Small Claims Court Yonkers

Yonkers City Court handles small claims for disputes up to $5,000 — the standard cap for City Courts outside New York City. If someone in Yonkers owes you money and won't pay, this is where you file.

Yonkers City Court Location and Hours

Yonkers City Court is located at 100 South Broadway, Yonkers, NY 10701. The Small Claims Clerk's Office operates during regular business hours, Monday through Friday. Call ahead at (914) 831-6450 to confirm current hours before making the trip, since clerk office schedules can shift.

Filing must be done in person. You'll need to bring your completed Statement of Claim form, the defendant's full name and physical street address (no P.O. Boxes), and your filing fee payment. Yonkers City Court accepts money orders, certified checks, and bank checks — personal checks are typically not accepted.

Filing Fees and the $5,000 Limit

Yonkers City Court follows the statewide fee schedule for City Courts outside NYC:

• Claims of $1,000 or less: $15 filing fee
• Claims of $1,001 to $5,000: $20 filing fee

The Ninth Judicial District also lists $10.02 postage per defendant, effective July 12, 2026. If the clerk's mail comes back undelivered and you need to hire a process server, that's an additional cost — typically $75 to $150.

The $5,000 cap means you cannot sue for more than $5,000 in Yonkers City Court small claims. If your claim exceeds that amount, you can either waive the excess (sue for $5,000 and give up the rest) or file a regular civil action. You cannot split a larger claim into two smaller ones — New York courts dismiss split claims.

Who Can File in Yonkers

Individuals and sole proprietors can file in the regular Small Claims Part. If you're suing as a corporation, LLC, partnership, or association, you must file in the Commercial Claims Part instead, which carries a $25 filing fee plus postage costs and a statewide limit of five commercial filings per calendar month.

To file in Yonkers, the defendant must live, work, or maintain a business within the court's jurisdiction. If the defendant is located elsewhere, you'll need to file in the court covering the area where they reside, work, or operate.

What Happens After You File

Once you file and pay, the Yonkers City Court clerk mails the defendant a Notice of Claim by certified mail and regular first-class mail. If the defendant signs for the certified mail — or if the certified mail is returned unclaimed but the regular mail isn't returned — service is legally complete.

If both mailings come back undeliverable, the clerk will instruct you to arrange personal service through a process server or the Westchester County Sheriff. You have four months from your original filing date to complete service, or the court dismisses your case without prejudice.

Your hearing will typically be scheduled several weeks after filing. Bring printed copies of all evidence — contracts, receipts, photographs, text messages, and correspondence. Do not rely on a judge or arbitrator reviewing evidence on your phone screen; bring copies for the other side.

Preparing Your Case for Yonkers City Court

For property damage or repair claims, you'll need either a paid receipt or two independent written estimates to prove the reasonable value of your damages. A single unpaid estimate is not enough — the court won't award damages based on one estimate alone.

The hearing itself is informal compared to regular civil court. You'll explain your claim, present your evidence, and the defendant gets to respond. Many cases are heard by volunteer attorney arbitrators rather than judges. If both parties consent to voluntary arbitration, the decision is final — you cannot appeal. If you want to preserve your appeal rights, request a trial before the judge.

Filing Your Yonkers Small Claim Step by Step

Our Filing a Small Claims Case in New York guide walks you through the entire process from demand letter to hearing day, including court-specific filing instructions, evidence preparation worksheets, and a deadline tracker. It covers all four New York court tiers — NYC Civil Court ($10,000 limit), City Courts like Yonkers ($5,000), District Courts ($5,000), and Town/Village Courts ($3,000) — so you'll know exactly which court to use and what to expect.

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