Michigan Small Claims Limit: How Much You Can Sue For in 2026

The Current Limit: $7,000

Michigan raised its small claims court limit to $7,000 on January 1, 2024, up from $6,500. The change came through Public Act 60, amending MCL 600.8401. Some older websites and court pamphlets still list $6,500 or even $6,000 — those figures are outdated.

The $7,000 cap applies to the total monetary judgment the court can award. It covers breach of contract, property damage, unpaid invoices, security deposit disputes, and any other claim that boils down to money owed.

What If Your Claim Exceeds $7,000

You have two options:

File in small claims and waive the excess. If a contractor owes you $8,500, you can file for $7,000 and legally forfeit the remaining $1,500. The case stays in the faster, simpler small claims division, but you cannot recover the difference later. Under MCL 600.8425, you also cannot split a single cause of action into multiple claims to get around the ceiling.

File in the general civil division instead. This preserves your right to the full amount, but adds formal procedures — attorney representation, discovery, potentially a jury trial, and longer timelines. For amounts just above $7,000, many filers choose to absorb the difference and keep the case in small claims.

How the Limit Affects Filing Fees

The fee you pay scales with your claim amount:

Each tier includes a $5 electronic filing system fee. If you win, the court may order the other side to reimburse your filing costs, though reimbursement is not automatic.

Special Case: Security Deposit Double Damages

Michigan's Landlord and Tenant Relationships Act (MCL 554.613) allows tenants who provide a forwarding address within 4 days and dispute the deductions by mail within 7 days to sue for double the amount retained if the landlord misses the 45-day deadline to file suit. If your deposit was $3,500, your double-damage claim would be $7,000 — right at the limit. But if your deposit was $4,000, double damages would be $8,000, exceeding the cap. You would either file for $7,000 and waive the $1,000 excess, or move to general civil court for the full amount.

What the Limit Does Not Cover

The $7,000 limit is about the amount of money at stake, not the type of claim. Small claims court still cannot hear cases involving injunctions, evictions, property return, fraud, libel, slander, assault, or battery — regardless of the dollar amount. Those exclusions are about the nature of the claim, not its size.

Practical Takeaway

For most disputes under $7,000, small claims court is the most efficient path. The Michigan small claims filing guide covers the full process — from checking whether your claim fits the limit through filing, serving, and attending the hearing.

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