Key points
- Small claims covers money claims of up to ₱1,000,000, exclusive of interest and costs, filed in MeTCs, MTCCs, MTCs and MCTCs (A.M. No. 08-8-7-SC, effective April 11, 2022).
- Covered claims include money owed under a lease, loan, services, or sale of personal property, and enforcing a barangay settlement. Claims for anything other than money are excluded.
- File the Statement of Claim (Form 1-SCC) with all your evidence and affidavits. Many cases need barangay conciliation and a Certificate to File Action first.
- Fees follow Rule 141; you may move to sue as an indigent, but everyone pays the ₱1,000 fee for service of summons. No lawyers may appear for the parties at the hearing.
- The hearing is within 30 days of filing, the decision comes within 24 hours, and it is final and unappealable; enforce it with a Motion for Execution. Not legal advice.
Someone owes you money and refuses to pay: a personal loan, unpaid rent, unpaid services, or the price of something you sold. You do not need to hire a lawyer to go to court. Under the Supreme Court’s small claims rules, you can file a simple form in the first-level court and have your case heard, usually in a single hearing, for claims of up to ₱1,000,000. This guide explains what qualifies, the barangay step, the forms and evidence, the fees, the hearing, and how to collect after you win.
Last checked: October 28, 2026, against the Supreme Court’s Rules on Expedited Procedures in the First Level Courts (A.M. No. 08-8-7-SC, effective April 11, 2022), Rule IV on small claims, and the official small claims forms published with the rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
Quick answer
- Limit: claims for payment or reimbursement of money not exceeding ₱1,000,000, exclusive of interest and costs.
- Where: the Metropolitan Trial Court, Municipal Trial Court in Cities, Municipal Trial Court or Municipal Circuit Trial Court.
- How: file a Statement of Claim/s (Form 1-SCC) with your evidence and affidavits, and pay the filing fees (or ask to sue as an indigent).
- No lawyers may appear for the parties at the hearing, unless the lawyer is the plaintiff or defendant.
- Fast: the hearing is set within 30 days of filing (60 days if a defendant is outside the judicial region), and the judge decides within 24 hours after the hearing. The decision is final, executory and unappealable.
What claims qualify
Under Rule I and Rule IV of the Rules on Expedited Procedures, a “small claim” is a purely civil action for the payment or reimbursement of a sum of money. The claim may be for money owed under:
- A contract of lease (for example, unpaid rent)
- A contract of loan and other credit accommodations (for example, a personal loan)
- A contract of services (for example, unpaid professional or repair fees)
- A contract of sale of personal property (money only; recovering the item itself is excluded unless it is part of a compromise agreement)
- The enforcement of a barangay amicable settlement or arbitration award, where the money claim does not exceed ₱1,000,000 and the barangay did not enforce it within six months
Not covered: claims asking for something other than money (such as getting back a property, annulling a contract, or eviction), and claims coupled with provisional remedies. You may join several claims against the same defendant in one Statement of Claim, as long as the total, exclusive of interest and costs, does not exceed ₱1,000,000.
Step 1: Check if you need barangay conciliation first
If you and the defendant are individuals living in the same city or municipality (or in adjoining barangays of different cities and you both agree), the dispute usually has to go through the Katarungang Pambarangay first. The small claims form asks whether barangay conciliation was required and whether you are attaching the Certificate to File Action (or a barangay settlement). A case filed without required barangay conciliation can be dismissed.
Step 2: Send a demand and gather evidence
- The form asks whether you asked the defendant to pay before filing, how, and when. A written demand letter with proof that it was delivered and received is good evidence.
- Gather the actionable documents: promissory note, loan or lease contract, receipts, invoices, deposit slips, checks, and messages showing the debt.
- Prepare affidavits of witnesses, if any. Affidavits must state facts of the witness’s personal knowledge. The rule says not submitting the required affidavits causes the immediate dismissal of the claim.
- Only evidence attached to the Statement of Claim is allowed at the hearing, unless the court finds good cause to admit more. Attach everything at the start.
Step 3: Fill out the forms
Get the forms from the Office of the Clerk of Court of any first-level court, or from the Supreme Court’s official small claims page referred to in the forms, oca.judiciary.gov.ph/small-claims. The official forms come in English/Filipino and English/Visayan versions.
| Form | What it is |
|---|---|
| Form 1-SCC | Plaintiff’s Statement of Claim/s, with Verification and Certification against Forum Shopping, Splitting a Single Cause of Action, and Multiplicity of Suits |
| Form 1-A-SCC | Other plaintiffs or defendants (if more than one) |
| Form 1-B-SCC | Information for the Small Claims Plaintiff (read this first) |
| Form 6-SCC | Motion to Sue as Indigent |
| Form 7-SCC | Special Power of Attorney (if a representative appears for you) |
- Make certified photocopies of your documents, with as many copies as there are defendants, plus one for yourself.
- The Statement of Claim must be sworn before a notary public or an authorized officer, such as the Clerk of Court.
- State whether you are in the business of lending or banking, and how many small claims you have filed this calendar year. These affect fees and venue.
Step 4: File and pay the fees
- File at the proper first-level court. The regular rules on venue apply. If the plaintiff is in the business of lending or banking and has a branch where the defendant lives or does business, the claim must be filed there.
- Pay the docket and other legal fees under Rule 141 of the Rules of Court. Ask the Clerk of Court for the exact computation for your amount; we do not list amounts here because they depend on the claim.
- Can’t afford the fees? File a Motion to Sue as Indigent (Form 6-SCC). Even if it is granted, the rule says no party is exempt from the ₱1,000 fee for service of summons and processes. If the motion is denied, you have 5 calendar days to pay or the case is dismissed without prejudice.
- Frequent filers pay more: after the fifth small claim filed by the same party in a calendar year, an additional ₱500 per claim applies, increasing progressively after the 10th and 15th claims.
- Lending and banking businesses pay the same fees as regular cases.
Step 5: Summons, response and hearing date
- If there is no ground for dismissal, the court issues summons within 24 hours, with a blank Response form for the defendant, and a Notice of Hearing to both parties.
- The hearing date is not more than 30 calendar days from filing, or not more than 60 days if a defendant lives or does business outside the judicial region.
- The defendant must file a verified Response (Form 3-SCC) within a non-extendible 10 calendar days from receipt of summons, with evidence. A qualifying counterclaim must be included.
- Service and notices may be done by email, SMS, phone call or messaging apps if the parties indicated consent in their forms.
Step 6: The hearing
- Appear in person. A representative may appear only for a valid cause, must not be a lawyer, and needs a Special Power of Attorney authorizing settlement and stipulations.
- No lawyers at the hearing, unless the lawyer is the plaintiff or defendant. If a party needs help, the judge may allow a non-lawyer to assist.
- Settlement first. The judge first tries to bring both parties to an amicable settlement. A compromise agreement is approved and becomes the basis of a judgment within 24 hours.
- If no settlement, the judge hears the case informally and decides within 24 hours after the hearing.
- Postponement is allowed only once, and only on proof of physical inability to appear.
- Videoconference hearings are possible when the court allows them.
| If… | What happens |
|---|---|
| The plaintiff does not appear | The claim is dismissed without prejudice; a defendant who appears gets judgment on their counterclaim |
| The defendant does not appear | Same effect as not filing a Response: the court decides based on the plaintiff’s claim and evidence |
| Both do not appear | Both the claim and the counterclaim are dismissed with prejudice |
Step 7: The decision and collecting your money
- The decision is final, executory and unappealable.
- If the defendant does not pay, file a Motion for Execution (Form 12-SCC). The court issues a Writ of Execution, which the sheriff enforces.
- Keep records of any payments you receive after the decision.
Free legal help
Lawyers cannot appear for you at the hearing, but you can get advice while preparing your forms. Court personnel are required to help with forms and information about small claims. For legal advice, qualified clients can go to the Public Attorney’s Office; others can try the IBP legal aid program.
Questions people ask
Is ₱1,000,000 the limit including interest?
No. The limit is ₱1,000,000 exclusive of interest and costs.
Can I file small claims to evict a tenant?
No. Small claims are only for money. Ejectment is a separate case under the Rule on Summary Procedure. You can, however, file small claims for unpaid rent.
Can a company file small claims?
Yes. Juridical entities can file, with a board resolution or secretary’s certificate authorizing the representative. They cannot be represented by a lawyer in any capacity at the hearing.
Can I appeal if I lose?
No. The decision is final, executory and unappealable under the rules.
How much are the filing fees?
They follow Rule 141 and depend on the amount. Ask the Clerk of Court. Indigent litigants may ask to be exempt from docket fees, but everyone pays the ₱1,000 fee for service of summons and processes.
Do I need barangay conciliation?
Often yes, if both parties are individuals living in the same city or municipality. Bring the Certificate to File Action when you file.
Official sources
- Supreme Court: Rules on Expedited Procedures in the First Level Courts
- A.M. No. 08-8-7-SC full text with small claims forms (PDF)
- Supreme Court/OCA small claims page (forms)
Disclaimer: This guide is for general information only and is not legal advice. Court rules, forms and fees may change, and each court may have its own practices. For your own case, consult the Clerk of Court, PAO, the IBP or a lawyer. Pilipinas Guide is not a court or government office.
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