Arizona small claims
How to fill out an Arizona Small Claims Complaint (justice court)
Official form: Small Claims Complaint (Summons & Complaint packet) · Walkthrough written against SC 8150-300, R: 1/1/20 (as printed on the Maricopa County form)
In Arizona, this form is issued per county or court
There is no single statewide version — each county's (or court's) clerk issues its own, and courts generally expect their own version. The walkthrough below uses the Maricopa County Justice Courts' Small Claims Complaint (SC 8150-300) because the forms ask for largely the same information, but your court's layout and requirements can differ. Look up your courthouse to find the operative version — the clerk's office has it.
Download the official form — free, from the court
The only authoritative copy of this form is the court's own. Courts re-issue forms, so downloading a fresh copy right before filing beats reusing a saved one. We link the official source and never host court forms ourselves.
Get the official form from the court's site →Link verified 2026-07-04. If it has moved, the court's forms index and clerk's office will have the current version — verify with the court before filing.
What this form is
Arizona hears small claims in the Small Claims Division of its justice courts, which are organized by precinct and administered county by county. The Arizona Supreme Court's Administrative Office of the Courts posts statewide self-service small claims forms, but some justice courts — Maricopa County's among them — publish their own complaint packets, so the exact sheet you file depends on which justice court has your case.
Whatever the county, the initiating document is a Small Claims Complaint filed under the Arizona Rules of Small Claims Procedure: it identifies the plaintiff and each defendant with addresses, states why that justice precinct has venue, gives the total amount claimed, and explains in a few lines why the defendant owes it. Arizona small claims cases are decided by a hearing officer or justice of the peace — the AOC's Self-Service Center describes the division as handling claims for damages of less than $5,000, and the justice court clerk can confirm the current ceiling for your filing.
The walkthrough below uses the Maricopa County Justice Courts' Small Claims Complaint (form SC 8150-300, revised 1/1/20) as a representative example. Your justice court's version may look different — the clerk of the precinct where you file has the operative form, and the AOC's Self-Service Center forms are the statewide fallback.
The form, field by field
What each part of the form asks for, in the form's own order. These are descriptions of the questions — what to answer depends on facts only you know, and the court clerk or the form's own instructions are the authoritative sources.
The caption — court and parties
Court selection ("Please select court from the drop down list")
The Maricopa form opens with a dropdown of the county's justice courts — the precinct where the case will be heard. The case number box beside it is completed by the court, not by you.
Plaintiff(s) Name / Address / Email / Phone
Your identifying and contact information as the person or business suing.
Defendant(s) Name / Address / Email / Phone — with 2nd and 3rd Named Defendant lines
The same block for the party being sued, with separate lines for a second and third named defendant if the claim runs against more than one.
The no-appeal warning
Pre-printed WARNING text
The form states in capitals: "THERE ARE NO APPEALS IN SMALL CLAIMS CASES." It goes on to explain that a party who wishes to preserve the right to appeal may have the case transferred to the Civil Division of the same court, allowing at least 10 business days before the scheduled hearing, and cites ARS 22-504 and ARSCP 11(a). This is notice text, not something you fill in — but it is part of what filing in small claims means in Arizona.
Venue — why this precinct
"This court has venue over this matter because:" checkboxes
Two options: "Defendant resides in this precinct," or "The debt, transaction or incident that resulted in this claim occurred in this precinct at the following location (ARS 22-202)," with a line for the location. One applicable box is checked — Arizona venue for small claims runs by justice precinct, not just by county.
The claim — amount and reason
"$___ is the total amount owed me by defendant because (please attach additional page(s) if more room is needed):"
The dollar amount claimed and, on the ruled lines that follow, the explanation of why the defendant owes it. The form's own parenthetical invites additional pages if the lines are not enough.
"To the best of my knowledge and belief:" — date and plaintiff signature
The statement you sign and date. The signature line is labeled "Plaintiff (signature)."
Interpreter and organization notices
Interpreter services checkbox
A checkbox reading "Yes, I need interpreter services. Language: ___" — the form asks filers to inform court staff if interpreter services are required.
Organization-representative notice
Pre-printed text: "If you are representing a partnership, association or any other organization, provide the court with a notice stating your position and authority to represent this action." Business filers add that notice as a separate document.
Common reasons clerks reject this form
Clerks bounce filings for mechanical, fixable reasons. These are the patterns that come up with this particular form:
- ⚠Filing another justice court's packet — Arizona justice courts are county-administered, and courts that publish their own complaint (like Maricopa's SC 8150-300) expect their own version; the clerk of your precinct has the operative form.
- ⚠Filing in the wrong precinct — the venue checkboxes on the form track ARS 22-202: the defendant's precinct of residence, or the precinct where the debt, transaction, or incident occurred.
- ⚠Leaving both venue boxes blank — the form asks why this court has venue, and an unchecked venue section leaves the question unanswered.
- ⚠Missing the transfer window when appeal rights matter — the form's warning says a transfer to the Civil Division takes a request at least 10 business days before the scheduled hearing; after that, the no-appeal rule of the Small Claims Division applies.
- ⚠Skipping the organization notice — a filer representing a partnership, association, or other organization owes the court a separate notice of position and authority, per the form's own text.
- ⚠Running the reason for the claim past the ruled lines without attaching the additional pages the form invites.
What filing costs, and where it happens
Arizona justice court filing fees are set by statute with county-level surcharges, so the exact small claims filing fee varies by court. Fee deferrals and waivers exist for filers who qualify (the AOC's Self-Service Center has the forms). The clerk of the justice court where you file quotes the exact amount — verify before filing.
You file with the clerk of the justice court for the correct precinct — the one where the defendant resides or where the events happened. After filing, the defendant is served and the court sets the hearing before a hearing officer or justice of the peace. Attorneys may appear in an Arizona small claims case only if both parties agree.
Published fees and court locations for your county are in our Arizona small claims guide and the court directory. Fees change — verify the current amount with the clerk before filing.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the form for my county?
Maybe — the walkthrough above uses Maricopa County's version as a representative example. The AOC posts statewide self-service small claims forms, but justice courts are county-administered and some publish their own packets. The clerk of the justice court where you file has the operative version, and the courts lookup on this site can point you to the right court.
How much can I sue for in Arizona small claims?
The AOC's Self-Service Center describes small claims as claims for damages of less than $5,000, decided by a hearing officer or justice of the peace. The limit is set by statute (A.R.S. Title 22, Chapter 5), and the justice court clerk can confirm the ceiling that applies when you file. Larger claims go to the justice court's civil division or superior court.
Can I appeal a small claims decision in Arizona?
No — the form itself warns "THERE ARE NO APPEALS IN SMALL CLAIMS CASES." A party who wants to preserve appeal rights may ask to transfer the case to the court's Civil Division, at least 10 business days before the scheduled hearing (ARS 22-504).
Can a lawyer represent me at the hearing?
Only if both parties agree to the use of attorneys — that is how the AOC describes Arizona's small claims division. Consulting a lawyer before filing is an option regardless; the restriction is about representation at the hearing itself.
Where do I get the complaint form?
From your justice court's clerk or website, or from the AOC Self-Service Center forms page (linked on this page) for the statewide version. The form itself is free.
Related guides
Form link verified: 2026-07-04. Reviewed against our Editorial Standards.
This is general information to help you understand the form — not legal advice, and not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney about your specific situation. Courts revise forms, fees, and procedures; the court's own instructions and your court clerk are the authoritative sources. Always verify with the court before filing.