Utah: State guide

This is general information, not legal advice. Utah's courts explain small claims on an official self-help page. The page says you can sue only for money. You cannot ask the court to order the other person to do something, such as give back property. The most you can ask for is $20,000. That amount includes lawyer fees and does not include court costs or interest. The page cites Utah Code section 78A-8-102. It also says you cannot sue a government agency in this procedure and you cannot use it to evict someone, citing the governmental-immunity statute and section 78A-8-102. Justice courts across the state hear these cases. The page includes a court finder by city.

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

The $20,000 figure is a complete demand, not a damages subtotal. If you hope to recover lawyer fees, those fees count toward the $20,000. Court costs and interest do not. Write the demand so a clerk can see the difference. The page is equally clear that the remedy is money. A request to return a car or to make a contractor finish a job is outside the procedure. Ask for the money the failure cost you, if that money claim is the claim you have, or file a different kind of case. Evictions and claims against government agencies are called out as outside small claims.

The self-help page walks through steps after the limit: finding the right justice court, the forms, serving the other side, and going to the trial. Follow those steps on the page, because justice-court boundaries do not always match city lines. The page's city list tells you which justice court hears small claims for that city. File there, not in a court that is merely nearby. Bring the contract, receipts, and photos. You may hire a lawyer. The fees you pay the lawyer count toward the cap if you ask the court to award them. The page says people who are unsure should look at the court's finding-legal-help materials.

A money judgment still has to be collected. The self-help materials separate the trial from collection. Ask the justice court clerk which form starts collection after the judgment. This directory does not copy a filing fee. The court's fee schedule is on its site and at the counter. Section 78A-8-102 is the statute the page cites for the definition of a small claim. If a later code amendment changes the amount, the statute and an updated courts page control. The figure in this entry is the figure on the self-help page that was retrieved, which states $20,000 including lawyer fees.

Official resources in Utah

Utah Courts small claims self-help

Court page stating a $20,000 maximum that includes lawyer fees and excludes court costs and interest.

Utah.gov

State portal. The courts self-help page is the source of the dollar figure.

Utah courts legacy small-claims path

Older courts how-to address. Confirm any figure on the current self-help page.

Key facts for Utah

Utah small claims are money claims heard in justice court.
The courts' page says the most you can ask for is $20,000.
Lawyer fees are included in the $20,000. Court costs and interest are not.
The page says you cannot sue to make someone do something, such as return property.
The page says you cannot sue a government agency or use small claims to evict.
The page cites Utah Code section 78A-8-102.

What to do next

Count lawyer fees inside the $20,000 if you will ask for them.
Do not file an eviction or a claim against a government agency as a small claim.
Use the page's court finder so you file in the justice court for that city.
Ask for money, not for an order that someone perform an act.

Looking for your city or county in Utah?

We haven't found official court-level pages for Utah 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 Utah, 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.
State of Utah
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 Utah 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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