Small Claims Plainly

State guide

Idaho

This is general information, not legal advice. Idaho's small claims department is created inside the magistrate division of the district court. Idaho Code section 1-2301 says that department has jurisdiction to recover money when each claim does not exceed $15,000, and to recover personal property when the property's value does not exceed $15,000. The same section says the department shall not award punitive damages or damages for pain and suffering. The history line on the legislature's page includes a 2026 amendment. File in the magistrate division of the county where the defendant resides or where the cause of action arose. A defendant may ask for a change of venue if the county is wrong.

Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.

Try a ZIP like 30303, “Travis County” or “Columbus, OH”
Which court hears it
Small claims department of the magistrate division
Dollar limit we could verify
Idaho Code section 1-2301 says the small claims department has jurisdiction in money cases and in cases to recover personal property when the claim or the property does not exceed $15,000. The department may not award punitive damages or damages for pain and suffering.
Statute or court page
Official page →
Filing or self-help page
Official page →

The $15,000 line applies to each claim for money and to the value of personal property. It is not a suggestion. A case that depends on a pain-and-suffering number, or on a punitive-damages number, does not fit even if the repair bill is small. Section 1-2301 withholds those kinds of damages in this department. If a car crash caused both a repair bill and an injury claim for pain, talk to a lawyer about which court can hear the injury piece. The small claims department is for the money and the personal property the statute names.

Venue is in the statute, not only in local custom. You file where the defendant lives or where the claim arose. If you file in a convenient county that is neither of those, the defendant can request a transfer. Get the address right on the claim form so service matches the venue you chose. Magistrate court is part of the district court structure. The Idaho Supreme Court's site explains how magistrate judges sit. The statute is the authority for the dollar line and for the ban on punitive damages and pain and suffering.

The legislature's page shows a long amendment history, ending with a 2026 chapter. That is a reason to read the section itself rather than an old brochure. When you go to the hearing, bring proof of the dollar amount: invoices, photographs, and a short timeline. The judge can award only what the statute allows and only what the evidence supports. After a judgment, ask the clerk of the magistrate division how a small-claims judgment is enforced in that county. This directory does not state a filing fee or an appeal deadline, because section 1-2301 does not set them.

Official resources in Idaho

Idaho Code § 1-2301

Statute stating the $15,000 small-claims line and the ban on punitive damages and pain and suffering.

Idaho Legislature

Official statutes and the amendment history for Title 1.

Idaho Supreme Court

Court site for magistrate-division information and forms.

Key facts for Idaho

What to do next

  1. Leave pain-and-suffering and punitive damages off a small-claims form.
  2. File in the county where the defendant lives or where the events happened.
  3. Read the current section 1-2301, because the page shows a 2026 amendment.
  4. Ask the magistrate clerk how a judgment is collected in that county.

Looking for your city or county in Idaho?

We haven't found official court-level pages for Idaho we can verify yet, so we don't show local numbers here rather than guess. Here's what to use instead, in order:

  1. General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Idaho, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
  2. Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.
    Idaho Supreme Court
    Website →
    Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.
    Your city or county office: Idaho Association of Counties →
    Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Idaho page on USA.gov can point you to the right office.
  3. Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.

Helpful guides

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