Oregon: State guide

This is general information, not legal advice. Oregon puts a small claims department in each circuit court. ORS 46.405 says that, with stated exceptions, an action for the recovery of money, damages, specific personal property, or any penalty or forfeiture must be commenced in the small claims department if the amount or value does not exceed $750. The same kinds of actions may be commenced there if the amount or value does not exceed $10,000. Two numbers are in the statute on purpose. Under $750, the small-claims department is the required place, unless an exception applies. Between that line and $10,000, it is allowed. Class actions may not be brought in the department. The Oregon Judicial Department site explains how to file in the circuit court that has venue.

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

Read the exceptions in ORS 46.405 before you assume a $400 claim can only be a small claim. The statute says 'except as provided in this section.' Some cases may be filed either in small claims or on the regular docket even when they are small. The mandatory $750 line and the permissive $10,000 line are both real. A $9,000 claim may be a small claim. It does not have to be. A $500 claim generally must be, unless the section's exception fits.

ORS chapter 46 also covers how a claim is started and what fees the department collects. The fee statute states dollar amounts. Use the current ORS page and the circuit court's fee schedule together, because a statute amendment and a court schedule should match before you rely on either one alone. This directory does not copy those fees into a fee field. The jurisdictional sentences are the ones reported here. Bring the contract or the proof of damage. Specific personal property can be requested when the value does not exceed the line you are using.

Circuit court is the trial court. The small claims department is a department of that court, so the judgment is a circuit-court judgment entered through the department's procedure. Collection uses the tools the court provides after judgment. If the amount or value exceeds $10,000, file a regular civil action. If it does not exceed $750, start by asking whether an exception lets you file on the regular docket. The legislature publishes chapter 46 as one HTML page, which is the text retrieved for these figures. Older summaries that mention only $10,000 and skip the mandatory $750 line are incomplete.

Official resources in Oregon

ORS chapter 46

Statute stating the mandatory $750 small-claims line and the permissive $10,000 line.

Oregon Judicial Department

Court site for circuit-court locations.

Oregon circuit courts

List of circuit courts, where small claims departments sit.

Key facts for Oregon

Oregon small claims are a department of the circuit court.
ORS 46.405 requires small claims for specified actions that do not exceed $750, with exceptions.
Those actions may be filed in small claims if they do not exceed $10,000.
Class actions are prohibited in the department.
The actions include money, damages, specific personal property, and penalties or forfeitures.
A claim over $10,000 is a regular civil action.

What to do next

Treat $750 and $10,000 as different rules. One is mandatory, one is permissive.
Read the exceptions in ORS 46.405 before filing a very small case on the regular docket.
Do not file a class claim in the small claims department.
Check the current fee on the ORS page and with the circuit court.

Looking for your city or county in Oregon?

We haven't found official court-level pages for Oregon 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 Oregon, 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.
Oregon Judicial Department
Website →
Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.
Your city or county office: Association of Oregon Counties →
Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Oregon 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.

Helpful guides

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