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Unpaid invoice in Wyoming 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 Wyoming, small-claims cases are heard in the Circuit Court (Small Claims) and you can sue for up to $6,000.

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 Affidavit (SC Form 01) in Wyoming

  1. Confirm your claim qualifies. The amount owed must be $6,000 or less, and you must have already demanded payment and been refused.
  2. Complete the Small Claims Affidavit (SC 01). Fill in the county, the parties, the amount chart (principal, interest, fees, the $10 filing fee, service fees), and why the defendant owes you. Do not sign until in front of the Clerk or a notary.
  3. Bring the supporting forms and copies. Also bring a Small Claims Summons (SC 02), blank Return of Service and Affidavit of Service, two extra copies of the Affidavit, and copies of any invoices or agreements.
  4. File with the Clerk and pay the fee. File with the Clerk of Circuit Court and pay the $10 filing fee plus any service fee. The clerk assigns a case number and the court schedules a hearing.
  5. Court serves the defendant and sets the hearing. In Wyoming the court, not the plaintiff, serves the defendant. The summons states the hearing date and place; bring your evidence and witnesses.

Filing fees: The court's official instructions set a fixed $10 statewide filing fee (SC-01a). Sheriff or process-server fees are separate, and the clerk charges about $1 per page for copies.

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: 10 years (W.S. 1-3-105(a)(i))

Answering a lawsuit: No written answer is required; the defendant appears at the scheduled hearing.

Serving the defendant: The court serves the defendant, by certified mail (return receipt) if the defendant is in Wyoming, or by sheriff or process server. The hearing date set in the summons must be 12 to 20 days after service.

Appeals: Either party may appeal to the district court within 30 days by filing a Notice of Appeal at the Circuit Court that ruled. Small-claims appeals are reviewed on questions of law only (W.R.A.P. 2.01).

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: Wyoming Judicial Branch: Small Claims (Legal Help by Topic). Last reviewed 2026-06-24.