NC Small Claims Court Forms: Which Ones You Need and How Many Copies

The Core Forms You'll Need

North Carolina uses standardized Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) forms for small claims cases. These are the same across all 100 counties — local courthouses don't have their own versions. Here are the forms most plaintiffs need:

AOC-CVM-200 — Complaint for Money Owed. This is your primary filing document. It establishes your claim, names the defendant, states the amount owed, and describes the basis of the dispute. If you're suing for money (unpaid invoice, unreturned deposit, breach of contract, property damage), this is the form. For detailed field-by-field instructions, see how to complete AOC-CVM-200.

AOC-CVM-100 — Magistrate Summons. The court issues this form to notify the defendant of the lawsuit and the hearing date. The clerk generates it when your complaint is filed — you don't complete it yourself, but you do need to know it exists because you'll track whether it's been properly served.

AOC-G-250 — Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Affidavit. Required before judgment if the defendant has not appeared in the action. The court must appoint an attorney before entering judgment if the defendant is in military service. Most plaintiffs prepare this in advance so they're ready either way.

AOC-G-106 — Petition to Proceed as an Indigent. If you can't afford the $96 filing fee and $30-per-defendant sheriff service fee, this form lets you petition to proceed as indigent. The clerk must authorize it if you cannot advance costs and receive electronic food and nutrition benefits (SNAP), Work First Family Assistance, or SSI, or are represented by a qualifying legal services organization or private counsel working on its behalf. You may also qualify if you cannot advance costs but do not meet one of those categories.

Forms You Might Need Depending on the Situation

AOC-CV-105 — Affidavit of Service of Process by Registered Mail, Certified Mail, or Designated Delivery Service. If you chose certified mail instead of sheriff service, you'll file this affidavit along with the signed return receipt to prove the defendant received the summons.

AOC-G-100 — Subpoena. If you need a witness who won't come voluntarily, the clerk issues a subpoena requiring their attendance. The sheriff serves it for $30 per witness.

AOC-CVM-303 — Notice of Appeal. Either party may file this to appeal a judgment to District Court for a de novo trial. Notice must be given in court or filed within 10 calendar days of judgment.

How Many Copies for Paper Filing

If you file on paper at the clerk's office (eFiling through File & Serve is optional for self-represented litigants), you need:

• One defendant: 3 complete sets — the original for the court, one copy for the court file, one copy for the defendant
• Two defendants: 4 complete sets — the original plus one copy per defendant plus the court's file copy

Each set includes the complaint, plus any attachments you're submitting with it. Court clerks won't make copies for you, and they won't accept incomplete packets.

Paper vs. eCourts Filing

Since the statewide eCourts rollout completed across all 100 counties, self-represented litigants have two options:

Guide & File (electronic): An automated interview tool on the NC Courts website that generates forms based on your answers. For some case types, it can submit forms electronically through File & Serve, which handles filing fees; Guide & File does not determine paper copy counts. It won't verify that you've named the right defendant entity or selected the correct county.

Paper filing at the clerk's office: Bring your completed forms, the correct number of copies, and payment. Court clerks accept cash, cashier's checks, money orders, and credit/debit cards — but not personal checks.

Either way, the filing fee is $96, plus $30 per defendant for sheriff service.

The North Carolina Small Claims Filing Guide includes a complete form checklist with the exact documents needed at each stage, from filing through the hearing.

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