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Plain answers about Small Claims Court in Ontario. Legal information, not legal advice.

Start hereSmall Claims Court in Ontario: the complete guide The $50,000 limit, every form, every fee, every deadline, and the path from owed to paid. One page.Step by stepHow to sue someone in Ontario From the demand letter to the judgment: nine steps, each with its rule, its form, and its fee.
  1. 01How Small Claims Court works in Ontario (2026)The path from demand letter to judgment for claims up to $50,000 in Ontario Small Claims Court.
  2. 02Is your claim worth it? Costs, time, and collectionHow to decide if a Small Claims Court case is worth your money and your time.
  3. 03How to write a demand letter (and why you send one first)A clear demand letter can end a money dispute before you pay a court fee.
  4. 04How to fill in a Plaintiff's Claim (Form 7A), step by stepWhat goes in each part of Form 7A, and how to file it.
  5. 05How to serve your claim, and how to prove it (Form 8A)The service rules, the 6-month deadline, and the Affidavit of Service.
  6. 06How to fill in and file a Defence (Form 9A) in 20 daysFilling and filing Form 9A in Ontario: what each box asks, the $77 fee, the 20-day count, and how to serve it. Free builder.
  7. 07How to prepare for a settlement conference: the checklistThe 14-day preparation checklist for an Ontario Small Claims settlement conference: documents, Form 13A, your numbers, your range, and the offer.
  8. 08Court fees in Small Claims Court, and the fee waiverEvery Small Claims Court fee in 2026, and who can get the fees waived.
  9. 09Interest: what you can claim and how to calculate itContract interest, the court interest rates, and a simple calculation you can copy.
  10. 10Enforcement tools: garnishment, writs, and examinationsEvery Ontario Small Claims enforcement tool with its form, rule, and fee: examination (20H), garnishment (20E), writs (20C, 20D), certificate (20A).
  11. 11A contractor took your deposit. How to get it backHow to demand a renovation or construction deposit back, and how to sue in Small Claims Court.
  12. 12Unpaid invoice: how to sue for it in Small Claims CourtThe path from a late invoice to a judgment: deadlines, interest, and fees.
  13. 13Wrongful dismissal up to $50,000: court or an ESA claim?The 2 paths after a job loss, the ESA election trap, and how to claim in Small Claims Court.
  14. 14How to sue a friend or a family member for a loanHow to prove a personal loan, when the 2-year clock starts, and how to claim in Small Claims Court.
  15. 15Car accident property damage: Small Claims Court in OntarioOntario insurance rules come first after a crash. When a court claim for vehicle or property damage fits.
  16. 16Landlord and tenant money disputes: LTB or Small Claims?Most residential tenancy disputes go to the Landlord and Tenant Board. How to pick the correct forum.
  17. 17Deposits in Ontario: rent, damage, and prepaid goodsWhich deposits are legal in Ontario, and how to get a deposit back from a business.
  18. 18Which Small Claims Court location do you file in?The venue rule, the 3 tests, and how to pick the correct courthouse from all 75 locations.
  19. 19Default judgment: when the defendant does not answerThe steps from a missed 20-day Defence deadline to a default judgment, and what can undo one.
  20. 20The Offer to Settle (Form 14A) and the double-costs ruleHow a written offer can double your costs at trial, and how to serve one the correct way.
  21. 21Frequent or infrequent claimant: the 10-claim fee ruleThe 2 fee levels in Small Claims Court, and when the higher level applies.
  22. 22Ontario's 2-year limitation period: when your clock startsOntario's basic limitation period is 2 years from the day you discovered the claim, with a 15-year outer limit. What starts, pauses, and resets the clock.
  23. 23How to name the right defendantCorporations, numbered companies, sole proprietors, and partnerships: how to sue the correct legal name.
  24. 24How to sue someone outside OntarioWhen Ontario Small Claims Court can hear the case, how to serve far away, and the collection problem.
  25. 25Small Claims Court for your small businessWhy businesses collect debts in Small Claims Court, and how to run claims without waste.
  26. 26Your settlement conference is by video: how to prepareVideo is the default for settlement conferences. The hearing-method rules, Forms 1B and 1C, and a preparation list.
  27. 27What to bring to trial in Small Claims CourtThe trial-day checklist: documents, copies, witnesses, receipts, and your offer.
  28. 28Can you appeal a Small Claims Court judgment?The $5,000 appeal threshold, the Divisional Court route, and the other ways to challenge a judgment.
  29. 29Wage garnishment and the 20% limitHow to garnish wages after a judgment, and the Wages Act limits that protect the debtor.
  30. 30Paralegal, lawyer, or on your own in Small Claims Court?Who can represent you, what the 15% costs cap means, and how to pick the help you need.
  31. 31How long does Small Claims Court take in Ontario?In Ontario, a Defence is due in 20 days and a settlement conference within 90 days after it. A defended claim often takes 12 to 18 months to reach trial.
  32. 32How much does Small Claims Court cost in Ontario?Ontario court fees are $202 for an undefended claim and $416 for a claim that goes to trial. Add service and your time. If you win, you can recover fees.
  33. 33How to serve someone in Ontario: Small Claims Court papersTo serve someone in Ontario, hand them the court papers, or use a rule 8.03 alternative. Then prove it with Form 8A. Who to serve, how, and by whom.
  34. 34Settlement conference in Small Claims Court: what happensOntario Small Claims settlement conference: a deputy judge hears both sides, gives a view of the case, and works toward a settlement. The day, in order.
  35. 35How to collect a judgment in Ontario: the order of stepsTo collect an Ontario Small Claims judgment: ask for payment in writing, examine the debtor to find the money, then garnish wages or a bank or file a writ.
  36. 36Served with a Small Claims Court claim? Your 5 optionsServed with an Ontario Small Claims Court claim? You have 20 days and 5 options: dispute, admit with payment terms, claim back, settle, or do nothing.
  37. 37Small Claims Court limit in Ontario: $50,000 since 2025The Ontario Small Claims Court limit is $50,000, not counting interest and costs, since October 1, 2025. What counts, what to do above it, and the minimum.
  38. 38Rules of the Small Claims Court (O. Reg. 258/98), explainedThe Rules of the Small Claims Court, O. Reg. 258/98, rule by rule: where to read them, what each rule does, the forms they use, and the 2025 changes.
  39. 39Motions in Small Claims Court: Form 15A, the fee, the stepsA Small Claims Court motion asks the court for an order before or after trial. Form 15A, the $127 fee, 7 days' notice, and the motions people bring most.
  40. 40Assessment hearing in Small Claims Court: what happensAfter a default, an assessment decides the amount, not the blame: in writing on Form 15A, or at a hearing run like a trial. Rule 11.03, step by step.

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