What is the maximum amount for a small claims case?
Last updated: 2026-07-11 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
The jurisdictional ceiling for small claims is ₱1,000,000, exclusive of interest and costs, and it is the same whether you file inside or outside Metro Manila. This threshold took effect on 11 April 2022 under the Rules on Expedited Procedures in the First Level Courts (A.M. No. 08-8-7-SC), which raised the earlier limits. If your money claim exceeds ₱1,000,000, it must be filed as an ordinary or summary-procedure civil case instead, where a lawyer is permitted.
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Frequently asked
Is the ₱1,000,000 cap different in Metro Manila?
No. Since 11 April 2022 the small claims ceiling is a uniform ₱1,000,000 nationwide, whether the first-level court is inside or outside Metro Manila.
Does the ₱1,000,000 include interest and penalties?
The ceiling is measured by the principal money claim, exclusive of interest and costs. If your principal is at or below ₱1,000,000, accrued interest does not by itself push you out of small claims.
What if my claim is more than ₱1,000,000?
It cannot go through small claims. Claims for damages up to ₱2,000,000 fall under the Rules on Summary Procedure; larger claims are ordinary civil actions. In those, unlike small claims, a lawyer may appear.
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