Wisconsin small claims
How to fill out Wisconsin's SC-500 (Summons and Complaint, Small Claims)
Official form: SC-500 — Summons and Complaint — Small Claims · Walkthrough written against SC-500, 03/26
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 SC-500 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 SC-500 — "Summons and Complaint (Small Claims)" — is the single statewide form that starts a small claims case in Wisconsin circuit court under Chapter 799 of the Wisconsin Statutes. Page 1 is the caption, the case-class checkboxes, and the Summons; page 2 is the Complaint with your demand and the statement of facts. The same form is used in all 72 counties, and the official version is also published in Spanish.
Wisconsin small claims covers money claims of $10,000 or less — with a lower $5,000 ceiling for tort/personal injury claims — plus replevin, evictions, arbitration awards, and return of earnest money, each with its own checkbox and case class code printed on the form.
One line of fine print matters more than most: the form's footer states "This form shall not be modified. It may be supplemented with additional material." Attachments are fine; a rearranged or edited form is not. The current revision is 03/26, and the companion instruction sheet is SC-500I.
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, parties, and case class
County / Plaintiff / Defendant(s)
The county of the circuit court where you are filing, then name (first, middle, last), address, city, state, and zip for each party — with checkboxes pointing to attachments for additional plaintiffs or defendants, and an "Amended" checkbox for refiled versions.
Case class checkboxes with codes
One box identifying the case type, each with its dollar cap and code printed on the form: Claim for money ($10,000 or less) 31001; Tort/Personal injury ($5,000 or less) 31010; Return of property (replevin) 31003; Eviction and related claims 31004; Eviction due to foreclosure 31002; Arbitration award 31006; Return of earnest money 31008.
Interpreter and accommodation lines
A checkbox asking whether one or both parties require an interpreter, with lines for which party and which language and a pointer to the Interpreter Request form (GF-149). A printed note also covers requesting disability accommodations before the court date.
The Summons (page 1, lower half)
When and where to appear or answer
The Summons tells the defendant they are being sued as described in the attached complaint and gives the date, time, and place to appear — and/or the deadline to file a written answer with a copy to the plaintiff, with a circle-one instruction for which applies. It warns that a defendant who does not appear or answer may have judgment entered for what the plaintiff is asking. Counties differ on whether the first date is a hearing or an answer deadline.
Clerk/Attorney signature, date issued, date mailed
The Summons is signed and dated by the clerk (or by an attorney, where an attorney issues it) — self-represented filers get this completed at filing rather than signing it themselves.
The Complaint (page 2) — Plaintiff's Demand
1. "Plaintiff demands judgment for" — checkboxes and amounts
Checkboxes matching the case classes, with dollar lines for the money-based ones: Claim for Money $___; Tort/Personal Injury $___; Return of property (replevin), with the property described in item 2 (and the form's note excluding certain consumer-collateral actions under Wis. Stat. 425.205); Eviction; Eviction due to foreclosure; Return of Earnest Money; and confirmation/vacation/modification/correction of an arbitration award. Pre-printed text adds: "Plus interest, costs, attorney fees, if any, and such other relief as the court deems proper."
2. "Brief statement of dates and facts"
Lined space for what happened and when, in your own words — with the form's note that an eviction action seeking money damages must state that claim on this form too, and a checkbox for attaching additional information with the instruction to provide copies of attachments for the court and the defendant(s).
Signature blocks
"I am the: plaintiff / attorney for the plaintiff" — signature, name, address, email, phone, date
Parallel signature columns for a self-represented plaintiff and for an attorney (with a State Bar number line on the attorney side). You check which you are and complete your column. No notarization is required.
Common reasons clerks reject this form
Clerks bounce filings for mechanical, fixable reasons. These are the patterns that come up with this particular form:
- ⚠Modifying the form — the footer says the SC-500 shall not be modified (supplementing with attachments is expressly allowed); clerks reject rearranged versions.
- ⚠No case class checkbox, or an amount over the class limit — money claims cap at $10,000 and tort/personal injury claims at $5,000, with the caps printed beside the checkboxes.
- ⚠Attachments without copies — the form's own instruction is to provide a copy of attachments for the court and the defendant(s).
- ⚠Filing on paper in a county that requires e-filing — many Wisconsin counties mandate electronic filing through the circuit court eFiling system, using this same statewide form; the clerk of circuit court can confirm your county's rule.
- ⚠Leaving the demand checkboxes in item 1 blank and relying on the narrative alone — the checked box plus its dollar line is the formal demand.
- ⚠An outdated revision — the current form is the 03/26 revision, and the companion instructions are form SC-500I.
What filing costs, and where it happens
The Wisconsin small claims filing fee is $94.50 for a standard claim, paid to the clerk of circuit court at filing, with service costs extra (certified mail through the clerk or sheriff/private service, depending on county practice and case type). The circuit court fee schedule published at wicourts.gov is the authoritative source; verify the total for your case with the clerk before filing.
You file with the clerk of circuit court in the proper county — many counties require e-filing through the statewide circuit court eFiling system, while others accept paper from self-represented parties. Venue in small claims generally follows where the defendant resides or where the claim arose. After filing, the summons is issued with the appearance or answer date, the defendant is served, and the case proceeds under Chapter 799's simplified procedure.
Published fees and court locations for your county are in our Wisconsin 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 SC-500?
From wicourts.gov — the official fillable PDF is free (linked on this page), along with the SC-500I instructions and a Spanish version. Clerk of circuit court offices also provide it.
How much can I sue for in Wisconsin small claims?
$10,000 or less for money claims, and $5,000 or less for tort/personal injury claims — both caps are printed next to the case class checkboxes on the form. Small claims also covers evictions, replevin, arbitration awards, and return of earnest money.
Do I have to e-file?
It depends on the county — many Wisconsin counties require e-filing through the circuit court eFiling system, and all of them use this same statewide form. The clerk of circuit court for your county can confirm whether paper filing is available to self-represented parties. Verify before filing.
Does the SC-500 need to be notarized?
No — you sign the complaint as the plaintiff (or an attorney signs for a represented plaintiff), with printed name and contact information. No oath or notary is involved.
What happens after I file?
The clerk issues the summons with the date to appear and/or answer, the defendant is served, and the case follows Chapter 799 procedure — a defendant who neither appears nor answers by the stated date risks judgment for what the complaint demands.
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.