The short version: file in the Denver County Court, Small Claims Division, using the Colorado form JDF 250 Notice, Claim and Summons. You can claim up to $7,500, the plaintiff's filing fee is $31 or $55 depending on the amount, and you must arrange service yourself — Colorado does not mail it for you.
Before anything else, confirm the defendant is actually in the City and County of Denver. That single check is the difference between a case that proceeds and one you have to refile.
Filing in Denver?
Answer plain-English questions and SmallClaimsHelper fills in your Colorado small claims paperwork and a word-for-word script for your hearing — review it and file for $19.
Start My Claim — $19First: Is Your Case Actually a Denver Case?
Denver County Court covers the City and County of Denver — and nothing else. The metro area crosses several counties, and the city boundary is not the metro boundary. Suing someone whose mail says "Denver" does not by itself put the case in Denver County Court.
Check the county, not the postal city. Defendants in Aurora, Lakewood, Westminster, Englewood or Littleton usually belong to Arapahoe, Jefferson, Adams or Douglas County Court instead — even where the mailing address reads Denver. Filing in the wrong county court wastes your filing fee and your time.
Colorado venue for a small claim is where the defendant lives or works, or where the transaction or injury happened. If more than one of those points at Denver, you are in the right place.
Where to File in Denver
Denver County Court is spread across several buildings near Civic Center Park. Small claims is a civil matter, so it belongs at the City and County Building — not the criminal courthouse on West Colfax.
🏛 Civil Division — City and County Building
1437 Bannock Street, Denver, CO 80202. The Clerk's Office is Room 135, open Monday to Friday, 8:00 am–4:00 pm. Civil cases, including small claims, are filed in person here and fees are paid at the counter.
📚 Civil Self Help Center — Room 281
Free, in-person help for civil litigants without a lawyer, in the same building. Monday to Friday, 8:00 am–4:00 pm. Staff cannot give legal advice, but they can help you with the forms and the process.
Addresses, room numbers and hours are from the Denver County Court contact page — confirm before you travel.
Denver Small Claims Filing Fees and Limit
Denver uses the statewide Colorado fee schedule. Note that what you pay depends on which side you are on, not just the amount — a detail most guides leave out:
| Who is filing | Claim amount | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Plaintiff | Up to $500.00 | $31.00 |
| Plaintiff | $500.01 – $7,500.00 | $55.00 |
| Defendant (no counterclaim) | Up to $500.00 | $26.00 |
| Defendant (no counterclaim) | $500.01 – $7,500.00 | $41.00 |
| Party filing a counterclaim | Claim and counterclaim both $500 or less | $31.00 |
| Party filing a counterclaim | Either exceeds $500, up to $7,500 | $46.00 |
| Rule 369 contempt of court | — | $70.00 |
The Colorado small claims limit is $7,500, and Denver County Court applies it. If your claim is larger, you can reduce it to $7,500 to stay in small claims, or file in county civil or district court instead. If you cannot afford the fee, Colorado has a file-without-payment process — ask the clerk or the Self Help Center.
Fees are from the Colorado Judicial Branch small claims fee schedule. Verify the current figures before you file.
How to File a Small Claim in Denver, Step by Step
- Confirm venue. The defendant lives or works in the City and County of Denver, or the transaction or injury happened there. If not, find the right county court first.
- Check your deadline. Colorado statutes of limitations vary by claim type, and filing late ends a case no matter how strong it is. Run your dates through the statute of limitations checker.
- Complete JDF 250, Notice, Claim and Summons. Get the current version from the Colorado Judicial Branch — it is free.
- Name the defendant exactly. For a business, sue the registered legal entity. The Colorado Secretary of State's business database gives you the correct name and registered agent.
- File at Room 135, 1437 Bannock Street and pay the filing fee for your bracket.
- Arrange service yourself. Colorado small claims does not allow service by mail. The defendant must be served personally or by substituted service, through the sheriff or a private process server, and you pay for it. Budget for this on top of the filing fee.
- Prepare your evidence and bring three copies of everything to the hearing — one for you, one for the judge, one for the defendant.
Worth doing before you file: add up the filing fee, the service cost and your time with the worth-it calculator or the cost-to-sue estimator. Many Denver disputes settle once the other side receives a written demand letter — which costs nothing to send.
Denver Small Claims: FAQ
❓ Where is small claims court in Denver?
Denver County Court, Small Claims Division. Civil cases are filed in person at the City and County Building, 1437 Bannock Street, Denver, CO 80202 — the Clerk's Office is Room 135, open Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. The free Civil Self Help Center is Room 281 in the same building.
❓ How much can you sue for in small claims court in Denver?
Up to $7,500 — the Colorado statewide limit, applied by Denver County Court. Larger claims can be reduced to $7,500 to stay in small claims, or filed in county civil or district court instead.
❓ How much does it cost to file a small claim in Denver?
A plaintiff pays $31 for claims up to $500 and $55 for $500.01–$7,500. A defendant filing without a counterclaim pays $26 or $41 on the same brackets; a party filing a counterclaim pays $31 or $46. Service costs extra, because you arrange it yourself.
❓ Does a Denver mailing address mean my case belongs in Denver County Court?
No, and this is the most common Denver filing mistake. Denver County Court covers the City and County of Denver only. A defendant in Aurora, Lakewood or elsewhere in Arapahoe, Jefferson or Adams County belongs in that county's court even if their postal address says Denver. Check the county, not the postal city.
❓ Can the court serve the defendant for me?
No. Colorado does not allow service by mail in small claims. The defendant must be served personally or by substituted service via the sheriff or a private process server, and you arrange and pay for it.
Generate Your Denver Small Claims Forms
Walk through a few simple questions and SmallClaimsHelper fills out your Colorado claim and a judge script for you — review it and file for $19.
Start My Claim — $19This is general information, not legal advice. Colorado small claims forms, fees, court addresses and claim limits change over time — always use the current official forms and confirm the rules with the court before you file.