Utah Small Claims Filing Fees (2026)
Short answer: Utah small claims filing fees are tiered by how much money you're asking for, ranging from $60 to $185 for the person filing the claim. The fee schedule below comes directly from the Utah Courts' Justice Court Cover Sheet.
Filing fees to sue (plaintiff's affidavit)
| Amount claimed | Filing fee |
|---|---|
| $2,000 or less | $60 |
| $2,001 – $7,499 | $100 |
| $7,500 – $20,000 | $185 |
Fees to respond with a counterclaim (counter-affidavit)
| Amount of counterclaim | Filing fee |
|---|---|
| $2,000 or less | $50 |
| $2,001 – $7,499 | $70 |
| $7,500 and over | $120 |
Other related fees
| Filing | Fee |
|---|---|
| Notice of Appeal to District Court | $10 |
| Appeal / Trial de novo filing fee (paid to District Court) | $240 |
These fees are set under Utah Code §78A-2-301.5 and are current as of this article's last-verified date above — court fees are exactly the kind of thing that changes periodically, so confirm the current amount on the official Justice Court Cover Sheet before you file, especially if some time has passed since this was last checked.
Can't afford the filing fee?
If you can't afford the fee, you can ask the court for a fee waiver. Utah Courts' Self-Help Center can point you to the right form and process — email selfhelp@utcourts.gov, text 801-742-1898, or call 888-683-0009.
Are there other costs beyond the filing fee?
Yes. The filing fee only covers filing the case itself. You'll separately need to pay for:
- Service of process — a sheriff, constable, or process server generally charges their own fee to serve the defendant
- An appeal filing fee, if you or the other party appeals the judgment to district court (see the table above)
Frequently asked questions
Does the filing fee depend on whether I win? No — the filing fee is paid when you file the case, regardless of the outcome. A winning plaintiff can sometimes recover court costs as part of the judgment, but that's separate from the upfront filing fee.
Is the fee different for a business filing a claim versus an individual? The fee schedule above is based on the dollar amount claimed, not on whether the plaintiff is an individual or a business.
What if my claim amount is close to a fee tier boundary? The tiers above (e.g., "$2,000 or less" vs. "$2,001–$7,499") are based on the exact dollar amount you're claiming — round your claim amount carefully and, if you're unsure which tier applies, ask the court clerk before filing.