Kentucky small claims
How to fill out Kentucky's AOC-175 (Small Claims Complaint)
Official form: AOC-175 — Small Claims Complaint · Walkthrough written against AOC-175, Rev. 4-26
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 AOC-175 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 AOC-175 — "Small Claims Complaint" — starts a case in the Small Claims Division of Kentucky District Court. It is one statewide form (KRS 24A.230, 24A.260) filed with the district court clerk in the proper county.
Kentucky's small claims limit is $2,500, not counting interest and court costs — the form itself warns that a claim over $2,500 in damages cannot be heard in the Small Claims Division and must be filed in the District Court's Civil Division instead. The form also notes that a plaintiff who wants a jury trial files in the Civil Division, because small claims has none.
Two Kentucky-specific features are printed on the form: only the complaint itself is served on the defendant (attachments will not be served — so the claim description has to stand on its own), and page 2 carries a sworn Small Claims Affidavit certifying you haven't exceeded Kentucky's cap of 25 small-claims filings per calendar year.
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
Case No. / Court / County / Division
The case number is the clerk's; the county identifies where you're filing (on the fillable PDF it's a dropdown of all 120 Kentucky counties). Venue generally follows where the defendant resides or where the transaction took place.
The parties
Plaintiff — Company / Individual checkbox, name, address, email, phone
Who is suing. The checkbox distinguishes a business plaintiff from an individual (for an individual, the form asks for first, middle, and last names). Address, email, and phone lines follow.
Plaintiff's Attorney (if any) — Firm / Individual, name, address, email, phone
Completed only when an attorney files; self-represented plaintiffs leave it blank.
Defendant — Company / Individual checkbox, name, address, email, phone
The person or business being sued, with the same identification block. The address given here is where service goes.
The claim — items 1–3
1. "Plaintiff claims Defendant:"
Eighteen lines to describe, in your own words, what the defendant did and why they owe you money. Because Kentucky serves only the complaint — the form's note says attachments WILL NOT be served — this description is everything the defendant sees about the claim before the hearing.
2. "Plaintiff claims $___ (does not include interest) in damages"
The amount, excluding interest. The form's parenthetical warns that a claim over $2,500 can't be heard in the Small Claims Division and belongs in the Civil Division of District Court.
3. Costs and interest
Pre-printed text claiming court costs and interest on the damages, to be added to any judgment in the plaintiff's favor — you don't add them into item 2's number.
Date and Plaintiff's or Attorney's signature
You date and sign the complaint itself.
Page 2 — the Small Claims Affidavit
Sworn filing-limit affidavit
Kentucky caps small-claims use: no party may file more than 25 complaints per calendar year in the Small Claims Division of any district court (businesses get up to 25 per established location engaged in trade or commerce at least six months; the limit doesn't apply to governments). The affidavit — "I swear and affirm I have not filed more than the maximum number of complaints allowed by KRS 24A.250" — is signed and sworn before a notary or deputy clerk, who completes the subscribed-and-sworn block with the date, county, and their commission details.
Common reasons clerks reject this form
Clerks bounce filings for mechanical, fixable reasons. These are the patterns that come up with this particular form:
- ⚠Relying on attachments to explain the claim — Kentucky serves only the complaint; a claim description that says "see attached" reaches the defendant as a blank.
- ⚠Claiming more than $2,500 in damages — the form's own warning routes larger claims to the Civil Division; the clerk can't docket them as small claims.
- ⚠Including interest in the item 2 amount — the form says the damages figure does not include interest (item 3 claims interest and costs separately).
- ⚠Skipping the page-2 affidavit or leaving it un-notarized — the sworn filing-limit affidavit is part of the form, and an unsworn one is incomplete.
- ⚠Suing a business without checking the Company box or naming its legal entity — the checkbox and correct name drive service and enforceability.
- ⚠Filing in the wrong county — the county in the caption controls where the case is heard, and venue follows the defendant.
What filing costs, and where it happens
Kentucky small claims filing costs are modest — commonly around $45–$60 with court costs and service, varying by county and service method. The district court clerk collects the fee and can quote the exact amount for your county; verify before filing.
You file with the district court clerk's office in the proper county — in person is the norm, which also solves the affidavit's notarization (the deputy clerk can administer the oath at the counter). After filing, the clerk arranges service of the complaint, and the court sets the hearing.
Published fees and court locations for your county are in our Kentucky 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 AOC-175?
From kycourts.gov — the official fillable PDF (currently rev. 4-26) is free and linked on this page. District court clerk offices also provide it.
How much can I sue for in Kentucky small claims?
Up to $2,500 in damages, not counting interest and court costs — one of the lowest limits in the country, and printed on the form itself. Larger claims go to the District Court's Civil Division.
Does the AOC-175 need to be notarized?
The complaint itself is signed, and the Small Claims Affidavit on page 2 is sworn — signed before a notary public or a deputy clerk. Filing in person lets the clerk's office take the oath.
Why can't I attach documents for the defendant?
You can attach them for the court — but Kentucky's form warns that only the complaint form is served on the defendant, so attachments won't reach them with the summons. Originals and copies of your evidence come to the hearing itself.
What is the 25-filing limit?
KRS 24A.250 caps any party at 25 small-claims complaints per calendar year (per established business location for businesses in trade or commerce at least six months; governments are exempt). The sworn affidavit on page 2 certifies you're within it.
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.