Iowa small claims
How to fill out Iowa's Original Notice and Petition for a Money Judgment (Form 3.1)
Official form: Form 3.1 — Original Notice and Petition for a Money Judgment · Walkthrough written against Small Claims Form 3.1 (Iowa court rules chapter 3 form; no revision date printed on the form)
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 3.1 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
Small Claims Form 3.1 — the "Original Notice and Petition for a Money Judgment" — is the statewide form that starts a small claims money case in the Iowa District Court. It is a combined document: the petition stating your demand and the original notice telling the defendant what happens next are the same piece of paper.
Iowa small claims handles money demands up to $6,500 — a limit printed inside the form itself, in the parenthetical that caps the basis-for-demand statement ("not to exceed $6500"). The demand is for the amount plus court costs; judgment may also include interest.
Iowa small claims is electronic. Filing runs through EDMS, the Iowa Judicial Branch Electronic Document Management System, unless the court grants an exemption — and the form is built around that: its numbered paragraphs tell the defendant to e-file the Appearance and Answer within 20 days, explain that hearing notice arrives electronically, and note that upon electronic filing a clerk's signature page is attached to the document as page 3.
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
"In the Iowa District Court for ___ County"
The county where you are filing. Iowa has one district court per county; the small claims docket sits within it.
Plaintiff(s) — name and address blocks (two) / Defendant(s) — name and address blocks (two)
Name-and-address blocks for up to two plaintiffs and two defendants. The defendant's address is where the original notice is served. A boxed note beside the caption gives disability-accommodation contacts (the disability coordinator and Relay Iowa TTY).
The notice paragraphs — "To Defendant(s)"
Six numbered paragraphs make up the body. Only paragraph 1 has blanks for you to complete; the rest are the pre-printed notice the defendant reads.
1. "You are notified that Plaintiff(s) demand(s) from you the amount of $___ plus court costs based on (state briefly the basis for the demand, not to exceed $6500):"
The two things you supply: the dollar amount demanded and a brief statement of why. The form's own parenthetical caps the demand at $6,500 and asks for brevity.
2–6. Pre-printed notice to the defendant
The remaining paragraphs tell the defendant: judgment may be entered unless an Appearance and Answer is filed within 20 days of service (and may include the amount requested plus interest and court costs); the Appearance and Answer must be filed electronically through EDMS unless the court grants an exemption; a defendant who denies the claim receives electronic notice of the hearing's place and time; EDMS serves the filing on the plaintiff (with mailing required only if a party is exempt); and any address change must be reported to the clerk's office.
Signature page
/s/ Filing Plaintiff or Attorney — with law firm or entity, mailing address, telephone number, email address, and additional email
The plaintiff's (or attorney's) signature block, using the electronic /s/ signature convention, plus full contact information. The "law firm, or entity for which filing is made" line covers business plaintiffs.
/s/ Second Plaintiff, if applicable — same block
An identical block for a second plaintiff. The page footer notes that upon electronic filing, a clerk's signature page is attached to the document as page 3 — the clerk's part, not yours.
Common reasons clerks reject this form
Clerks bounce filings for mechanical, fixable reasons. These are the patterns that come up with this particular form:
- ⚠Demanding more than $6,500 — the cap is printed in the form's own paragraph 1; larger claims belong on the district court's regular civil docket.
- ⚠Filing on paper without an exemption — Iowa small claims filing runs through EDMS, and the form's own paragraphs assume electronic filing and service.
- ⚠Leaving the basis-for-demand section blank — the form asks for a brief statement of the basis for the claim, which is what the defendant answers to.
- ⚠Missing or incomplete signature blocks — the /s/ signature, mailing address, phone, and email lines are how EDMS and the parties reach you.
- ⚠An incomplete defendant address — service of the original notice depends on it.
- ⚠Filing in the wrong county — the county in the caption controls where the case is heard.
What filing costs, and where it happens
Iowa's small claims filing fee is $95, per the Iowa Judicial Branch's small claims page, with service costs additional if the petition is served by sheriff or process server rather than accepted electronically. The same page notes that a small claims case dismissed without prejudice can be refiled only on payment of another $95 fee. Fee amounts change — verify the current figure with the clerk of court or on iowacourts.gov before filing.
You file electronically through EDMS (efile — iowacourts.state.ia.us/EFile) in the county with proper venue, unless the court has granted you an exemption from electronic filing. After filing, the defendant is served with the original notice and has 20 days to file an Appearance and Answer; if the claim is denied, both parties receive electronic notice of the hearing's place and time.
Published fees and court locations for your county are in our Iowa 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 Form 3.1?
From the Iowa Judicial Branch website (iowacourts.gov) — the official form is free and linked on this page. Because Iowa small claims is e-filed, the form's content is entered through EDMS; the blank form shows what the filing asks for.
Do I have to e-file?
Yes, unless the court grants an exemption from the electronic filing requirements — the form's own paragraphs describe EDMS as the default for filing, service, and hearing notices.
How much can I sue for in Iowa small claims?
Up to $6,500, not counting the interest and court costs the judgment may add — the cap is printed in the form's paragraph 1.
Does the form need to be notarized?
No. It is signed with the /s/ electronic-signature convention (or a signature on paper for exempt filers); there is no oath or notary block.
What happens after I file?
The defendant is served and has 20 days to file an Appearance and Answer through EDMS. If the defendant denies the claim, both sides get electronic notice of the hearing. Per the Iowa Judicial Branch's small claims page, if the defendant does not appear a default may follow; if the plaintiff does not appear but the defendant does, the claim is dismissed with prejudice — meaning it cannot be refiled.
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.