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Get My Massachusetts Forms — $19Filing a small claims case in Massachusetts means using Massachusetts's own forms and following its court's procedure. This guide covers the core documents a typical case uses, the claim limit, and where to get the official Massachusetts forms — without paying for something your court provides free.
The short version: file your claim in District Court, Boston Municipal Court, or Housing Court, Small Claims Session, serve the defendant, and prepare your evidence for the hearing. You can claim up to $7,000. Get the official forms free from Massachusetts Small Claims Court Forms.
What Forms Do You Need in Massachusetts?
Form names and numbers differ by state, but a Massachusetts small claims case generally uses the same core documents:
📄 Statement of Small Claim and Notice of Trial (uniform form)
The document that opens your case — it names the parties, the amount you're claiming, and the basis of the claim. Get the current version from Massachusetts Small Claims Court Forms.
📬 Serving the defendant
Court mails Statement of Claim/Notice by first-class mail (certified if defendant out of state).
💵 Fee waiver
Affidavit of Indigency Ask the clerk for the current fee-waiver form.
⚖️ Default judgment
If the defendant is properly served but doesn't respond or appear, you can ask the court to enter a judgment in your favor by default.
Where to Get Official Massachusetts Forms
Massachusetts small claims forms are free from the official sources below. Always use the current official version, and confirm any local (county/court) variations before you file.
- Massachusetts court forms — Massachusetts Small Claims Court Forms
- Official source — mass.gov
- Official source — mass.gov
- Your local courthouse or clerk — the clerk can provide the current forms and tell you which ones your court requires.
Massachusetts Small Claims Limit & Fees
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Court | District Court, Boston Municipal Court, or Housing Court, Small Claims Session |
| Claim limit | $7,000 |
| Filing fee | Ask the clerk of court. Fees change and vary by claim size, and we publish a figure only where we have verified it against the court’s own schedule. |
| Fee waiver | Affidavit of Indigency |
$7,000 or less; no cap for auto-accident property damage; award may exceed with statutory/multiple damages. Limits and fees change over time and can vary by county — confirm the current figures with your Massachusetts court before you file.
Filing in Boston: Which Court Hears Your Case
Boston is the most common place people file small claims in Massachusetts, and the process uses the same statewide forms and $7,000 limit described above. The main difference is where you file.
Filing in Boston? Use our step-by-step guide to filing small claims in Boston — it lists all eight Boston Municipal Court divisions with addresses and phone numbers, the full fee table, and how to choose between the BMC, District Court and Housing Court.
In short: small claims within the City of Boston are heard in the Boston Municipal Court (BMC), Small Claims Session, using the same Statement of Small Claim and Notice of Trial form and the same tiered filing fee set out above. Boston also has Housing Court and District Court sessions, and which one hears your case can depend on the type of dispute — landlord–tenant deposit cases, for example, often go to Housing Court. Confirm the correct session with the clerk before filing, and always verify current fees and addresses with the court.
How to File a Small Claims Case in Massachusetts
Once you have the form, filing small claims in Massachusetts follows the same sequence everywhere in the state:
- Check that your claim fits. The Massachusetts limit is $7,000, and property damage from an automobile accident has no cap. Confirm you are still inside the statute of limitations for your type of claim.
- Choose your court. District Court, Boston Municipal Court, or Housing Court, Small Claims Session. You may file where any plaintiff lives, works or has a place of business; where any defendant does; or, for a rental-property claim, where the property is.
- Complete the Statement of Small Claim and Notice of Trial — the statewide form, free from mass.gov.
- Name the defendant exactly. For a business, sue the registered legal entity, which you can look up through the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
- File online, in person, or by mail. Massachusetts runs a guided online interview that fills in the form and eFiles it for a $7 service fee; you can also print and file the same forms yourself.
- Pay the filing fee for your claim bracket ($40 / $50 / $100 / $150), or file an Affidavit of Indigency to request a waiver.
- The court serves the defendant — it mails the Statement of Claim and Notice of Trial by first-class mail, certified if the defendant is out of state. You do not hire a process server.
- Prepare your evidence for the hearing, with three copies of everything. Our evidence checklist covers what to bring.
Not sure the case is worth filing? The worth-it calculator weighs the fee and your time against what you would recover, and the demand letter writer often resolves the dispute before any of this is necessary.
Filing Small Claims in Boston?
Answer a few plain-English questions and SmallClaimsHelper drafts your completed Massachusetts Statement of Small Claim and a judge script for the Boston Municipal Court — review it and file for $19.
Start My Claim — $19Massachusetts Small Claims Forms: FAQ
❓ What forms do I need to file a small claims case in Massachusetts?
A Massachusetts small claims case is filed in District Court, Boston Municipal Court, or Housing Court, Small Claims Session. You generally need a claim/complaint form to open the case, a way to serve the defendant with proof of service, and — if you can't afford the fee — a fee-waiver form. Form names and numbers are set by the court, so download the current official versions from Massachusetts Small Claims Court Forms before you file.
❓ How much can you sue for in Massachusetts small claims court?
In Massachusetts you can claim up to $7,000. If your claim is larger, you can usually reduce it to the limit to stay in small claims or file in a higher court instead.
❓ Where do I get official Massachusetts small claims forms?
From your state court — Massachusetts's judiciary publishes the official forms, and the District Court, Boston Municipal Court, or Housing Court, Small Claims Session clerk can provide the current versions and tell you which ones your court requires. Court-issued forms are free; you only pay the filing fee.
❓ Do you need a lawyer for small claims court in Massachusetts?
No. Small claims court is designed for people to represent themselves without an attorney, and Massachusetts is no exception. The forms and procedure are simplified so you can file, serve, and present your own case.
❓ How do I file a small claims case in Boston?
Small claims cases within the City of Boston are heard in the Boston Municipal Court (BMC), Small Claims Session. You use the same statewide Statement of Small Claim and Notice of Trial form, can claim up to $7,000, and pay the same tiered filing fee. File in the BMC division that covers where the defendant lives or does business, or where the events happened — the clerk-magistrate's office can confirm the correct one. Some disputes, such as landlord-tenant deposit cases, may instead be heard in Housing Court.
Generate Your Massachusetts Small Claims Forms
Walk through a few simple questions and SmallClaimsHelper fills out your Massachusetts claim and a judge script for you — review it and file for $19.
Start My Claim — $19This is general information, not legal advice. Massachusetts's small claims forms, fees, and claim limits can change and often vary by county — always rely on the current official forms and verify the rules with your court before you file.