Small Claims & Money Owed Limits by Country (2026)
There is no universal small-claims limit. The forum, maximum amount and representation rules differ by country — and in Australia and Canada they can also differ by state, province or tribunal.
Last checked: 1 October 2026
DIRECT ANSWER
What this guide tells you
A money dispute can use very different routes depending on jurisdiction: England & Wales normally uses the small-claims track for straightforward claims up to £10,000, New Zealand’s Disputes Tribunal now reaches NZ$60,000, Singapore’s SCT generally reaches S$20,000 or S$30,000 with consent, and South Africa’s Small Claims Court reaches R30,000. Australia and Canada require a state or province check rather than one national figure.
OFFICIAL-SOURCE REFERENCE
Small Claims & Money Owed Limits by Country (2026)
Use the official source beside each row before filing. Monetary jurisdiction, claimant type, venue and claim category can change which route applies.
| State | Court / tribunal route | General monetary limit | Important qualification | Official source | GetInstantLaw guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England & Wales | County Court — small claims track | Normally up to £10,000 | The small-claims track is normally used for straightforward claims up to £10,000, with lower thresholds or special rules for some personal-injury and housing-disrepair claims. | Civil Procedure Rules — Justice UK | Open guide |
| New Zealand | Disputes Tribunal | NZ$60,000 | The Disputes Tribunal jurisdiction increased from NZ$30,000 to NZ$60,000 on 24 January 2026. | New Zealand Ministry of Justice | Open guide |
| Singapore | Small Claims Tribunals | S$20,000 / S$30,000 with written consent | Eligible claims can reach S$30,000 if both parties sign the required Memorandum of Consent. Claims generally must be filed within 2 years of the cause of action. | Singapore Judiciary | Open guide |
| South Africa | Small Claims Court | R30,000 | The monetary jurisdiction increased from R20,000 to R30,000 with effect from 1 August 2026. Juristic persons generally cannot institute a Small Claims Court claim. | Department of Justice and Constitutional Development | Open guide |
| Ontario, Canada | Small Claims Court | C$50,000 | The monetary jurisdiction increased from C$35,000 to C$50,000 on 1 October 2025. | Ontario.ca | Open guide |
| British Columbia, Canada | Provincial Small Claims / Civil Resolution Tribunal | Small Claims up to C$35,000; many claims C$5,000 or less go to CRT | The CRT has jurisdiction over certain claims of C$5,000 and under before Provincial Small Claims Court, with separate CRT rules for some accident claims. | Province of British Columbia | Open guide |
| Alberta, Canada | Alberta Court of Justice — Civil Division | C$100,000 | The Court of Justice handles civil claims up to C$100,000; claims above that generally belong in the Court of King’s Bench. | Alberta.ca | Open guide |
| Queensland, Australia | QCAT — minor debt dispute | A$25,000 | Minor debt disputes must involve an agreed and fixed amount of money and generally must not exceed A$25,000 excluding interest. | Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal | Open guide |
| New South Wales, Australia | NCAT — consumer claim | A$100,000 | NCAT can hear consumer claims up to A$100,000 about the supply of goods or services in NSW. Other debt or civil claims may use different courts. | NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal | Open guide |
| Western Australia | Magistrates Court — minor case claim | A$10,000 | A minor case claim for debt or damages is up to A$10,000 and is less formal; lawyer representation generally requires special permission. | Magistrates Court of Western Australia | Open guide |
| South Australia | Magistrates Court — minor civil claim | A$12,000 | Minor civil claims include debt recovery up to A$12,000 and generally use simplified procedures with restricted legal representation. | Courts Administration Authority of South Australia | Open guide |
| Tasmania | Magistrates Court — minor civil claim | A$15,000 | Minor civil claims cover disputes claiming A$15,000 or less; parties normally represent themselves. | Magistrates Court of Tasmania | Open guide |
| Australian Capital Territory | ACAT — civil disputes | Generally A$25,000 | ACAT generally has jurisdiction for civil disputes of A$25,000 or less; higher amounts can sometimes be heard by agreement or by abandoning the excess. | ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal | Open guide |
How we maintain this guide
- Each row is checked against an official court, tribunal, justice department or government source.
- The table names the actual forum rather than calling every lower-value civil process “small claims”.
- Australia and Canada are broken into state/province routes where there is no single national monetary limit.
- Rows are updated individually when the official source changes, with the last-checked date shown above.
What this table does not replace
- The monetary threshold does not by itself establish jurisdiction over your type of dispute.
- Consumer, tenancy, employment, motor-vehicle and personal-injury claims can have special forums or lower thresholds.
- Filing fees, limitation periods, service rules and lawyer-representation rules are separate questions.
- Check the linked official source before filing because monetary jurisdiction can change.
Understand it. Prove it. Resolve it.
Use the official route to understand the process, organise the documents and chronology that support what happened, then keep the next practical action visible.
Get Instant Complete — Law + Proof + Resolve Legal information only — not legal advice. Court and agency rules can change; check the linked official source before relying on a filing limit or deadline.