Queens Small Claims Court Guide
Use this Queens page when your claim belongs in the Queens small claims part of the New York City Civil Court and you need the right clerk office, filing hours, and hearing format for this borough.
New York City borough guide
Queens small claims part of the New York City Civil Court
The Queens page focuses on the borough clerk office, evening-calendar pattern, help center access, and the fact that NYC small claims still does not offer electronic filing.
Claim cap
$10,000
NYC Civil Court small claims cases can seek up to $10,000.
eFiling
No court eFiling
The NYC small claims starting-a-case page says the court system does not provide electronic filing for small claims.
Clerk office
718-262-7122 / 7123
Small Claims Clerk's Office: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Thursday until 7:30 p.m.
Evening court
Evening small claims court runs on Wednesdays and Thursdays in Queens
NYC borough calendars do not all run late on the same nights.
Who this court is for
- People suing in the Queens small claims part because the defendant or the events are tied to this borough's NYC Civil Court venue.
- Claimants who need the borough-specific clerk office and help center rather than a generic NYC overview page.
- Litigants who want to know up front whether they can use an evening calendar or a virtual appearance link.
Where to file / venue basics
- Start with Queens when your defendant lives, works, or does business in that borough, or when the transaction or damage is tied to this local small claims part.
- New York City small claims is court-specific rather than county-SEO generic, so match the borough office before you file instead of assuming any NYC courthouse can process the claim.
- If you are unsure which borough is correct, use the NYC Civil Court directory and the statewide court locator before paying the filing fee.
Queens Civil Court
89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435
Phone: 718-262-7122 / 7123
Hours: Small Claims Clerk's Office: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Thursday until 7:30 p.m.
Help Center: Help Center, Room 235 (718-262-7185 / 7186).
Claim limit and filing fees
- NYC Civil Court small claims can seek up to $10,000.
- The filing fee is $15 for claims up to $1,000 and $20 for claims above $1,000.
- NYC's small claims starting-a-case page says the court system itself does not provide electronic filing for small claims cases.
- If you cannot afford the fee, ask the court for a fee waiver before or at the time of filing.
Official court links and forms
NYC small claims: starting a case
Official NYC Civil Court starting point, including the note that the court system does not provide electronic filing for small claims.
NYC small claims fees
Official $15 / $20 filing fee page for NYC small claims cases.
NYC small claims hours
Current court and evening-calendar hours for the five borough small claims parts.
NYC remote appearances
Virtual courtroom links for New York City Civil Court small claims appearances.
NYC Civil Court directory
Borough-by-borough clerk, cashier, help center, and evening-hour details.
New York fee waiver
Official poor-person and fee-waiver guidance if you cannot afford the filing cost.
How to file
Prepare the claim for the Queens Civil Court small claims part and file it through the borough clerk office during the local clerk hours.
Do not plan around eFiling. NYC small claims still expects a paper or clerk-window process rather than court-run electronic filing.
Double-check the defendant's name and address before filing because the court will use that information for the mail service process.
Save the hearing notice and calendar details right away because each borough has its own evening schedule and virtual courtroom links.
How service works locally
- After you file, the court serves the defendant by both certified and first-class mail.
- If the defendant's address is wrong or the mailing fails, contact the borough small claims clerk quickly so the case does not stall.
- A defendant who wants to counterclaim must do so within five days after receiving the notice of claim.
Hearing format / remote appearance / evidence submission
- Remote appearances use the NYC Civil Court virtual courtroom links published on the official remote-appearances page.
- This borough's evening pattern matters: Evening small claims court runs on Wednesdays and Thursdays in Queens.
- If the court directs a remote appearance, follow the notice for how to exchange exhibits; otherwise bring organized paper copies for the judge and the other side.
Free help: advisor, self-help, legal aid, mediation
Queens Help Center
Help Center, Room 235 is the local place to get procedural information, forms help, and basic small claims guidance without hiring a lawyer.
Open Help Center pageNYC volunteer lawyer support
NYC Civil Court publishes a volunteer-lawyer path for unrepresented small claims litigants, alongside the Help Centers.
See volunteer lawyer helpVirtual courtroom access
Use the official remote-appearances page if your notice says the hearing will be virtual or hybrid.
Open virtual courtroomsBest next step on SmallClaimsHelper
Case quiz
Pressure-test whether small claims is the right fit before you file.
Damages calculator
Add up contract losses, deposits, repairs, and other money damages.
Demand letter
Draft a demand letter that matches the dispute and dollar amount.
Filing guide
Walk through service, timing, venue, and paperwork step by step.
Case manager
Track your hearing date, evidence, and post-filing tasks in one place.
Five dispute paths that fit this court
Queens NYC cases still cluster around the same five money-dispute patterns. Use the matching SmallClaimsHelper path first, then come back here for the local filing office, fee, and hearing details.
Renters
Map a security-deposit or move-out claim before you file in New York.
Consumers
Organize refund, warranty, chargeback, and deceptive-sale disputes.
Contractors
Work through incomplete work, overcharges, and home-repair disputes.
Wages
Estimate unpaid wage or reimbursement claims before you choose the court path.
Property damage
Track repair bills, estimates, and photo evidence for vehicle or home damage.
FAQ written for humans
Can I eFile a small claims case in Queens?
No. The NYC small claims starting-a-case page says the court system does not provide electronic filing for small claims.
Does the Queens clerk serve the defendant for me?
Yes. In NYC small claims, the court handles service by certified and ordinary first-class mail after the claim is filed.
Why does the Queens page matter if NYC is one court system?
Because the borough clerk offices, help center access, and evening-calendar patterns differ enough that a borough-specific guide is more useful than one generic NYC page.