Hold your landlord accountable
Last reviewed: October 2026, against the Utah Courts small claims guide, the court fee schedule, the Rules of Small Claims Procedure, and the Utah Code. Fees, forms, and court lists change, so check the official pages before you file. La guía oficial de los tribunales también está disponible en español.
Looking to get something fixed instead?
Small claims can only award money. It can't order your landlord to make a repair or let you out of your lease. If that's what you need, start with the repair notice process, which doesn't require a court.
Is small claims right for you?
In small claims, you are the plaintiff (the person suing) and your landlord is the defendant (the person being sued). A judge decides the case, there's no jury, and you can represent yourself.
Small claims works if you want money back, such as a security deposit, unlawful fees or charges, repair costs you paid, or other money your lease or the law says your landlord owes you.
Small claims can't order your landlord to do something (like make repairs or return property), evict anyone, or be used to sue a government agency. If your landlord is a government agency, such as a public housing authority, you'll need a different route. Ask a legal clinic (links at the bottom).
The limit is $20,000. That amount includes lawyer fees but does not count court costs or interest (Utah Code §78A-8-102). Because costs aren't counted, a judge can award your court costs on top of what you're owed if you win.
Know the risks before you file
Small claims is built for people without lawyers, but you can lose, and losing can cost money. Before you file, know that:
- Owing your landlord money can hurt your case. If your landlord says you owe rent or other money, expect them to raise it. It can weaken your case or even end it. The Utah Courts guide doesn't spell out a rule on this, so if you owe or may owe anything, get legal advice before you file.
- If you lose, you'll probably owe your landlord's court costs. The small claims rules say costs go to the winning side unless the judge decides otherwise (Rule 7). It works the same way in your favor: if you win, your landlord can be ordered to pay your costs.
- You may also owe your landlord's lawyer fees. Each side usually pays its own lawyer unless a contract or law says otherwise. But if your lease lets even one side (usually the landlord) recover attorney fees, a court may award fees to whichever side wins (Utah Code §78B-5-826). Check your lease for an "attorney fees" clause before you file. Landlords are allowed to bring a lawyer to small claims.
- Your landlord can sue you back. In the same case, a landlord can file a counterclaim for money they say you owe. If they win that claim, you'd owe it.
- Your landlord can move the case to district court. A defendant can ask for a jury trial in district court within 15 days of getting the papers (there's a $250 jury fee). If that happens, district court rules apply instead of the simpler small claims rules, which is a good time to talk to a lawyer.
- Either side can appeal. The losing side has 28 days to appeal a small claims judgment. The district court holds a brand-new trial, and appealing costs $240 plus a $10 fee at the justice court.
None of this means you shouldn't file. It means you should go in knowing the risks. A free legal clinic can help you decide (links at the bottom).
What it costs
- Filing fee: $60 if you ask for $2,000 or less. $100 if you ask for more than $2,000 but less than $7,500. $185 if you ask for $7,500 up to $20,000.
- Serving papers: free if a friend or relative does it (they can't be you, and can't be involved in the case). A sheriff, constable, or process server charges a fee.
- Can't afford the fee? You can ask the court for a fee waiver.
What to gather before you start
- Your lease, and any notices you sent or received
- Your landlord's exact legal name and an address where they can be served (see Step 2)
- Proof of what you're owed: receipts, rent and deposit payment records, dated photos, texts and emails, repair requests, estimates or invoices
- Names of anyone who saw what happened (witnesses)
- A simple list of each amount you're asking for and why
- An email address and phone you check often. Most Utah courts will contact you through an online system.
How to file a small claims case in Utah
1. Decide how much to ask for
Add up what your landlord owes you, one item at a time, and keep a record of how you got each number. You can ask for up to $20,000 including any lawyer fees you paid. Court costs and interest don't count toward that limit.
Don't wait too long. There's a time limit for filing a court case, called the statute of limitations. Most range from one to eight years, and some are as short as six months. Which one applies depends on your claim, so file sooner rather than later. If you're not sure, ask a legal clinic. See the court's statutes of limitation page.
Check whether you owe your landlord anything. If your landlord says you owe rent or other charges, sort that out or get legal advice before you file. A dispute over what you owe can weaken your case, and it gives your landlord something to counterclaim for.
Claiming a security deposit? Follow the notice steps on the Your Rights page first. If you skip the required notice, you can lose the right to the refund and the $100 penalty.
2. Find the right court
Small claims cases are usually filed in a justice court. You can file in either place:
- where the defendant (your landlord) lives or is based, or
- where the events happened (for a rental, usually where the property is)
Is your landlord a company? Look it up in the state's Business Search. It shows the company's exact legal name and where it is based, which tells you which court to use. It also helps with serving the papers (Step 5).
Use the court directory to find the right justice court. The rule is:
- City or town justice court, if there is one
- County justice court, if there's no city or town court
- District court, if there's no county court. Only Cache County works this way. It has no county-wide justice court, so if no remaining justice court there covers your landlord or the events, you file in district court.
Some cities and counties use another city's or county's justice court. That means there's no courthouse in your city, but the court still exists legally. Find your city in this table to see where to file:
| If you would normally file in... | File here instead |
|---|---|
| Apple Valley | Washington County Justice Court |
| Brian Head | Iron County Justice Court |
| Brigham City | Box Elder County Justice Court |
| Cedar City | Iron County Justice Court |
| Centerfield | Sanpete County Justice Court |
| Cottonwood Heights | Holladay Municipal Justice Court |
| Enoch | Iron County Justice Court |
| Farmington | Davis County Justice Court |
| Fruit Heights | Davis County Justice Court |
| Glendale | Orderville Municipal Justice Court |
| Hooper | Roy Municipal Justice Court |
| Huntsville | Uintah-Huntsville Justice Court |
| Ivins | Santa Clara Municipal Justice Court |
| La Verkin | Hurricane Municipal Justice Court |
| Marriott-Slaterville | Washington Terrace Municipal Justice Court |
| Mayfield | Sanpete County Justice Court |
| Mendon | Nibley Municipal Justice Court |
| Paradise | Hyrum Municipal Justice Court |
| Perry | Box Elder County Justice Court |
| Price | Carbon County Justice Court |
| Rockville | Washington County Justice Court |
| South Jordan | Salt Lake County Justice Court |
| Springdale | Washington County Justice Court |
| St. George | Washington County Justice Court |
| Sunnyside | Carbon County East Precinct Justice Court |
| Virgin | Washington County Justice Court |
| Wales | Sanpete County Justice Court |
| Weber County | Roy Municipal Justice Court |
| Wendover | Tooele County Justice Court |
| West Bountiful | North Salt Lake Justice Court |
| West Haven | Roy Municipal Justice Court |
This table comes from the Utah Courts small claims guide, last checked October 2026. Confirm in the court directory before you file.
3. Get and fill out the forms
First, find out whether your court uses Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). ODR lets you try to settle your case online, on your own time, using a phone or computer.
Courts that use ODR (checked October 2026)
- Alpine
- Box Elder County
- Carbon County
- Clearfield
- Delta City
- Duchesne County
- East Carbon
- Emery County
- Fillmore City
- Genola
- Goshen
- Grand County
- Heber City
- Highland
- Holladay
- Iron County
- Juab County
- Lehi
- Lindon
- Millard County
- Morgan
- Murray
- Nephi City
- Orem City
- Ogden
- Payson
- Provo City
- Salt Lake City
- Salt Lake County
- Sandy City
- Santaquin
- South Salt Lake
- Summit County
- Sunset
- Taylorsville
- Utah County
- Wasatch County
- Washington County
- Wellington
- West Jordan
- West Valley City
Each name above is a justice court. Note that Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County have separate courts. If you're not sure, ask the court clerk.
If your court uses ODR, you need the Justice Court Cover Sheet and the ODR Small Claims Affidavit and Summons (form 3001SC). If you can't use ODR because of a disability, no internet access, or because you don't speak English, you can ask for a trial instead by also filing the Request to be Excused from Online Dispute Resolution (form 3006SC).
If your court does not use ODR, you need the Justice Court Cover Sheet and the Affidavit and Summons (small claims).
Find the current forms on the Utah Courts small claims page (see Step 3 there). Read the signing instructions on each form carefully.
4. File your papers and pay the fee
Take your forms to the justice court clerk, or file another way the court allows. See the court's filing procedures for current options, including email filing and tips on scanning documents with your phone.
Pay the filing fee, or ask for a fee waiver when you file. The clerk will process your papers and give them back to you with a case number. Keep copies of everything.
5. Serve your landlord (this step trips people up)
"Serving" means having a copy of your filed papers delivered to your landlord in an approved way. If it's done wrong, the court can dismiss your case. Regular mail and email are not enough.
You can't serve the papers yourself. Your options:
- A friend or relative who is 18 or older and isn't involved in your case (and isn't a lawyer for anyone in it) hands the papers to your landlord.
- The sheriff, a constable, or a U.S. Marshal. They charge a fee.
- A process server company. Search online for "process server." They charge a fee.
- Mail with a signature required, through the U.S. Postal Service or a courier like FedEx or UPS. If you're serving a person, that person must sign for it themselves. If you're serving a business, the company's official legal agent must sign.
- Acceptance of service. If your landlord agrees, they can sign an Acceptance of Service form. If they won't sign, you have to use another method.
Is your landlord a company? Your server can hand the papers to the company's manager or the person in charge of the office. For mail with a signature, you'll need the company's official legal agent, and the Business Search can show you who that is.
Deadlines:
- If your court uses ODR, your landlord must be served within 120 days of filing.
- If your court does not use ODR, your landlord must be served at least 30 days before the trial.
Prove it. Whoever serves the papers fills out a Proof of Service form (form 1020GE), and you file it with the court along with a copy of the summons.
Can't find your landlord? See the court's pages on finding people for service and serving papers.
6. After you file: what happens next
If your court uses ODR
- Log in within 7 days of filing, or your case is dismissed. The court emails you a password and a link. Look for an email from courtsystems@utcourts.gov, and check your spam folder.
- Your landlord has 14 days after being served to register. If they don't, you can ask the court for a default judgment (forms 1352GE, 2011SC, and 2012SC).
- A facilitator helps you try to settle. This is a neutral court helper, not a judge. You chat online, and you get an email or text when there's a new message. There's a 14-day window to settle, which the facilitator can extend. If both sides agree, you can mediate by video call instead.
- Share your proof in ODR as a PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, or GIF. What you upload to ODR is not automatically part of your court case, so keep your own copies and bring them if you go to trial.
- If you can't settle, the case goes to trial in about 7 to 21 days.
If your court does not use ODR
Your case is scheduled for a trial when you file. The date is on your papers.
Need a different trial date? You can ask for one if you have a good reason. Check the small claims page for the current forms.
7. Go to your trial
If you don't show up, you lose automatically.
Bring anything that helps your case: photos, receipts, messages, and witnesses. Put your papers in order so you can find things fast. The judge decides what can be used, and this is your only chance to convince the judge, so prepare ahead. The court's Going to Court page can help you get ready.
The judge usually decides right away. If not, the judge has 60 days to tell you the decision.
8. After the judge decides
If you win, your landlord has to pay you. Winning doesn't mean money shows up on its own. If they don't pay, see the court's guide to collecting a judgment.
If you lose and you think the judge made a mistake, you can appeal. You must do it within 28 days of the judgment. The district court will hold a new trial, and what happened in the first one won't control the outcome, so bring all your evidence. The appeal costs $240 plus a $10 fee at the justice court. Remember the risks above: costs, and possibly your landlord's lawyer fees, can go to the winner.
Missed your trial? You can ask the court to undo a judgment or dismissal, but you generally must ask within 15 days.
If your landlord is the one who sued you
Don't ignore a small claims summons
- If your summons says to register for ODR, you must register within 14 days of getting it, or you lose automatically.
- If your summons has a trial date, be there, or you lose automatically.
- The judge can't give you a payment plan. If you owe the money, you owe all of it, and an unpaid judgment can lead to wage garnishment.
- You may have options: suing your landlord back (a counterclaim), asking to move the case to district court for a jury trial (within 15 days, $250 fee), or asking to be excused from ODR.
Read the official instructions for people being sued in the Utah Courts small claims guide.
Free and low-cost help
- Free legal help and housing resources: legal aid, clinics, mediation, rent help, and more
- Utah Courts Self-Help Center: free help with court procedures
- Free legal clinics: general information and brief legal advice
- Finding an attorney, including low-cost options
- Request an interpreter
- Small claims trial and appeal flow chart (PDF)
This page is for informational purposes and is not legal advice. It summarizes the Utah Courts' public guidance, which can change. For advice on your situation, consult a licensed Utah attorney.