Illinois small claims
How to fill out the Illinois Small Claims Complaint
Official form: CS-C 702.1 — Small Claims Complaint (Supreme Court standardized form) · Walkthrough written against CS-C 702.1 (08/20)
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 CS-C 702.1 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 Small Claims Complaint is the Illinois Supreme Court's standardized form for starting a small claims case — the form itself states it "is approved by the Illinois Supreme Court and is required to be accepted in all Illinois Circuit Courts." You file it with the circuit clerk in the proper county for claims of $10,000 or less.
It is a two-page form with five numbered sections, and the left margin of the official PDF carries the court's own instructions for each section. Companion forms exist for overflow: Additional Defendants and Additional Reasons attachments, both referenced by checkboxes on the form.
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 — county and parties
County
The county where you are filing the case. On the fillable PDF this is a dropdown of all 102 Illinois counties.
Plaintiff (First, middle, last name)
Your name, as the person or business suing.
Defendants (First, middle, last name or business name)
The names of all people or businesses you are suing. The case number line stays blank — the form notes the circuit clerk adds it.
Sections 1–2 — Who is suing whom
1. "I, ___, am the Plaintiff."
Your name again, completing the form's sentence.
2. Defendant's name and address
Name, street, unit #, city, state, and ZIP for the first defendant, with an identical block for a second defendant. For more than two, the form has a checkbox: "I have listed additional Defendants on the attached Additional Defendants (Small Claims Complaint) form."
Section 3 — Amount and the written-agreement checkboxes
3. "Defendants owe me $___"
The amount claimed. The form's margin instructions say it must be $10,000 or less and must not include court costs.
Checkboxes 3a / 3b / 3c
The form requires checking exactly one: (a) "I have no written agreement with Defendants"; (b) "I have a written agreement with Defendants and it is attached"; or (c) "I have a written agreement with Defendants but I have not attached it because: ___" with a line for the explanation. The instructions say a written agreement, when it exists, is attached to the complaint as proof — or the reason it can't be is explained.
Section 4 — The demand statement
4. Demand checkbox
A checkbox stating: "I have demanded payment of the amount listed in Section 3 and Defendants have failed to pay in full." The margin instruction says to check it if it applies.
Section 5 — Why the defendant owes the money
5. "Defendants owe me this amount of money because:"
Blank lines (the fillable PDF provides 20 answer fields) for the reasons behind the claim, in your own words. If that's not enough space, the form has a checkbox for the Additional Reasons attachment.
Signature block
Signature, printed name, address, telephone, email
The form's margin notes explain that under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 137, your signature means you have read the document, believe it is true and correct, and are not filing it for an improper purpose. If completing the form on a computer, the form says to sign by typing your name (/s/).
Common reasons clerks reject this form
Clerks bounce filings for mechanical, fixable reasons. These are the patterns that come up with this particular form:
- ⚠Checking none — or more than one — of the 3a/3b/3c written-agreement boxes; the form requires exactly one.
- ⚠Claiming a written agreement exists (3b) without attaching it; the complaint travels with the contract or with the 3c explanation.
- ⚠Filing in the wrong county — Illinois venue rules generally put the case where a defendant resides or where the transaction happened, and the county named in the caption controls where it's heard.
- ⚠Including court costs in the Section 3 amount — the form's instructions exclude them.
- ⚠Leaving the signature block incomplete — Rule 137 attaches legal meaning to that signature, and clerks look for it.
- ⚠Suing a business by its sign-on-the-door name rather than its registered legal name — the form asks for the business name, and service and enforcement both depend on the right one.
What filing costs, and where it happens
Illinois filing fees are set per county within statutory bands and rise with the claim amount — commonly in the $89–$140 range for small claims in Cook County and less in many downstate counties. The circuit clerk of the county in the caption is who collects it; fee waivers (Application for Waiver of Court Fees) are available for those who qualify.
Illinois requires e-filing in civil cases for most filers through the statewide Odyssey eFileIL system, with in-person and paper exemptions for self-represented litigants who can't e-file. After filing, the defendant is served — typically by the sheriff or a licensed private detective — and a summons issued by the clerk accompanies the complaint.
Published fees and court locations for your county are in our Illinois 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 Illinois Small Claims Complaint?
From illinoiscourts.gov — the standardized statewide form is a free PDF (linked on this page). Circuit clerk offices also provide it. Every circuit court in Illinois is required to accept this version.
How much can I sue for in Illinois small claims?
Up to $10,000, not counting court costs — the limit is printed in the form's own instructions.
Do I have to e-file?
Illinois mandates e-filing for most civil filings via eFileIL, but self-represented litigants have exemptions in defined circumstances (no computer access, disability, and similar). The circuit clerk's office can confirm which applies. Verify with your clerk before filing on paper.
What if I'm suing more than two people?
The form covers two defendants and has a checkbox pointing to the official "Additional Defendants (Small Claims Complaint)" attachment for the rest — also free on the courts' site.
What happens after I file?
The clerk assigns a case number, a summons is issued, and each defendant is served. The summons carries the appearance/return date. Service in Illinois small claims typically runs through the county sheriff, with alternatives the clerk can describe.
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.