How much can I claim in small claims court?

Verified 31 July 2026 Law of Quebec and Canada General information, not legal advice

Short answer

In Quebec, the maximum amount that can be claimed before the Small Claims Division of the Court of Quebec is $15,000, not counting interest. Interest, the additional indemnity and costs may push the total above that figure without making the claim inadmissible.

In detail

The limit applies to the principal claimed, not to the final bill. The Gouvernement du Québec puts it this way: “The maximum amount you can claim before the Small Claims Division is $15,000, not counting interest.” A claim of $14,800 with $900 of interest added to it therefore remains admissible.

If your claim is worth more than $15,000, you may voluntarily give up the excess in order to stay under the limit, provided that this reduction is written into your application. The choice is yours: the portion you give up cannot be claimed later.

Since 2023, the monetary limits of jurisdiction have been indexed annually; a notice is published by the Minister of Justice, and the small claims limit is raised only once the cumulative indexation reaches a threshold of $1,000. Applications filed before an increase remain governed by the ceiling in force at the time of filing. Check the official page before you file.

What to document

The full breakdown of your claim, item by item: principal, invoices, dates. If you give up part of the debt in order to stay under the limit, write down the exact amount you are giving up and the date of that decision — that is what will have to appear in the application.

Put your facts in writing, free. Writing your version down early, keeping your documents dated and preparing your questions for a lawyer: the tool is there to document, never to advise.

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How much can I claim in small claims court?

In detail

What to document

Official sources

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