Washington small claims
How to fill out Washington's Notice of Small Claim (MISC 05.0100)
Official form: MISC 05.0100 — Notice of Small Claim · Walkthrough written against MISC 05.0100 (01/2025)
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Get the official MISC 05.0100 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 Notice of Small Claim — pattern form MISC 05.0100 — starts a small claims case in the small claims department of a Washington district court. It is a mandatory statewide pattern form under chapter 12.40 RCW (the statute citations are printed in the form's footer), and it does three jobs on three pages: identifies the parties and the amounts, notifies the defendant of the hearing, and carries your Statement of Claim with its sworn certification.
Washington small claims covers money claims up to $10,000 when the plaintiff is a natural person and $5,000 for other plaintiffs, such as businesses and organizations. The form splits the amount into principal and interest lines — with a total — rather than a single figure.
The middle of page 2 — the "You must go to court" box with the hearing date, time, address, and the PRE-TRIAL / TRIAL checkboxes — is completed by the court, not by you. Its pre-printed warnings tell the defendant that non-appearance can mean judgment for the amount claimed plus filing and service costs, and tell the plaintiff that the claim may be dismissed if the plaintiff fails to appear.
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
"District Court of Washington, County of ___"
Which county's district court you are filing in. The small claim number is assigned by the court.
Plaintiff — name, address, city/state/zip, home and work phone
Your identifying and contact information.
Defendant and Defendant 2 — name, address, city/state/zip, phone
Identical blocks for one or two defendants — names, addresses, and phone numbers. These addresses drive service of the notice.
Notice to the Defendant — the amounts
"The Plaintiff claims you owe: $___ in principal; and $___ in interest; totaling $___"
The claim split into principal and interest with a total — the same three figures reappear in your Statement of Claim on the next page, so they need to match.
The hearing box (court-completed)
Date, time, court address, room or department, docket or judge name, and the PRE-TRIAL / TRIAL checkboxes — all completed by the court when the hearing is set. The box's pre-printed text directs both sides to bring all papers, contracts, and proof, and any witnesses; it also says parties must notify the court immediately in writing if the claim settles before the hearing date. The clerk signs this section.
Statement of Claim
"I, (Name) ___, declare that the defendant named above owes me the sum of $___ in principal and $___ in interest, which was due and owing on (Date) ___."
Your declaration of the amounts and the date the money became due — the fill-in-the-blanks sentence that is the legal heart of the form.
"The amount owed is for:" — reason checkboxes
The form lists the common claim types as checkboxes, quoted from the form: Faulty Workmanship; Merchandise; Auto Damage - Accident Date; Wages; Loan; Return of Deposit; Rent; Property Damage; and Other. Lined space follows under "Explain reason for claim."
Military service and certification
Military Service checkboxes
Three options: naming the defendants who are in the military service and covered by the Servicemember Civil Relief Act; stating that no defendant is covered, with a line for "The facts supporting this claim"; or stating you do not know. Federal law limits default judgments against active-duty servicemembers, and this section is how the court screens for it.
Certification and signature
Pre-printed text: "I certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington that all the information provided in this petition and any attachments is true and correct." You fill in where it was signed (city and state), the date, your signature, and your printed name. Washington's penalty-of-perjury certification replaces notarization — no notary is involved.
Common reasons clerks reject this form
Clerks bounce filings for mechanical, fixable reasons. These are the patterns that come up with this particular form:
- ⚠Writing in the hearing box — the date, time, place, and PRE-TRIAL/TRIAL designation are for the court to complete when the hearing is set.
- ⚠Mismatched numbers — the principal, interest, and total appear twice (in the notice to the defendant and in the Statement of Claim), and the figures have to agree.
- ⚠An entity plaintiff claiming over $5,000 — the $10,000 limit applies to natural persons; businesses and organizations cap at $5,000.
- ⚠Skipping the military service section, or checking "no defendant is covered" without the supporting facts the form asks for — an incomplete section stalls any later default judgment.
- ⚠No reason checkbox checked and no explanation — the checkbox plus the "Explain reason for claim" lines are the form's whole description of the case.
- ⚠Filing on an altered or outdated version — MISC 05.0100 is a mandatory pattern form, and the current revision is dated January 2025.
What filing costs, and where it happens
Washington's small claims filing fee is set by RCW 12.40.020: $35, plus any dispute-resolution-center surcharge a county has adopted under RCW 7.75.035 — so the total at the counter varies by county (commonly up to about $50). Service of the notice on the defendant costs extra, by sheriff, process server, or the mail methods district courts allow. The district court clerk for your county quotes the exact total; verify before filing.
You file with the district court in the proper county — generally where the defendant resides. The clerk assigns the small claim number, the court completes the hearing box, and the defendant must be served with the notice before the hearing. Both parties then appear on the date in the box: the form's own warnings say judgment can be entered against a defendant who fails to appear, and the claim may be dismissed if the plaintiff fails to appear.
Published fees and court locations for your county are in our Washington 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 Washington's Notice of Small Claim?
From courts.wa.gov — the statewide pattern form (MISC 05.0100) is a free PDF, linked on this page. District court clerk offices also provide it, and some counties add local instruction sheets.
How much can I sue for in Washington small claims?
Up to $10,000 if you are suing as an individual (a natural person), and up to $5,000 for businesses and other entities.
Does the form need to be notarized?
No — Washington uses a certification under penalty of perjury under state law instead. You sign the Statement of Claim, noting the city and state where you signed, and that signature carries legal consequences without a notary.
What does filing cost?
$35 by statute, plus a county dispute-resolution surcharge where one has been adopted, plus service costs — so totals vary by county. The clerk's office quotes the exact amount; verify before filing.
What happens after I file?
The court assigns a case number and fills in the hearing box — some courts set a pre-trial first, others go straight to trial, which is what the form's PRE-TRIAL/TRIAL checkboxes are for. The defendant is served with the notice, and both sides appear on the hearing date with their papers, proof, and witnesses.
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.