How long do you have to bring a small claims claim in Wisconsin?

The shortest window is 3 years, counted from the day the damage happened, under Wis. Stat. §893.52. Other kinds of claim run longer; the time-limit page lists each one.

How long do you have on a property damage claim in Wisconsin?

3 years, counted from the day the damage happened, under Wis. Stat. §893.52.

How much can you claim in small claims court in Wisconsin?

An individual can claim up to $10,000. A business can claim up to $10,000. A public agency can claim up to $10,000. That comes from Wis. Stat. §799.01(1)(d).

How long you have in Wisconsin

Every kind of claim has its own window, counted from the day the clock started. Miss it and the court usually cannot hear the claim.

How long you have in Wisconsin
Kind of claim	Window	Counted from	Rule
Security Deposit	6 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Wis. Stat. §893.43(1)
Unpaid Invoice	6 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Wis. Stat. §893.43(1)
Unpaid Loan	6 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Wis. Stat. §893.43(1)
Contractor Dispute	6 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Wis. Stat. §893.43(1)
Auto Repair	6 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Wis. Stat. §893.43(1)
Other	6 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Wis. Stat. §893.43(1)
Property Damage	3 years	the day the damage happened	Wis. Stat. §893.52
Sale of Goods	6 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Wis. Stat. §402.725(1)

Worked example

If the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken was 2026-03-15, a window of 6 years runs out on 2032-03-15. That is the same arithmetic the check uses: calendar months, clamped to the end of the month, and no roll forward to the next court day.

More about Wisconsin

Common questions

How long do you have to bring a small claims claim in Wisconsin?: The shortest window is 3 years, counted from the day the damage happened, under Wis. Stat. §893.52. Other kinds of claim run longer; the time-limit page lists each one.
How long do you have on a property damage claim in Wisconsin?: 3 years, counted from the day the damage happened, under Wis. Stat. §893.52.
How long do you have on a sale of goods claim in Wisconsin?: 6 years, counted from the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken, under Wis. Stat. §402.725(1).
How much can you claim in small claims court in Wisconsin?: An individual can claim up to $10,000. A business can claim up to $10,000. A public agency can claim up to $10,000. That comes from Wis. Stat. §799.01(1)(d).

Verify with your court

Numbers change, and a court can post its own variation. Open Wisconsin's small claims page and confirm anything you are about to rely on.

Open the court's small claims page

Verified on 2026-09-05, sources: Rules effective from 2016-04-13.

Wis. Stat. §893.43(1) · effective 1980-01-01 · A claim based on a written or spoken agreement must be filed within six years of when it was broken.
Wis. Stat. §893.52 · effective 1980-01-01 · A claim for damage to your property from a motor vehicle accident must be filed within three years; other property damage claims have six years.
Wis. Stat. §402.725(1) · effective 1979-07-01 · A claim about a sale of goods must be filed within six years of the breach.

FairSquare assembles documents and explains your court's rules. It is not a substitute for advice about your situation.