Should you file in Quebec Small Claims?
Estimate filing fees, time investment, and net recovery for an unpaid invoice — so you decide with eyes open before the courthouse.
Default 12 is a midpoint for filing + 1 hearing day. Range observed: 6–24 hours depending on document prep, witness coordination, and travel to courthouse.
Expected net recovery
$2,336
Invoice − filing fee − (your time × hourly rate)
Court filing fee
$114
Quebec individual rate, 2026
Total hours invested
14
Already spent + escalation
Time cost
$1,050
Total hours × your hourly rate
Our recommendation
File — it's worth your time
Net recovery is positive after filing fees and your time investment. Quebec Small Claims is designed to be self-served. Send the formal demand letter first if you haven't yet.
Get a free Quebec demand letter template
Bilingual mise en demeure template, Code civil-compliant. PDF, no marketing.
No credit card required.
Filing fees verified against the Cour du Québec individual / personne physique schedule (2026 indexation). Always confirm the current schedule on justice.gouv.qc.ca before filing.