Small claims limit in Kentucky: $2,500

The rule in Kentucky

The small claims limit in Kentucky is $2,500. The rule is KRS 24A.230; the Kentucky Court of Justice, Small Claims Handbook (P-6) puts it this way: “settles disputes involving money or personal property valued at $2,500 or less”. The court that hears these cases: District court small claims division.

Among the 51 jurisdictions with a verified figure on this site, Kentucky ranks 51st from the top. That is $7,500 below the median of $10,000. No verified state sets a lower ceiling; Delaware's $25,000 is 10 times as much.

Next door, Illinois allows $10,000, Indiana allows $10,000, Missouri allows $5,000, Ohio allows $6,000, Tennessee allows $25,000, Virginia allows $5,000 and West Virginia allows $20,000. Tennessee goes $22,500 further, so a dispute worth $25,000 could stay in small claims there but not in Kentucky.

Worked check against the $2,500 figure: a $1,300 claim uses 52% of the limit and leaves $1,200 of room; a claim of exactly $2,500 still fits, because the rule caps the amount rather than excluding it; a claim of $2,501 is $1 over.

The source checked for Kentucky 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.

The handbook says the $2,500 limit does not include interest and court costs, and the filing fee is charged by the circuit court clerk in each county.

Source: Kentucky Court of Justice, Small Claims Handbook (P-6) · KRS 24A.230 · last checked October 20, 2026.

Where the case goes

A claim within the limit is filed with the District 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.