Indiana small claims
How to fill out an Indiana Notice of Claim (small claims)
Official form: Notice of Claim (county-issued; serves as complaint + summons) · Walkthrough written against Ver. Dec-21 (as printed on the Shelby Superior Court 2 form)
In Indiana, 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 Shelby Superior Court 2's Notice of Claim, Summons to Appear, and Notice of Trial 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
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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
Indiana hears small claims on the small claims docket of its trial courts (and in Marion County's township small claims courts), and the initiating document — the Notice of Claim — is issued county by county: each clerk or court publishes its own version rather than a single mandatory statewide form. The statewide limit is $10,000 ($8,000 in the Marion and Allen County township courts, per the courts' Small Claims Manual).
Whatever the county, the Notice of Claim does triple duty — its full title on the representative form is "NOTICE of CLAIM, SUMMONS to APPEAR, and NOTICE OF TRIAL." It identifies the parties with addresses, states the dollar amount claimed plus court costs, marks the type of claim, gives a brief statement of its nature, and carries the trial date the court sets — all on one sheet that is served on the defendant.
The walkthrough below uses Shelby Superior Court 2's Notice of Claim (Ver. Dec-21) as a representative example. Your county's version may differ; the clerk of the court where you file has the operative form, and Indiana's official Small Claims Manual (in.gov/courts) explains the process statewide.
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 and party blocks
Court caption and cause number
The representative form is pre-printed "STATE OF INDIANA / COUNTY OF SHELBY — SHELBY SUPERIOR COURT II," with a cause number line beginning "73D02-" that the clerk completes. On your county's version, the caption is that court's.
Plaintiff — name, address, city state zip, telephone, email
Your identifying and contact information.
Defendant (et al) — name, address, city state zip, telephone, email
The defendant's identifying and contact information — the address is where service goes.
The claim — amount, type, and brief statement
"Plaintiff's Claim is for $___ dollars plus court costs $___ for:"
Two dollar blanks — the amount claimed and court costs — followed by the claim-type checkboxes.
Claim-type checkboxes
As printed: Eviction, Back Rent, Goods, Services, Breach of Contract, Damages, Bad Check, Money Loaned, Vehicle Title, and Other with a write-in line.
"A brief statement of the nature of the Plaintiff's claim against you is as follows:"
Three ruled lines for a plain-language description of the claim — the form is addressed to the defendant, so the statement reads as notice of what the suit is about.
Trial setting, signature, and service method
Trial scheduling block
"Trial for the lawsuit is scheduled for ___ at ___ o'clock" with the courthouse address pre-printed, plus the warning that failure to appear in person or by an attorney may lead to a default judgment. The court sets the date.
Date and Plaintiff Signature
You date and sign; a second signature line is labeled for the plaintiff or attorney (with bar number if an attorney), and lines follow for attorney contact information when one is involved.
Manner of Service checkboxes (per Indiana Trial Rule 4 et seq.)
Three options as printed: "Certified or Registered Mail by Plaintiff"; "Service by Sheriff of ___ County ($28 fee)"; and "Service by Plaintiff or Plaintiff's Agent." One is checked — and the reverse-side instructions add that unless the sheriff serves, the plaintiff files a return of service with the court after attempting service on each defendant.
The reverse — "Important Information Concerning This Claim"
Seventeen numbered instructions
The back page is the court's own rulebook for the case. Among its points: proper service on each defendant is required for the court to have jurisdiction (item 1); a claim is filed in the county where the transaction or occurrence took place, where the obligation was incurred, or where the defendant resides or is employed (item 7); court costs are paid in advance, and the court may order the defendant to reimburse them (item 8); the court cannot award more than $10,000 in a small claims action (item 9); the plaintiff waives jury trial by filing, while the defendant may demand one in writing within 10 days of service with the affidavit Indiana Code 33-29-2-7 requires (item 5); counterclaims must reach the plaintiff at least 7 calendar days before trial (item 6); and corporate entities need an attorney when the claim exceeds $6,000, or may appoint a full-time employee by certificate of compliance under Small Claims Rule 8(C) below that amount (items 2–3).
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 county's Notice of Claim — each Indiana county issues its own version with its own caption, courthouse address, and local instructions, and the clerk expects the local form.
- ⚠Filing in the wrong county — the form's own instructions place the claim where the transaction or occurrence took place, where the obligation was incurred, or where the defendant resides or is employed.
- ⚠Claiming more than the limit — the representative form states the court cannot award more than $10,000 in a small claims action (and the township courts in Marion and Allen counties have an $8,000 cap).
- ⚠Not completing service correctly — the form requires a service-method checkbox, and unless the sheriff serves, the plaintiff files a return of service; the instructions warn the court cannot proceed without proper service.
- ⚠A business filing without the required representation — per the form's instructions, corporate entities (including LLCs and trusts) need an attorney when the claim exceeds $6,000, and below that a designated full-time employee needs a certificate of compliance on file.
- ⚠Leaving the brief-statement lines empty or vague — the statement is the defendant's formal notice of what the claim is about.
What filing costs, and where it happens
Indiana small claims filing costs are paid in advance — the representative form says so in its own instructions — and the total varies by county and by service method (the Shelby form prints a $28 fee for sheriff service). The clerk of the court where you file quotes the exact amount — verify before filing. The court may order the defendant to reimburse the plaintiff's court costs.
You file with the clerk of the court that runs the small claims docket in the proper county. The court sets the trial date on the form itself, the defendant is served by the method you marked, and both parties appear on the trial date — the form's instructions note the court conducts a contested trial on the first setting, so both sides arrive prepared. Indiana's Small Claims Manual (in.gov/courts) covers the statewide rules.
Published fees and court locations for your county are in our Indiana 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?
The walkthrough above uses Shelby Superior Court 2's Notice of Claim as a representative example. Indiana has no universal statewide Notice of Claim — each county's clerk or court issues its own. The clerk where you file has the operative version, and the courts lookup on this site can point you to your county's court.
How much can I sue for in Indiana small claims?
Up to $10,000 — the representative form's instructions state the court cannot award more than that in a small claims action. In the Marion County and Allen County township small claims courts, the limit is $8,000.
Who serves the Notice of Claim?
The form offers three methods under Indiana Trial Rule 4: certified or registered mail by the plaintiff, service by the county sheriff (the representative form lists a $28 fee), or service by the plaintiff or plaintiff's agent. Unless the sheriff serves, the plaintiff files a return of service afterward — the court cannot proceed without proper service.
Do I need a lawyer to file?
Individuals can represent themselves in Indiana small claims regardless of the amount — the form's own instructions say so. The rules differ for businesses: corporate entities need an attorney when the claim exceeds $6,000, and below that may designate a full-time employee by filing a certificate of compliance under Small Claims Rule 8(C).
What happens after I file?
The court sets the trial date, which is written on the form itself — the Notice of Claim doubles as the summons and notice of trial. After service, the defendant can appear, demand a jury trial in writing within 10 days (which moves the case off the small claims docket), or counterclaim in time to reach you at least 7 calendar days before trial. A party who fails to appear risks default judgment or dismissal.
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.