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Money disputes up to $10,000 are settled in the Beaufort County small-claims court, which runs on simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
Read on for the claim ceiling, the fees, the courthouse serving Beaufort County, the way the other side is notified, the cut-off dates, and each filing step. Squabble prepares the paperwork and files it on your behalf.
Beaufort County hears small claims at the courthouse listed here, with the venue confirmed at filing from the defendant's address or the location of the dispute.
Tap a courthouse to see its details in the list below.
Check the filing location first. The court's small-claims page lists where papers are taken today, and Squabble confirms it for your case as part of filing.
Small claims filings from Beaufort County are handled at Beaufort County Courthouse in Washington. About 44,576 people live in Beaufort County.
Small claims can be filed electronically here, which means the case can begin without going to the counter.
Hearings in small claims are attended in person at the courthouse.
Have copies of your evidence for the bench and for the other party. Some courts take documents electronically before the hearing as well.
Residents of Beaufort County, North Carolina, which has a population of 44,576, can bring small claims cases through the North Carolina Small Claims Court. Cases are heard at the Beaufort County Courthouse, located at 112 W 2nd St in Washington, 27889, which can be reached at (252) 940-4000 or online at https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/beaufort-county. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and is closed on Saturday and Sunday. The North Carolina Small Claims Court handles claims up to $10,000. The county covers communities including Aurora, Bath, Belhaven, Blounts Creek, Chocowinity, Edward, Pantego, Pinetown, and Washington, along with ZIP codes such as 27806, 27808, 27810, 27814, 27817, 27821, 27860, 27865, and 27889. Beaufort County lies near Pamlico County, Craven County, and Washington County. Electronic filing is available in this county, in addition to filings made at the courthouse during its posted hours.
These 9 places sit inside Beaufort County:
Aurora, Bath, Belhaven, Blounts Creek, Chocowinity, Edward, Pantego, Pinetown, Washington.
ZIP codes:
Beaufort County holds about 44,576 people, 59th of the 100 counties in North Carolina. Beaufort County Courthouse, in Washington, is about 16 miles from the Pamlico County courthouse in Bayboro and 15 miles from the Craven County courthouse in New Bern.
Counties nearest to this one:
The small claims track exists for routine money disputes: fewer formalities, and a cap on what can be claimed.
Maximum claim
This state ties venue to the defendant's residence rather than to the events.
Courts do not allow one dispute to be filed as several in order to beat the maximum.
What this court awards is a sum of money, not an instruction to act or to hand something back.
Lawyers are allowed at a North Carolina hearing but are not needed. The procedure is written for self-representation.
Where a party is under 18, the court appoints a guardian to act.
Over the limit? A claim above the ceiling can be trimmed to fit, or filed in full in the ordinary civil court. Trimming generally means writing off the remainder.
Beaufort County is under the same limits as nearby Pamlico County and Craven County. Beaufort County Courthouse is the courthouse listed for Beaufort County.
Where money is owed and the sum is no more than $10,000, this is the right court. The following disputes are the common ones.
Beaufort County Courthouse is the Beaufort County courthouse listed below. Beaufort County takes in Aurora, Bath and Belhaven and the rest of the county.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Fill in the claim, pick the courthouse that covers the dispute, and pay what the court charges.
Service puts the papers in the defendant's hands and starts their time to answer or settle.
A short hearing, held in the courtroom or remotely where that is offered. A decision follows on the day or shortly afterwards.
Everything below applies to a case filed in Beaufort County, at the Washington courthouse. Beaufort County Courthouse lists (252) 940-4000 as its number.
The defendant must be given formal notice after filing. This is service of process, and as a rule you are not permitted to serve the papers yourself. Courts in North Carolina generally rely on delivery arranged by the court, email service where the court allows it or the sheriff or constable.
Courts accept service by a sheriff or constable, a professional server, the clerk via certified mail, or an adult who is not party to the case. Permitted methods and charges change by county.
Courts set their own cut-off for how many days before the hearing notice must land. The clerk gives you that date along with the hearing date. Service must be completed within 5 days of hearing. NC has close hearing dates.
Service is proved on paper. The server completes and signs a form, and it is filed before the matter is heard.
Service is where many self-filed cases stall. Squabble can coordinate professional Service of Process so it's done correctly and on time.
Pamlico County and Craven County are the counties nearest to Beaufort County. Addresses in Beaufort County include places such as Aurora, Bath and Belhaven.
The law fixes how long you have, counted from the dispute itself. A case brought later can be refused outright.
| What the claim is about | How long you have |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 3 years |
| Oral contract | 3 years |
| Property damage | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
Beaufort County, population about 44,576, is covered by the table above. They do not change from one Beaufort County ZIP code to another, 27806 included.
Money owed under a contract in North Carolina generally accrues interest at 8% per year before judgment (N.C. Gen. Stat. §24-1, §24-5).
Interest can be calculated before filing using the Squabble interest calculator.
Beaufort County is under the same state rate as nearby Pamlico County and Craven County. The rate above is the one for Beaufort County, population about 44,576.
Check that the amount is within the limit and that you're inside the statute of limitations for your claim type.
Use the other side's correct legal name, describe the dispute, and show how the money adds up.
File with the Beaufort County small-claims court, or e-file, and pay the $30–$96 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
Once the court fixes a date, have the papers served and return the proof of service to the file.
Arrange your evidence and number the exhibits so nothing has to be searched for on the day.
Turn up on the day, in person or remotely where offered, present what happened, and take the decision.
Describe the dispute to Eleanor. Squabble drafts the paperwork, puts it through a Triple-Check™ for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and lodges it with the court.
Start for FREE →Claim form starts the case · Proof of service shows the defendant was notified · Fee waiver if you qualify. Exact form names vary by court; Squabble prepares the right ones for your courthouse.
Aurora, Bath and Belhaven are among the places in Beaufort County that filings come from. Beaufort County papers go to Beaufort County Courthouse in Washington.
Small claims hearings are short and informal, and the judge asks questions directly. Most people present their own case.
Beaufort County Courthouse sits at the 27889 address shown above. Beaufort County has about 44,576 residents.
The decision settles who owes what. Turning it into money is a separate stage, and the tools the court makes available differ by state.
Where the law allows, an employer can be directed to send part of the debtor's pay to the court.
Funds can be collected directly from the debtor's bank account through a court-ordered levy.
Recording the judgment with the county can place a lien on the debtor's real property.
You can also ask the court to order the debtor to appear and disclose income and assets under oath. An unpaid judgment generally keeps accruing interest at the rate state law sets until it's satisfied.
Aurora, Bath and Belhaven are among the Beaufort County places a judgment debtor may live in. The judgment in a Beaufort County case comes from Beaufort County Courthouse in Washington.
Reviewed August 2026. Fees, limits and procedures are revised from time to time, so confirm them with the court before you file.
Talk with Eleanor about what happened. Squabble prepares your demand letter and court-ready documents, Triple-Checks them for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and files your Beaufort County case for you.
