Small claims time limits in Quebec: the table
Missing a time limit can end a right before anyone looks at the merits. This table gathers the small claims limits our answers state, in the order you actually meet them. Every figure comes from one of our answers, each of which cites its official source · the last column takes you there.
| Limit | What it governs | The sourced answer |
|---|---|---|
| Before you file | ||
| 3 years | General limit for a personal action (art. 2925 CCQ). It varies with the nature of the claim. | How long do I have to sue someone who owes me money? |
| 3 years | Latent defect · the clock starts when the defect is DISCOVERED, not at purchase. | What is the time limit to sue for a latent defect? |
| 15 days · 6 months | Against a municipality: special notice and much shorter limits than the general rule. | Can I sue a city or the government in small claims? |
| 12 months | A business qualifies only if it had at most 10 employees over the past 12 months. | Can my business sue in small claims court? |
| Once the claim is filed | ||
| 20 days | To answer a claim you received. After that, a default judgment can be issued. | I received a small claims application how long do I have to respond? |
| day 21 | With no contestation, default judgment can be rendered as soon as the 20 days expire. | What happens if I don't respond to a small claims lawsuit? |
| 10 days · 30 days | Exhibits filed within 10 days; additions possible up to 30 days before the hearing. | When do I have to file my evidence in small claims? |
| 30 days | To ask the clerk to summon a witness who would not come on their own. | How do I bring a witness to small claims? |
| After the hearing | ||
| 4 months | Maximum time to render a judgment taken under advisement. | How long after the hearing will I get the judgment? |
| 30 days · 10 days | To pay after judgment · only 10 days if the judgment was by default. | How long does the person have to pay me after the judgment? |
| 30 days · 6 months | To ask for revocation of a default judgment. | I got a default judgment can I have it cancelled? |
What a table cannot tell you
A number is never the whole rule. When a limit starts running, whether it can be suspended or interrupted, and which exceptions apply are decided case by case · a latent defect runs from discovery, not from purchase, and a claim against a municipality follows its own short clocks. Read the linked answer, then check the official source. For your own situation, a lawyer, legal aid or a proximity justice centre remain the references.
All our small claims answers →
Related questions
Short answers, dated and sourced, on specific points.