Maine Small Claims Court Limit — $10,000 Cap Explained (2026)

The Current Limit: $10,000

Maine's small claims court limit is $10,000 in principal damages, exclusive of court costs and post-judgment interest. This cap took effect on January 1, 2026, under Public Law 2025, Chapter 261, which amended 14 M.R.S. § 7482. Before that date, the limit was $6,000.

The limit applies to the amount you are asking the court to award — it does not include the $70 filing fee, sheriff service costs, or any interest the judge adds after ruling in your favor.

What Counts Toward the $10,000

The cap covers the total monetary recovery you are requesting from the defendant. That includes:

• The principal debt or amount owed
• Compensatory damages (the cost to fix or replace what was damaged)
• Any statutory penalties you are claiming (such as double damages for a wrongfully withheld security deposit)

Court costs, filing fees and post-judgment interest are excluded from the calculation. If a contract entitles you to prejudgment interest, the interest portion does not count against the $10,000 ceiling either — prejudgment interest in small claims is only recoverable when the contract explicitly provides for it, under 14 M.R.S. § 1602-B(1).

What If Your Claim Exceeds $10,000

You have two options:

Option 1: Waive the excess. Under M.R.S.C.P. Rule 3, you can file a claim for $10,000 and voluntarily abandon the remainder. The waiver is permanent — principles of res judicata prevent you from suing for the leftover amount later, even in a different court. This makes sense when the speed, low cost and simplicity of small claims court outweigh the extra money you would give up.

Option 2: Pursue an appropriate civil action outside small claims. If you cannot afford to waive the excess, small claims is not the forum for the full amount. The proper court and procedure depend on the claim and amount, so check current court guidance or seek legal advice.

You cannot split one dispute into multiple $10,000 claims. Filing two suits over the same transaction to stay under the cap is barred by claim preclusion rules.

The Limit Applies to Counterclaims Too

If you file a $7,000 claim and the defendant files a counterclaim, that counterclaim is also capped at $10,000 under the same statutory provision. How the court handles the combined claims depends on the pleadings and applicable procedure.

How the Limit Affects Your Filing

When completing Form SC-001 (Statement of Claim), state the total dollar amount you are demanding. Small claims jurisdiction is limited to $10,000, so a claim above that amount must be reduced with the excess waived or pursued through an appropriate civil action outside small claims.

The Maine Small Claims Filing Guide includes a limit and deadline verification step at the very beginning of the process so you can confirm your claim fits before spending time on forms and service.

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