North Dakota: State guide

This is general information, not legal advice. North Dakota's small claims court is a jurisdiction district judges exercise under the Small Claims Court Act. The Court System's self-help page says you may bring a claim if you want to recover money of $15,000 or less, or if you want to cancel an agreement that involved material fraud, deception, misrepresentation, or false promise and the agreement is $15,000 or less. The page also says no more than six years may have passed since the debt or the last payment. It says there is no jury and that small-claims decisions cannot be appealed. The judge's or judicial referee's decision is final. Forms are posted with the self-help page, including the claim affidavit and the statute pamphlet.

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

The self-help page is more specific than a dollar line. It explains that if the defendant does nothing, a default can follow after the time for a response, and it describes a hearing window after the defendant asks for a hearing. Read those day counts on the current form packet, because they are part of the instructions and they can be updated. The page lists the claim affidavit, the defendant's request for hearing or removal, the answer and counterclaim, and affidavits of service. Use those forms. A removal request is the defendant's path off the small-claims docket, and the form title shows that removal exists.

No appeal is an important tradeoff, and it is stated on the court page, not merely in folklore. You are choosing a final decision. Prepare the hearing as if you will not get a second trial. Bring the contract, the proof of payment, and a short account of any fraud or false promise if you are asking to cancel an agreement. The $15,000 figure applies to the money you want back and to the value of the agreement you want canceled. The court's form packet reprints N.D.C.C. chapter 27-08.1, including the venue rules for corporations, checks, open accounts, and leases. Follow the venue paragraph that matches the defendant.

The six-year statement on the self-help page is the court's plain-language instruction. Other claims can have different limitation periods. If your dispute is not a simple debt, ask a lawyer whether six years is the right period before you rely on that sentence alone. After a judgment, the page includes forms for identifying the judgment debtor and for a satisfaction. A judgment is not cash. If the defendant can pay and does not, use the collection information the clerk provides. If you need more than $15,000, or you need a right to appeal, file a regular district-court civil case.

Official resources in North Dakota

North Dakota small claims self-help

Court page stating the $15,000 limit, the six-year instruction, and that decisions cannot be appealed.

North Dakota Court System

Court site for forms and district-court locations.

North Dakota Legislative Branch

Official century code, including chapter 27-08.1.

Key facts for North Dakota

North Dakota small claims are a district-court jurisdiction.
The court self-help page states a $15,000 limit for money recovery.
Canceling certain fraudulent agreements is allowed when the agreement is $15,000 or less.
The page says decisions cannot be appealed.
There is no jury.
The page says no more than six years may have passed since the debt or the last payment.

What to do next

Treat the hearing as the only hearing, because the court page says there is no appeal.
Use the court's claim affidavit and serve it with the affidavit of service.
Follow the venue rule in the statute pamphlet that matches your defendant.
File a regular civil case if you need more than $15,000 or a right to appeal.

Looking for your city or county in North Dakota?

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

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

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