Filing a small claims case in Tennessee's General Sessions Court costs roughly $146 to $269, depending on the county. You can sue for up to $25,000 under Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-15-501, and if you can't afford the fee, Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 29 provides a Uniform Civil Affidavit of Indigency.
By the founder of SmallClaimsHelper
In Tennessee, you file a small claims case in your county's General Sessions Court, pay a filing fee of roughly $146 to $269 depending on the county, and can ask for up to $25,000.
This post walks one hypothetical case from "I'm owed money" to a filed case: where to file, what it costs, which forms to use, and how long you have. It also compares Tennessee's limit with its neighbors, because Tennessee's ceiling is unusually high.
What does a typical Tennessee small claims case look like?
Here's a hypothetical we'll follow through the whole post. Dana, who lives in Tennessee, paid a contractor $6,800 in a written agreement to replace her deck. The contractor tore out the old deck, built about a third of the new one, and stopped answering calls. Dana wants her money back, and she wants to handle it herself without hiring a lawyer.
Dana's claim is a money claim for breach of a written contract, and at $6,800 it sits well under Tennessee's limit. That makes General Sessions Court the natural place to file. Tennessee doesn't have a separate court labeled "small claims"; the General Sessions Court in each county hears these civil cases, and the Tennessee courts publish a set of court-approved General Sessions civil forms for them.
The rest of this post answers the questions Dana would actually have, in the order she'd have them.
How much can you sue for in Tennessee small claims?
You can sue for up to $25,000 in General Sessions Court, under Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-15-501. That's one of the highest ceilings in the country, and it's far above what Tennessee's neighbors allow. Dana's $6,800 claim fits easily.
If your claim is bigger than $25,000, you'd have to either file in a higher court or give up the amount above the limit to stay in General Sessions. Think hard before waiving money: you can't usually sue again later for the part you gave up.
Here's how Tennessee compares with the states around it:
| State | Small claims limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $25,000 | Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-15-501 |
| Georgia | $15,000 ($25,000 for cases filed from January 1, 2027) | O.C.G.A. § 15-10-2(5) |
| North Carolina | $10,000 | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-210(1) |
| Alabama | $6,000 | Ala. Code § 12-12-31(a) |
| Virginia | $5,000 | Va. Code § 16.1-122.2 |
| Missouri | $5,000 | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 482.305 |
| Arkansas | $5,000 | — |
| Mississippi | $3,500 | Miss. Code Ann. § 9-11-9 |
| Kentucky | $2,500 | KRS 24A.230(1) |
One practical point if you live near a state line: you can't simply pick the state with the higher limit. Where you can sue depends on where the defendant is and where the dispute happened, so ask the clerk before you file if the defendant is out of state.
How much is the filing fee in Tennessee in 2026?
Expect to pay roughly $146 to $269 to file, depending on the county. Tennessee doesn't set one statewide small claims fee, so the amount Dana pays depends on which county's General Sessions Court she files in. Call or check the website of that county's General Sessions clerk for the current figure before you go, and ask whether the amount includes serving the defendant or whether that's charged separately.
If you can't afford the fee, Tennessee has a statewide answer: the Uniform Civil Affidavit of Indigency, adopted under Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 29. You fill it out under oath, describing your income and expenses, and the court decides whether you can file without paying the costs up front. Be accurate on it; it's a sworn statement.
If Dana wins, she can ask the court to include her court costs in the judgment against the contractor. That doesn't guarantee she'll collect them, but it puts them on the defendant's side of the ledger.
How do you actually file the case?
You file in person (or by whatever method your county clerk accepts) at the General Sessions Court clerk's office for the right county, using the court's starting form, pay the fee or submit the indigency affidavit, and give the clerk the defendant's correct name and address so they can be served. The Tennessee courts' court-approved General Sessions civil forms page is the place to start, and many county clerks also keep their own copies at the counter.
For Dana, the details that matter most are:
- The defendant's exact legal name. If the contractor operates as a business, sue the business by its correct name, not just the nickname on the truck. A judgment against the wrong name is hard to collect.
- A clear, short statement of the claim. "Defendant was paid $6,800 under a written contract dated [date] to build a deck, completed about a third of the work, and stopped performing. Plaintiff seeks $6,800 plus court costs." Keep it factual.
- A good address for service. The defendant has to be formally notified. If service fails because the address is wrong, the hearing gets pushed back.
Once the case is filed and served, the clerk's paperwork will show the hearing date. Write it down and plan around it; missing your own hearing can get your case dismissed.
How long do you have to file in Tennessee?
It depends on the type of claim. Dana's is a written contract claim, so she has 6 years under Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-109(a)(3). Other common deadlines are much shorter:
| Type of claim | Deadline to sue | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 years | Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-109(a)(3) |
| Oral contract | 6 years | Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-109(a)(3) |
| Property damage | 3 years | Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-105(1) |
| Personal injury | 1 year | Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104(a)(1)(A) |
The personal injury deadline is the one that catches people. If a neighbor's dog bit you or you were hurt in a fender-bender, one year goes fast, especially while you're still trying to settle informally. When in doubt, count from the date the harm happened and file well before the deadline.
If Dana's deck contractor had also damaged her fence while working, that part of her claim might be treated as property damage with its shorter 3-year window. Filing everything together, promptly, avoids the question entirely.
What should you bring to the hearing?
Bring everything that proves the agreement, the payment, and the problem, with copies for the judge and the other side. General Sessions is built for people representing themselves, but the judge still decides on evidence, not on who tells the more upsetting story.
For Dana's hypothetical case, that means the signed contract, proof of the $6,800 payment (bank records, canceled checks or receipts), dated photos of the half-built deck, her texts and call log showing she tried to reach the contractor, and, if she has one, a written estimate from another contractor showing what it will cost to finish or redo the work. Organize it in the order you'll tell the story.
Keep your explanation short: what you agreed to, what you paid, what the other side didn't do, and the exact amount you're asking for and how you got it.
About SmallClaimsHelper: SmallClaimsHelper is an independent, founder-run tool that turns plain-English answers into small claims court document drafts for consumers handling their own cases. Our guides cover filing, evidence, and judgment collection. Court rules change over time, so verify the current requirements with your local court before you file. Nothing here is a substitute for the advice of an attorney.
Filing in Tennessee? Get your claim documents ready in minutes
Answer a few plain-English questions about what you are owed. You get your Tennessee claim filled in for your court, a word-for-word script for the hearing and an evidence checklist. Checking is free; $29 for the completed documents.
Check if your Tennessee claim qualifies →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a lawyer to file in Tennessee General Sessions Court?
No. You can file and present a General Sessions civil case yourself, and many people do. The court-approved General Sessions civil forms published by the Tennessee courts are designed for that. A lawyer can still help if your claim is close to the $25,000 limit or the facts are complicated.
What if I can't afford the filing fee?
Ask the clerk for the Uniform Civil Affidavit of Indigency, which Tennessee adopted under Supreme Court Rule 29. You complete it under oath with your income and expenses, and the court decides whether you can proceed without paying the costs up front. Fill it out honestly and completely, because it's a sworn statement.
Can I sue for more than $25,000 in General Sessions Court?
No. General Sessions civil jurisdiction tops out at $25,000 under Tenn. Code Ann. § 16-15-501. If you're owed more, you can file in a higher court or limit your claim to $25,000, but giving up the excess usually means you can't recover it later. Think that through before you file.
Which county do I file in?
That depends on where the defendant lives or does business and where the dispute happened, and the details matter. Call the General Sessions clerk in the county you have in mind and confirm it's the right one before you pay the fee. Filing in the wrong county can cost you time and a second filing fee.