • Photos of the damage, dated if possible
  • Texts, emails and letters with the other side
  • Two written repair estimates or proof of what you paid
  • Your demand letter and proof it was sent
  • Names and contact details of any witnesses

Fill in the claim

1–2 evenings

MISC 05.0100: Notice of Small Claim. Get the form.

  • Who: you and the defendant, with full legal names and addresses
  • What: the agreement or event, in 2–4 plain sentences
  • When: the date it happened
  • How much: the exact amount (no more than $10,000) and how you calculated it
  • What you did: when you asked for payment and their response

You sign the Notice under penalty of perjury; many courts want you to sign it in front of the clerk.

One copy for the court, one for each defendant, and one for yourself.

File and pay

Filing day

Choose how you'll file:

OnlineSome courtsThere's no statewide e-filing; King County has a guided online form and Pierce County an online portal, while most counties take paper filings. King County District Court e-filing (other counties vary)
In personFill out and sign the Notice of Small Claim, file it with the District Court clerk and pay the fee; the clerk adds the hearing date and place.
By mailSome courts, such as King County, accept the Notice by mail with a check or money order; call your court first.

Usually the District Court of the county where the defendant lives; for a business, also where it does business.

$35 or $50, depending on whether your county adds a dispute resolution surcharge (King County $50, Spokane County $35). Service by a sheriff or process server costs extra. Can't afford it? Ask for a fee waiver: Ask the clerk for a fee waiver; in King County, a Motion and Declaration for Waiver of Civil Fees.

The clerk gives you a hearing date; you then arrange service at least 10 days before it. In many counties the first hearing is mediation.

Serve the defendant

Right after filing

You can't serve the papers yourself. The sheriff, a process server or any adult not in the case delivers them, or you send them by certified mail with a receipt signed by the defendant.

Service must be complete at least 10 days before the first hearing.

File the server's declaration of service or the certified-mail receipt signed by the defendant at or before the first hearing, and bring a copy.

Don't wait until the hearing. Ask the clerk right away for a new hearing date and try another method, such as personal delivery instead of mail, or a different address.

Before the hearing

1–4 weeks before

The defendant must come to the hearing in person and can file a counterclaim for a fee.

Tell the court in writing so it cancels the hearing and dismisses the case; a signed mediation agreement can be entered as a judgment.

Get any settlement in writing, signed by both sides, with the amount and payment date.

A witness who saw what happened is stronger than a written statement; some judges won't accept letters.

Ask the court for a subpoena, usually about $20, and have an adult who isn't you deliver it.

  • Three copies of every document: for you, the judge and the defendant
  • A one-page timeline of what happened, with dates
  • A short sheet showing how you calculated the amount
  • Photos printed or ready on your phone (ask the clerk if screens are allowed)

The hearing

Hearing day

  • Arrive early and bring proof of service
  • Bring originals and copies of receipts, photos, contracts and estimates
  • Write the facts in time order and keep it short
  • Bring your own device for digital evidence

What to say, in about two minutes
  1. Who you are and what you're asking for: the amount.
  2. What the agreement or situation was.
  3. What went wrong, with dates.
  4. What it cost you and how you calculated it, showing your documents.
  5. That you asked for payment and what they said.

Speak to the judge, not the other side. Stay calm, answer the question asked, and don't interrupt.

If the defendant doesn't come and you prove service, you can win by default. If you don't come, your case is dismissed.

After the judgment

Weeks to months

Either side can appeal to Superior Court within 30 days, but not if the claim was under $250, and a party who filed a claim can appeal only if it was over $1,000. Appeals cost about $340 in fees plus a bond of twice the judgment.

If the loser doesn't pay within 30 days, you can garnish wages or bank accounts or seize property, and the judge can add collection costs. Judgments can be enforced for 10 years.

Keep proof of every payment. When you're paid in full, tell the court; some courts require a satisfaction-of-judgment form.

Free help in Washington

WashingtonLawHelp and local Dispute Resolution Centers

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