North Carolina small claims
How to fill out North Carolina's Complaint for Money Owed (AOC-CVM-200)
Official form: AOC-CVM-200 — Complaint for Money Owed (with Magistrate Summons) · Walkthrough written against AOC-CVM-200, Rev. 9/13
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-CVM-200 from the court's site →Link verified 2026-07-01. 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-CVM-200 — "Complaint for Money Owed" — is the statewide form that starts a small claims money case in North Carolina. Small claims are heard by a magistrate in the District Court division; you file the complaint with the Clerk of Superior Court in the proper county, and it travels with a Magistrate Summons (AOC-CVM-100) that the clerk issues.
North Carolina small claims covers up to $10,000 — with a wrinkle the form's own instructions flag: the chief district court judge of each judicial district can set the local limit anywhere between $5,000 and $10,000, so the ceiling in your county may be lower than the statewide maximum.
It is a single-page form (instructions on the back), built around one sentence — "The defendant owes me the amount listed for the following reason" — with checkboxes for the common types of money claims.
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 form's instructions state the plaintiff files in the county where at least one defendant resides.
Name and Address of Plaintiff (+ county, telephone)
Your identifying and contact information.
Name and Address of Defendant 1 / Defendant 2 — with Individual / Corporation checkboxes
Each defendant's name, address, county, and phone, plus a checkbox identifying the defendant as an individual or a corporation. The instructions on the back are specific: determine whether the business is a corporation and sue the complete corporate name; if it isn't a corporation, determine the owner's name and sue the owner. If two defendants live at different addresses, both addresses are required for service.
Name and Address of Plaintiff's Attorney
Completed only when an attorney files for the plaintiff; most small-claims plaintiffs leave it blank and sign for themselves.
The claim — items 1 and 2
1. "The defendant is a resident of the county named above."
A pre-printed venue allegation — it's part of what you sign to, and it's why the case files in the defendant's county.
2. Reason checkboxes
The form lists the common bases for a money claim, one of which is checked: On an Account (attach a copy of the account); For Goods Sold and Delivered Between [dates]; For Money Lent; On a Promissory Note (attach copy); For a Worthless Check (attach a copy of the check); For conversion (describe property); or Other (specify) with space to describe the claim in your own words.
Principal Amount Owed / Interest Owed (if any) / Total Amount Owed
Three dollar lines splitting the claim into principal and interest. Beside them, the form asks for the interest details matching the claim type — the date from which interest is due and the rate (with beginning/ending dates for goods-sold claims, and the date of note for promissory-note claims).
"I demand to recover the total amount listed above, plus interest and reimbursement for court costs."
Pre-printed demand language above the signature line — the form asks for costs by default, so they are not added into the amount lines.
Date and signature
Date, name of plaintiff or attorney (type or print), signature
You date, print, and sign. No notarization is required on this form — unlike some states' small-claims affidavits, the AOC-CVM-200 is a signed complaint, not a sworn affidavit.
Common reasons clerks reject this form
Clerks bounce filings for mechanical, fixable reasons. These are the patterns that come up with this particular form:
- ⚠Suing a business under its trade name — the back-page instructions require the complete corporate name for corporations, or the owner's name for unincorporated businesses; service and enforcement both depend on the right name.
- ⚠Filing in a county where no defendant resides — instruction #1 on the form makes defendant's-county venue the rule.
- ⚠Skipping the required attachment for the checked claim type — an account claim attaches the account, a promissory-note claim attaches the note, a worthless-check claim attaches the check.
- ⚠Claiming over the local limit — the statewide ceiling is $10,000, but the form warns the amount may be set lower (between $5,000 and $10,000) by local judicial order.
- ⚠Leaving the Individual/Corporation checkbox blank for a defendant — it drives how the summons is served.
- ⚠Forgetting that the complaint needs the companion Magistrate Summons (AOC-CVM-100) and advance court costs at filing — the clerk needs all of it to issue the case.
What filing costs, and where it happens
North Carolina small claims filing costs $96 in court costs, paid to the Clerk of Superior Court when you file, plus service costs ($30 per defendant for sheriff service, or certified-mail costs if you serve that way — the form's instructions describe both routes, including the sworn statement of service certified mail requires). If judgment is entered for the plaintiff, court costs may be charged against the defendant.
You file in person or by mail with the Clerk of Superior Court in the defendant's county. The magistrate hears the case — the form's instructions note the plaintiff must appear at trial whether or not the defendant files an answer.
Published fees and court locations for your county are in our North Carolina 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-CVM-200?
From nccourts.gov — the official fillable PDF is free (linked on this page). Clerk of Superior Court offices also provide copies.
How much can I sue for in North Carolina small claims?
Up to $10,000 statewide — but the form's own instructions note the chief district court judge can set a lower limit (anywhere from $5,000) for a judicial district, so the clerk's office for your county is the authoritative source on the local ceiling.
Does the form need to be notarized?
No. The AOC-CVM-200 is a signed complaint. (Serving by certified mail does require a separate sworn statement proving service later, with the postal receipt attached.)
What does filing cost?
$96 in advance court costs plus service — $30 per defendant for sheriff service. Amounts change; verify the current figures with the clerk before filing.
What happens after I file?
The clerk issues a Magistrate Summons, the defendant is served, and the case is set for trial before a magistrate — typically within about 30 days of filing. The defendant may file a written answer, but the form notes that answering does not replace appearing, and the plaintiff must appear either way.
Related guides
Form link verified: 2026-07-01. 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.