Oregon Small Claims Court Forms: SC-ClmNotice, F0577, and What to File

The Forms You Need to File a Small Claim

Oregon uses statewide standardized forms for small claims under UTCR 15.010. Every Circuit Court in the state must accept these forms — no court can reject a compliant statewide form, though some counties require supplemental local cover sheets.

Here are the core documents:

SC-ClmNotice (Small Claim and Notice of Small Claim) — This is the main filing document. It combines your complaint and the notice that gets served on the defendant. You fill in the party names, addresses, the amount you are claiming, a description of your dispute, and a sworn Declaration of Good Faith Effort describing what you did to resolve the matter before filing.

SC-INSTR-plntf / Form F0577 (Instructions for Plaintiffs) — This is the instruction packet from the Oregon Judicial Department, revised January 2026. It walks through the entire process: how to name defendants, how to calculate fees, how to serve papers, and deadlines. You do not file this form — it is your reference guide.

SC-Response (Defendant's Response Form) — You do not fill this out. You include a blank copy in the service packet so the defendant knows how to respond.

ORS 36.185 Mediation Information Notice — Oregon law requires you to serve this notice alongside your claim. It informs the defendant about local mediation programs. Every county has its own version — download the one for the county where you are filing. Forgetting this document can invalidate your service.

How to Fill Out SC-ClmNotice

The form has four main sections:

Parties. Use the defendant's full legal name. For businesses, search the Oregon Secretary of State Business Registry and use the exact registered name plus the registered agent's address. For individuals, use their legal name — not a nickname.

Claim amount. Enter the total dollar amount you are seeking, up to $10,000. If your actual damages exceed $10,000, you can waive the excess and enter $10,000, but that waiver is permanent.

Statement of claim. Describe the dispute in plain language. Include dates, the nature of the obligation (contract, property damage, security deposit, etc.), and the specific amount owed. You do not need to cite statutes, but referencing the relevant ORS section strengthens the filing.

Declaration of Good Faith Effort. Sign under penalty of perjury that you made a genuine attempt to collect the debt before filing. Describe what you did — sending a demand letter, making phone calls, proposing a payment plan. The court can dismiss claims where this declaration is missing or clearly fabricated.

Three Ways to File

OJD Guide & File (iForms) — The Oregon Judicial Department's free online tool generates completed forms through an interactive questionnaire. You can efile directly from the tool, print the forms for mailing, or print them to deliver in person. This is the fastest method for Circuit Court filings.

In-person at the clerk's window — Bring original documents, pay the filing fee by cash, check, or money order (payable to "State of Oregon"), and the clerk stamps them immediately and assigns a case number.

Mail — Send originals plus copies and a check or money order to the court clerk. Processing time varies by county.

Justice Courts vary by county and are predominantly paper. Deschutes and Linn require notarization for mailed claims and cashier's checks or money orders for fees. Check with the specific court before mailing.

What the Clerk Does After You File

The clerk reviews your SC-ClmNotice for mandatory fields: party names, addresses, claim statement, good faith declaration, and signature. Once the fee (or fee deferral form) is processed, the clerk stamps the document with the court's seal, assigns a permanent case number, and fills in the defendant response fee amounts on the Notice page. This completed packet is what you serve on the defendant.

Your service packet must include the stamped SC-ClmNotice, a blank SC-Response form, and the ORS 36.185 Mediation Notice for the filing county. The Oregon Small Claims Filing Guide provides a filing packet checklist that tracks every required document and attachment.

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