Vermont Small Claims Filing Fee

What You'll Pay to File

Vermont's small claims filing fees are set by 32 V.S.A. § 1431(c)(1) and depend on the amount you're claiming:

• $65 for claims of $1,000 or less
• $90 for claims between $1,001 and $10,000

That's it. Some third-party websites list fee tiers of $90, $115, or even $175 — those numbers are wrong. They appear to be borrowed from general civil filing schedules or other states. The official Vermont Judiciary fee schedule confirms the two-tier structure above.

Other Fees You Might Encounter

Counterclaim fees. If the defendant files a counterclaim against you, they pay $25 for counterclaims of $500 or less, or $35 for counterclaims over $500.

Appeal fee. If either party appeals the small claims judgment to the Civil Division, the filing fee is $120.

Post-judgment motion fee. Filing a motion to reopen or enforce a judgment costs $65.

Jury trial request. Only the defendant can request a jury trial in a small claims case — and the fee is $10.

EFS use fee. If you choose to file electronically through Tyler eFile & Serve, there's a $14 per-filer-per-case system fee plus credit card processing (2.89%) or eCheck ($1.00) charges. This is optional for self-represented filers — you can avoid it by filing via mail or email.

Sheriff service. If you need in-hand service after the first-class mail step fails to produce a response, the sheriff charges a service fee based in part on mileage and the number of service attempts.

Applying for a Fee Waiver

If paying the filing fee would be a hardship, you can apply to have it waived. Submit Form 600-00228 (Application to Waive Filing Fees and Service Costs) along with a financial affidavit that details your household income, expenses, assets, and any public assistance you receive.

If the court grants your application, the waiver covers the filing fee and the cost of initial sheriff service. If denied, the clerk will give you a set period — typically 14 to 21 days — to pay the standard fee. Missing that deadline means administrative dismissal without prejudice, which means you can refile later.

Financial affidavits submitted for fee waivers are kept confidential under Vermont's court record access rules.

Can You Get Your Fees Back?

If you win your case, the court typically adds your filing fee and verified service costs to the judgment amount. The defendant ends up responsible for those costs on top of the damages they owe. That said, collecting a judgment is a separate process — the court awards the money but doesn't collect it for you.

The Vermont Small Claims Filing Guide covers the fee schedule, the fee waiver application process, and how court costs factor into your final judgment amount.

See more Vermont guides →