Not legal advice; Ontario information as of September 30, 2026. Source: Ontario's Guide to Procedures in Small Claims Court (page last updated July 2, 2026).
What Form 7A needs from you
Per the Ontario guide, the Plaintiff's Claim has to include:
- The court — its name, address and telephone number.
- The parties — full names, addresses and contact information for you and every defendant.
- The amount you are claiming.
- Interest — the annual pre-judgment interest rate you claim, and the amount due up to the date you file.
- Your reasons — a full explanation, including dates, places and what happened.
- Supporting documents — copies of contracts, bills or photos. If you don't have one, say why in the claim.
Which court do you file in?
The guide says to file in the territorial division where the cause of action arose, or the one where the defendant lives or carries on business. Filing in the wrong location is an avoidable delay, so check this before anything else.
The $50,000 limit
The maximum claim is $50,000, excluding interest and costs such as court fees. If your loss is bigger, the guide says the excess must be abandoned to proceed in Small Claims Court — a real trade-off, so decide it deliberately before you sign.
Getting interest right
If a written contract sets an interest rate, use that rate. If not, the guide points to the interest rates defined in the Courts of Justice Act. Whichever applies, write it as an annual rate — the guide's own example is “24% per annum and not 2% per month.”
After you complete it
Make one copy of everything for yourself and one for each defendant. The claim then has to be served within six months after it is issued — see our full Small Claims Court process guide for service and what happens next, and check your limitation period first, because a claim filed too late can be barred.
Frequently asked questions
How many copies do I need? One for yourself and one for each defendant, per the Ontario guide.
Can I claim more than $50,000? Only by abandoning the excess; the limit excludes interest and costs.
How do I write the interest rate? As an annual rate — for example 24% per annum, not 2% per month.