Small claims limit in Arizona: $5,000

The rule in Arizona

The small claims limit in Arizona is $5,000. The rule is A.R.S. § 22-503(A); the Arizona Legislature, A.R.S. § 22-503 puts it this way: “does not exceed $5,000, exclusive of interest and costs”. The court that hears these cases: Justice court small claims division.

Among the 51 jurisdictions with a verified figure on this site, Arizona ranks 40th from the top. That is $5,000 below the median of $10,000. It is 2 times Kentucky's $2,500 floor and 20% of the $25,000 top figure. 9 other verified jurisdictions use the same $5,000 figure, including Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii and Louisiana.

Next door, California allows $12,500, Colorado allows $7,500, Nevada allows $10,000, New Mexico allows $10,000 and Utah allows $20,000. Utah goes $15,000 further, so a dispute worth $20,000 could stay in small claims there but not in Arizona.

Worked check against the $5,000 figure: a $2,500 claim uses 50% of the limit and leaves $2,500 of room; a claim of exactly $5,000 still fits, because the rule caps the amount rather than excluding it; a claim of $5,001 is $1 over, and the rule leaves interest and costs out of that count.

The source checked for Arizona does not publish a statewide filing fee, so this page shows none; the clerk of the court where the case is filed posts the current amount.

Deposit disputes are a common small claims case. Arizona caps deposits at 1.5 months' rent (deposit rules), so a claim for a full deposit stays under the $5,000 limit whenever the monthly rent is $3,333 or less.

Source: Arizona Legislature, A.R.S. § 22-503 · A.R.S. § 22-503(A) · last checked October 20, 2026.

Where the case goes

A claim within the limit is filed with the Justice court small claims division. The linked source is the place to confirm forms, the filing fee and where to file before starting; the guides on filing a small claims case and serving the papers explain the usual steps in general terms.