Vermont · Unpaid invoice

Unpaid invoice in Vermont 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 Vermont, small-claims cases are heard in the Vermont Superior Court, Civil Division (small claims) and you can sue for up to $10,000 (with a $5,000 cap for consumer-credit debt or medical debt).

Good to know: Vermont small claims is not a separate court but a procedure in the Civil Division of the Superior Court. File in the county where you or the defendant lives. Lawyers are allowed, but the process is built for self-represented litigants.

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 Small Claims Complaint (Form 100-00257) in Vermont

1. Complete the Small Claims Complaint. Fill out the Small Claims Complaint (form 100-00257), naming the defendant and stating the amount and basis of your claim.
2. File and pay the fee. File with the Civil Division of the Superior Court in the county where you or the defendant lives, and pay the filing fee.
3. Receive the signed summons. The court returns a signed Summons with your complaint and the docket number.
4. Serve the defendant by mail. Within 7 days of receiving the signed summons, mail the summons and complaint to the defendant by first-class mail.
5. Arrange sheriff service if no answer. If the defendant does not answer within 30 days, have a sheriff or constable serve the documents.

Filing fees: The filing fee is $65 for claims of $1,000 or less and $90 for claims over $1,000, set by statute statewide (not county-set).

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: 6 years (12 V.S.A. § 511)

Answering a lawsuit: 30 days.

Serving the defendant: After the court returns the signed summons, you serve the defendant by first-class mail within 7 days; if no answer is filed within 30 days, you must have a sheriff or constable serve the documents.

Appeals: Either party may appeal to the Superior Court within 30 days of judgment by filing a Notice of Appeal with a $105 fee (Vermont Rule of Small Claims Procedure 10). The appeal is decided on the record, not retried.

All Vermont small-claims deadlines

The table below lists the filing deadlines Vermont Superior Court, Civil Division (small claims) applies by claim category. Confirm the exact rule that applies to your unpaid invoice claim with your court before relying on any figure.

Vermont small-claims forms for your unpaid invoice case

These forms are published by the Vermont Superior Court, Civil Division (small claims). Download and complete them before filing.

• Small Claims Information and Instructions for Plaintiff and Small Claims Complaint (100-00257): The initial complaint form a plaintiff files to start a small claims case.
• Small Claims Answer (100-00126): Form the defendant uses to answer the complaint and assert any counterclaim.
• Sheriff's Return of Service (100-00261): Proof-of-service form used when a sheriff or constable serves the defendant.
• A Guide to Small Claims Proceedings in Vermont (100-00509): Official plain-language guide to the small claims process for self-represented parties.

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: Vermont Judiciary: Suing and Being Sued (Small Claims). Last reviewed 2026-06-24.