A landlord kept your deposit, a contractor walked off the job, a dry cleaner ruined your coat. In Kentucky you can sue for up to $2,500 in the Small Claims Division of the District Court, without hiring a lawyer. Check your case below, then follow six steps.
Answer a few questions. The result updates as you type.
Kentucky doesn't require a demand letter before you file small claims, but asking for payment in writing first is a good idea. A short, dated demand letter is the best proof. Use the generator below and keep a copy.
File with the circuit court clerk in the county where the defendant lives or does business. A company can also be sued where an officer or its process agent lives, or, on a contract, where the contract was made or was to be carried out.
Small Claims Complaint. The hearing date is printed on the Small Claims Summons; it depends on the county.
From July 1, 2026, the small claims filing fee is $38 plus a $20 court technology fee and a few small required add-on fees, so expect to pay roughly $60. Service by certified mail (paid to the clerk) or by the sheriff (paid to the sheriff) costs extra. If you can't afford it, ask for a fee waiver: Ask the circuit court clerk for a motion to proceed without paying costs and fees (in forma pauperis).
The clerk issues a summons. You choose certified mail through the clerk or personal service by the sheriff. The case can't be heard until the defendant is served, and the clerk won't tell you whether service worked, so check. The defendant must be served before the hearing date on the summons.
Bring receipts, photos, texts, the contract and your demand letter, with three copies of each. The court doesn't collect for you. Starting 10 days after judgment you can garnish wages or a bank account, ask the sheriff to seize property, or record a judgment lien. Small claims judgments can be enforced for 15 years.
Want every detail? The full filing guide walks you through all 7 stages, from finding the defendant's legal name to collecting your money, with a checklist.
Open the filing guideFill in the details, then download the letter as a PDF or Word file, or copy the text. Send it by certified mail or email so you can prove the date.
Miss this date and the court will dismiss your case, however strong it is. Written contracts signed before July 15, 2014 have a 15-year deadline. Car accident injury claims often run 2 years under the no-fault law. Libel and slander can't be filed in small claims at all.
| Type of claim | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Broken written contract (lease, invoice, signed agreement) | 10 years |
| Broken verbal agreement | 5 years |
| Damaged property | 2 years |
| Personal injury | 1 year |
| Fraud | 5 years |
| Libel or slander | 1 year |
| Claims against a government agency | Negligence claims against Kentucky state agencies generally go to the Kentucky Claims Commission, not small claims court. |
Yes. You can bring a lawyer or represent yourself. A corporation or partnership must be represented by an officer, a managing employee, or a lawyer.
You can sue for up to $2,500, not counting interest and court costs. It's for money or personal property only. Each person can file at most 25 small claims a year. Collection agencies, lenders who charge interest, and people suing on a debt someone else assigned to them can't use small claims. Libel and slander cases aren't allowed. Otherwise, you can give up the amount above the limit, or file a regular civil case where the rules are stricter.
Either side can appeal to Circuit Court within 10 days after the judgment is entered, and must then file a written statement of appeal within 30 days. This is not a new trial: the judge reviews the record and you can't add new evidence. There is a fee to appeal.
Tell the circuit court clerk ahead of time if you need an interpreter for the hearing.