A landlord kept your deposit, a contractor walked off the job, a dry cleaner ruined your coat. In Iowa you can sue for up to $6,500 in the Small Claims in the Iowa District Court, without hiring a lawyer. Check your case below, then follow six steps.
Answer a few questions. The result updates as you type.
Iowa doesn't require a demand before you file, but a written request for payment is good evidence and may settle the matter. A short, dated demand letter is the best proof. Use the generator below and keep a copy.
Usually the county where the defendant lives, or where the contract was to be performed or the problem happened. Ask the clerk if you're unsure.
Original Notice and Petition (Small Claims). A hearing is set only if the defendant answers and disputes the claim. If they don't answer, the court can enter a default judgment without a hearing.
$115 to file. Certified mail service through the clerk adds $20 per defendant; sheriff fees vary by county. An appeal costs $215. If you can't afford it, ask for a fee waiver: Ask the court to defer the costs if you can't afford them; the forms are on the Iowa Judicial Branch website.
The sheriff can serve the papers, or the clerk can send them by certified restricted mail for $20. A nonresident may sometimes be served through the Secretary of State. After being served, the defendant has 20 days to file an Appearance and Answer (60 days if served through the Secretary of State).
Bring receipts, photos, texts, the contract and your demand letter, with three copies of each. The court doesn't collect for you. If they don't pay, you can ask for a writ of execution, garnish wages or a bank account, or have the debtor examined about their assets.
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. Fraud deadlines start when the fraud was discovered.
| Type of claim | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Broken written contract (lease, invoice, signed agreement) | 10 years |
| Broken verbal agreement | 5 years |
| Damaged property | 5 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
| Fraud | 5 years |
| Libel or slander | 2 years |
| Claims against a government agency | Claims against the State of Iowa usually go first to the State Appeal Board, and claims against cities and counties have their own deadlines. Check these early. |
Optional. Many people represent themselves, and the hearings are informal.
You can sue for up to $6,500, not counting interest and court costs. The limit has been $6,500 since July 1, 2018. Small claims also handles evictions and getting back personal property worth up to $6,500. 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 by saying so at the end of the hearing or filing a notice of appeal within 20 days, and paying the $215 fee in that time. A district judge decides the appeal on the existing record, usually without new evidence.
Ask the clerk for a court interpreter well before your hearing.