The short version
- New Zealand doesn't have a "small claims court" — the Disputes Tribunal does that job.
- It handles claims up to $60,000 — a limit that doubled from $30,000 in January 2026.
- No lawyers, private hearings, and filing fees from only $62.
- Not every dispute belongs there — tenancy, employment and family matters all have their own homes.
If you've been told to "take them to small claims court", the advice is sound — it's just American. In New Zealand the same job is done by the Disputes Tribunal: a quick, affordable and accessible way to resolve everyday disputes without going anywhere near a courtroom (and the associated expenses).
Where the name went
We did have Small Claims Tribunals once — they ran from the late 1970s until the Disputes Tribunal Act 1988 replaced them with the Tribunal we have today. The name changed and the claim limit has climbed steadily since, but the idea is the one you're picturing: you turn up, tell your side, and someone experienced and fair decides what happens next.
One note: "small" is doing less work than it used to. Since 24 January 2026, the Tribunal handles claims up to $60,000 — double the previous limit. Today, the Tribunal can easily cover a used car, a botched renovation, or a serious commercial falling out, not just the proverbial broken dishwasher.
What it handles
Goods that don't work, tradie jobs gone wrong, car accidents, fences and tree roots, borrowed gear that never came back, flatmate fallouts, disputed debts, and arguments over contracts and business deals. If the other side is denying they owe you — in fact or in amount — you're probably in the right place.
Where everything else goes
The Tribunal's boundaries trip a lot of people up, so here's the map:
| Your situation | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Faulty goods, bad workmanship, car accidents, disputed debts, contracts — up to $60,000 | Disputes Tribunal |
| Landlord vs tenant | Tenancy Tribunal |
| Flatmate vs flatmate (no tenancy between you) | Disputes Tribunal |
| Anything employment | Employment Relations Authority |
| Relationship property, care of children | Family Court |
| Claims of $60,001 to $350,000 | District Court |
| A debt they admit but won't pay | Debt collection or District Court |
Also off the table: rates, taxes, benefits and ACC payments, intellectual property, wills, land, and body corporate disputes.
How it compares to actual court
- No lawyers. Not "you don't need one" — they're not allowed to represent anyone, period. Both sides MUST speak for themselves, which keeps the playing field level.
- Private. Hearings happen in a small meeting-style room, closed to the public and media.
- Fast and cheap. Filing costs $62–$496 depending on claim size, the Tribunal aims to hear cases within about six weeks, and most hearings run around an hour. Full breakdown in our fees and costs guide.
- Binding. A referee — not a judge, but running a fair process is their whole job — makes a decision that's enforceable like a court order.
The trade-off for all that speed and informality: your preparation is the whole game. There's no lawyer to organise or present your case, so the side that turns up with a clear story and convincing evidence has a real edge — that's what our guide to preparing your evidence is for.
Want the best chance to win? Go in prepared.
Evidence Pack turns your story and paperwork into a clear, annotated, professional Tribunal-ready pack — built in New Zealand, specifically for the Disputes Tribunal.