Montana Small Claims Court Filing Fees (2026)
Find your county's fee
Each Montana court sets its own fee, so the county matters. Pick yours to see the court and what's included.
Beaverhead County Justice Court (Small Claims)
Plus $20 appearance fee per defendant, paid by the defendant. Excludes sheriff service.
Court, contact and what's includedBig Horn County Justice Court (Small Claims)
$30 small claims filing fee; $20 small claims appearance fee (paid by the defendant on appearance); judgment fee $20. County civil filing fee is $50. Page shows no date.
Court, contact and what's includedBlaine County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedBroadwater County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedCarbon County Justice Court (Small Claims)
Filing fee $30.00 per county small claims packet (uploaded 2018; not re-dated). $20.00 appearance fee for defendant at hearing. Service by sheriff or levying officer extra.
Court, contact and what's includedCarter County courts
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedCascade County courts
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedChouteau County Justice Court (Small Claims)
Civil actions $50; small claims limit $7,000.
Court, contact and what's includedCuster County Justice Court (Small Claims)
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedDaniels County courts
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedDawson County Justice Court (Small Claims)
Sheriff service fee ($75 plus mileage) is separate and excluded.
Court, contact and what's includedAnaconda-Deer Lodge County Justice Court (Small Claims)
Plus $20 appearance fee per party.
Court, contact and what's includedFallon County courts
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedFergus County Justice Court (Small Claims)
Fees in small claims court total $20.00. Separate $20.00 appearance fee per defendant on first document (FAQ page). Service by sheriff or levying officer extra.
Court, contact and what's includedGarfield County courts
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedGlacier County Justice Court (Small Claims)
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedGolden Valley County courts
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedGranite County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedHill County Justice Court
Distinct from the county's $50 general civil filing fee (same FAQ page).
Court, contact and what's includedJefferson County Justice Court (Small Claims)
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedJudith Basin County courts
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedLake County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedLewis and Clark County Justice Court (Small Claims)
Answer/counterclaim fee $20 per defendant, paid by defendant.
Court, contact and what's includedLiberty County Justice Court (Small Claims)
Civil actions $50; small claims limit $7,000.
Court, contact and what's includedLincoln County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedMcCone County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedMeagher County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedMissoula County Justice Court (Civil and Small Claims)
Page's Filing Fees section covers both Civil Court (up to $15,000) and Small Claims Court (up to $7,000) without a separate small-claims-only tier: "Complaint filing fee: $50".
Court, contact and what's includedMusselshell County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedPetroleum County courts
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedPhillips County courts
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedPowder River County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedPowell County Justice Court / Deer Lodge City Court
Small Claims Court filing fee $30 (a certified demand letter must be mailed 10 days before filing); the defendant pays a separate $20 appearance fee at trial. Justice Court handout, no date shown; ordinary civil court filing there is $50.
Court, contact and what's includedPrairie County courts
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedRavalli County Justice Court (Small Claims)
Judgment fee $20.00 (all judgments except defaults).
Court, contact and what's includedRichland County Justice Court (Small Claims)
$30 filing fee for small claims in the Justice Court; the Richland County Sheriff charges a flat $65 service fee (separate). The instructions carry no document date (archive capture 2025-11-11).
Court, contact and what's includedRoosevelt County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedRosebud County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedSanders County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedSheridan County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedSilver Bow County Justice Court (Butte-Silver Bow)
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedStillwater County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedSweet Grass County Justice/City Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedTeton County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedToole County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedTreasure County courts
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedValley County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedWheatland County Justice Court
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedWibaux County courts
We haven't verified this county's fee from an official source yet. Call the clerk before you go. Verified Montana courts charge between $20 and $50.
Court, contact and what's includedFees across Montana
Lowest small claims filing fee in each county. Darker costs more.
Largest counties
| County | Filing fee |
|---|---|
| YellowstoneYellowstone County Justice Court | $30 |
| GallatinGallatin County Justice Court of Record | $30 |
| MissoulaMissoula County Justice Court | $50 |
| FlatheadFlathead County Justice Court | $30 |
| Cascade | Not verified |
| Lewis and ClarkLewis and Clark County Justice Court | $30 |
| RavalliRavalli County Justice Court | $30 |
| Silver BowSilver Bow County Justice Court | Not verified |
| LakeLake County Justice Court | Not verified |
Before you file
Montana's 8-year statute of limitations on written contracts is one of the longest.
Many courts charge extra for each added defendant or for certified-mail service. Your county's result above lists what applies.
If you can't afford the fee, ask the clerk how to file without paying up front. The court decides. Montana fee waiver guide
Estimate your fee by claim amount
Small Claims Filing Fee Calculator
Enter your state and claim amount to see the official court filing fee.
Fees in this state depend on the county where you file.
Each court in this county sets its own small claims fee.
Montana small claims fees by county
In Montana the fee depends on where you file. 21 of 56 counties show a fee verified on an official page; the rest show the verified range and the clerk to contact.
- Beaverhead County $30
- Big Horn County $30
- Blaine County Not yet verified
- Broadwater County Not yet verified
- Carbon County $30
- Carter County Not yet verified
- Cascade County Not yet verified
- Chouteau County $30
- Custer County Not yet verified
- Daniels County Not yet verified
- Dawson County $30
- Deer Lodge County $30
- Fallon County Not yet verified
- Fergus County $20
- Flathead County $30
- Gallatin County $30
- Garfield County Not yet verified
- Glacier County Not yet verified
- Golden Valley County Not yet verified
- Granite County Not yet verified
- Hill County $30
- Jefferson County Not yet verified
- Judith Basin County Not yet verified
- Lake County Not yet verified
- Lewis and Clark County $30
- Liberty County $30
- Lincoln County Not yet verified
- Madison County $30
- McCone County Not yet verified
- Meagher County Not yet verified
- Mineral County $30
- Missoula County $50
- Musselshell County Not yet verified
- Park County $30
- Petroleum County Not yet verified
- Phillips County Not yet verified
- Pondera County $30
- Powder River County Not yet verified
- Powell County $30
- Prairie County Not yet verified
- Ravalli County $30
- Richland County $30
- Roosevelt County Not yet verified
- Rosebud County Not yet verified
- Sanders County Not yet verified
- Sheridan County Not yet verified
- Silver Bow County Not yet verified
- Stillwater County Not yet verified
- Sweet Grass County Not yet verified
- Teton County Not yet verified
- Toole County Not yet verified
- Treasure County Not yet verified
- Valley County Not yet verified
- Wheatland County Not yet verified
- Wibaux County Not yet verified
- Yellowstone County $30
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Montana Small Claims Filing Fees Explained
To file a small claims case in the Justice Court, you must pay a filing fee at the time you submit your paperwork. In Montana, filing fees are $20–$50 depending on the amount of your claim.
Tip
Montana's 8-year statute of limitations on written contracts is one of the longest.You can recover the filing fee
If you win your case, ask the judge to add the filing fee to your judgment. The defendant would then owe you the original claim plus court costs.Fee waiver available
Can't afford the fee? Ask the court clerk for an In Forma Pauperis (IFP) application. Montana courts generally waive fees for low-income filers — bring proof of income.Source: Montana official court website ↗
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Frequently Asked Questions: Montana
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Also See for Montana
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