If someone owes you money (a contractor who didn’t finish, a landlord who kept your deposit, a friend who didn’t repay a loan), Illinois small claims lets you sue for up to $10,000 without hiring a lawyer. Small claims cases are heard by the circuit court in your county.
At a glance
- Limit
- $10,000, not counting interest and costs [1]
- What you can ask for
- Money only [1]
- Rules
- Illinois Supreme Court Rules 281-289 [1]
- Cook County filing fee
- $287 up to $2,500; $379 above that [3]
- Chicago pro se court
- Claims up to $3,000, no lawyers filing for clients [3]
What small claims can and can’t handle
The state’s small claims forms are for cases asking for money damages of $10,000 or less [1]. They can’t be used for:
- evictions or foreclosures,
- family cases,
- injunctions (court orders telling someone to do or stop doing something),
- anything asking for something other than money [1].
If you’re owed more than $10,000, talk to a lawyer before cutting your claim down to fit: you may not be able to sue later for the rest.
How to file
- Ask for payment in writing first. Say what’s owed and set a deadline. It may settle things, and it shows the judge you tried.
- Fill out the Small Claims Complaint. The Illinois Supreme Court’s approved forms are free at illinoiscourts.gov. If the case is about a broken written agreement, attach a copy of it [1].
- File with the circuit clerk in the right county, usually where the other side lives or where the problem happened. Most filings in Illinois are made electronically (e-filing).
- Pay the filing fee, or ask for a waiver. If you can’t afford it, file an Application for Waiver of Court Fees with your complaint [1].
- Have the other side served with the summons and complaint. In Cook County, you can serve by certified mail if your claim is $10,000 or less and the defendant is in Illinois [2]; otherwise the sheriff or a special process server delivers it.
- Go to court with your evidence: contracts, receipts, photos, texts, estimates, and any witnesses.
Cook County specifics
Cook County cases are handled by the Clerk of the Circuit Court, Civil Division, at the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street in Chicago, and in the suburban municipal districts [2].
| Claim amount | Filing fee | Fee for the other side to appear |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $2,500 | $287 | $0 |
| $2,500.01 to $10,000 | $379 | $250 |
Chicago’s pro se court
In the First Municipal District (the City of Chicago), the Clerk runs a pro se court for disputes of $3,000 or less. You act as your own attorney, and forms can be filled out at the self-represented litigant desk in Room 602 of the Daley Center [3]. Fees follow the same schedule: $287 up to $2,500, and $379 from $2,500 to $3,000 [3].
Winning isn’t the same as being paid
A judgment says the other side owes you money; it doesn’t collect it. If they don’t pay, you may need to go back to court to collect. Illinois Legal Aid Online (illinoislegalaid.org) has free guides on collecting a judgment.
Sources
Common questions
What is the small claims limit in Illinois?
$10,000, not counting interest and court costs. Small claims cases can only ask for money, not for an eviction, a repair or another kind of order.
How much does it cost to file small claims in Cook County?
Under the Clerk's fee schedule dated May 21, 2026, it's $287 to file a claim up to $2,500 and $379 for a claim over $2,500. If you can't afford it, you can ask the court to waive the fees.
Can I sue in small claims without a lawyer?
Yes. In Chicago there's also a pro se court for claims up to $3,000, where you represent yourself and lawyers can't file for clients.