Idaho small claims
How to fill out Idaho's Claim, CAO SC 1-2 (Small Claims)
Official form: CAO SC 1-2 — Claim (Small Claims) · Walkthrough written against CAO SC 1-2, 07/01/2016
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Get the official CAO SC 1-2 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
The CAO SC 1-2 — titled simply "Claim" — is the statewide form that starts a small claims case in the Small Claims Department of Idaho's district courts (the magistrate division). It travels with companion forms: the CAO SC 1-1 Summons, which the court issues, and the CAO SC 1-2a information sheet for the defendant.
Idaho small claims handles claims up to $5,000 — for money, or for the return of personal property, and the form has a separate fill-in portion for each. It is a two-page form: page 1 carries the caption, a small cost table (claim, filing fee, service fee, another notice, total), and the party rows; page 2 carries the basis for the claim, the property section, the service-by-certified-mail question, and the sworn verification.
The form ends in two layers of signing: a verification that the plaintiff is the true owner of the claim and that venue is proper (the defendant resides in a named Idaho county, or resides outside Idaho and the claim arose in a named county), and a certification under penalty of perjury under Idaho law that the contents are true and correct. There is no notary block — the certification itself does the work.
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 filer header
Full name of party filing document, mailing address, city/state/zip, telephone, email address (if any)
Idaho's standard self-represented-filer header at the top left of page 1 — your identifying and contact information, before the caption begins.
The caption and cost table
Judicial district, county, Small Claims Department, case no.
Which district court you are filing in — Idaho's district courts are organized by numbered judicial district and county. The case number is the clerk's.
Cost column: $ Claim / $ Filing Fee / $ Service Fee / $ Another Notice / $ Total
A small table beside the caption itemizing the claim amount and the fees paid at filing; the clerk's office supplies the current fee figures.
The parties
Plaintiff's name, address, city, state, zip, phone (two rows) / Defendant's name, address, city, state, zip, phone (two rows)
Identification rows for up to two plaintiffs and two defendants. The defendant's address is where the summons and claim are served.
Money judgment portion
The form's own gate: "If you are seeking a judgment for money, fill out this portion."
AMOUNT OF CLAIM (not including filing and service fees)
The dollar amount claimed. The form's parenthetical excludes filing and service fees from this number — they are itemized in the cost table instead.
DATE CLAIM AROSE (month and year)
When the events happened, to the month and year.
BASIS FOR YOUR CLAIM
Lines for describing, in your own words, why the defendant owes the amount claimed.
Personal property portion
Used instead when the claim seeks the return of property: "If you are seeking a judgment for the return of personal property, fill out this portion."
PERSONAL PROPERTY description
Pre-printed text — "I am the owner, or I am entitled to possess, the following personal property, which is being held by the defendant" — followed by space to specifically describe the property.
VALUE OF THE PROPERTY: $
Your statement of what the property is worth.
Service, verification, and certification
"Service of process by certified mail requested: □ Yes □ No"
A checkbox electing certified-mail service rather than personal service; the service fee differs by method.
Verification — ownership and venue
Pre-printed text you sign onto: "BY SIGNING THIS CLAIM, THE PLAINTIFF VERIFIES THAT (1) the Plaintiff is the true owner of the claim, (2) the Defendant resides in ___ County, or the Defendant resides outside Idaho and the claim arose in ___ County, and (3) the information above is true and correct to the Plaintiff's best knowledge." The county blanks are the form's venue statement.
Certification under penalty of perjury — date, typed/printed name, plaintiff's signature
"I certify under penalty of perjury pursuant to the law of the State of Idaho that the foregoing is true and correct." You date, print, and sign — no notary is involved. A Spanish-language note asks parties to alert the court before the hearing if an interpreter is needed.
Common reasons clerks reject this form
Clerks bounce filings for mechanical, fixable reasons. These are the patterns that come up with this particular form:
- ⚠Including filing and service fees in the amount of claim — the form's parenthetical excludes them; they belong in the cost table.
- ⚠Leaving the venue county blanks in the verification empty — the form's own text requires stating the county where the defendant resides (or, for out-of-state defendants, where the claim arose).
- ⚠Claiming more than $5,000 — Idaho's small claims limit; larger claims go to the magistrate division's regular civil track.
- ⚠Signing without completing the certification block — the claim is verified under penalty of perjury, and an unsigned certification leaves it incomplete.
- ⚠Skipping the date the claim arose — the form asks for it to the month and year.
- ⚠Filling out both the money portion and the property portion carelessly — the form gates each portion by what judgment is sought, and the property portion requires a specific description plus a stated value.
What filing costs, and where it happens
Idaho's small claims filing fee is $69, per the court self-help center's fee information, with the service fee separate and dependent on the method — the certified-mail election on the form or personal service. The form's own cost table itemizes claim, filing fee, and service fee at the top of page 1, and the clerk fills in current figures. Amounts change — verify with the clerk of the district court before filing.
You file with the Small Claims Department of the district court in the county the verification names — where the defendant resides, or where the claim arose if the defendant lives outside Idaho. Idaho also offers a Guide & File online interview that assembles small claims forms. After filing, the court issues the CAO SC 1-1 Summons, the defendant is served (with the CAO SC 1-2a information sheet), and the case is set for hearing.
Published fees and court locations for your county are in our Idaho small claims guide and the court directory. Fees change — verify the current amount with the clerk before filing.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I get the CAO SC 1-2?
From the Idaho Court Self-Help Center (courtselfhelp.idaho.gov) — the official fillable PDF is free and linked on this page, alongside the companion summons (CAO SC 1-1) and defendant information sheet (CAO SC 1-2a). Court clerk offices also provide copies, and the Guide & File online tool can assemble the packet.
How much can I sue for in Idaho small claims?
Up to $5,000 — for money, or for the return of personal property worth up to that amount. Larger claims go to the magistrate division's regular civil docket.
Does the form need to be notarized?
No. It ends in a certification under penalty of perjury pursuant to Idaho law — you date, print your name, and sign, with no notary block on the form.
Can I use this form to get property back instead of money?
Yes — the form has a dedicated personal-property portion where you state that you own or are entitled to possess the property, describe it specifically, and give its value. The money portion is used for dollar claims.
What does it cost to file?
$69 to file, plus the service fee for certified mail or personal service — the form's cost table itemizes both. The clerk confirms current amounts; verify before filing.
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.