Utah · Unpaid invoice

Unpaid invoice in Utah small claims

Client won't pay your invoice? Collect it in small claims.

If a client or customer has not paid an invoice for work you delivered or goods you sold, small claims court is a low-cost way to collect. You do not need a lawyer. The strength of your case usually comes down to clear proof: the agreement or terms, the invoice, evidence the work or goods were delivered, and a record of your attempts to collect.

In Utah, small-claims cases are heard in the Justice Court and you can sue for up to $20,000 (for claims filed Jan 1, 2025 through Dec 31, 2029; includes attorney fees but excludes court costs and interest).

Unpaid invoice: steps that matter

  1. Send a final written demand (a clear statement of what is owed and a payment deadline) and keep proof you sent it.
  2. Gather your contract or written terms, the invoice, delivery/completion proof, and any messages showing the other side accepted the work.
  3. Confirm you are within the statute of limitations below before you file.
  4. File in the correct court for where the defendant is or where the work happened, and keep every date and document together.

Filing your Affidavit and Summons (Small Claims) in Utah

  1. Know the limits. Confirm your case fits: money only, up to $20,000 (including attorney fees but not court costs or interest). You cannot ask the court to order the other side to act or return property.
  2. Decide where to file. File in the justice court where the defendant lives or where the obligation was incurred, and check whether that court uses Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), which changes the forms.
  3. Fill out forms and file. Complete the Affidavit and Summons (non-ODR) or the ODR Affidavit and Summons (3001SC), file with the justice court, and pay the fee (or request a waiver).
  4. Serve the defendant. Have the defendant served under Utah Rule of Civil Procedure 4: at least 30 days before trial in a non-ODR case, or within 120 days of filing in an ODR case.
  5. File proof of service. File proof of service with the court so the case can proceed to trial (non-ODR) or the ODR process.

Filing fees: Fees are set statewide by statute (Utah Code Title 78A) and tiered by claim amount: $60 up to $2,000, $100 for more than $2,000 up to $7,500, and $185 from $7,500 up to $20,000. A fee waiver is available.

Deadline that applies to your unpaid invoice

An unpaid invoice is usually a contract or account claim. If you had a signed agreement or written terms, the written-contract statute of limitations below typically applies; a purely verbal deal usually falls under the oral-contract period. That statute is the deadline to file, so do not wait too long.

Written contract (instrument in writing): 6 years (Utah Code § 78B-2-309)

Answering a lawsuit: No separate written answer is required in a non-ODR case; the defendant is summoned to the trial date in the Affidavit and Summons. In an ODR court, the defendant has 14 days after service to log in to the ODR system.

Serving the defendant: Have the papers served under Utah Rule of Civil Procedure 4: at least 30 days before trial in a non-ODR case, or within 120 days of filing in an ODR case. Then file proof of service with the court.

Appeals: File a Notice of Appeal with the justice court within 28 days of judgment. The appeal goes to the district court for a trial de novo (Utah Rule of Small Claims Procedure 12).

This page is general information, not legal advice, and CaseBySelf is not a law firm. Rules, fees, and deadlines change and vary by court: verify with the specific court where you file. Source: Utah State Courts: Small Claims (self-help). Last reviewed 2026-06-24.