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In New Hanover County, money disputes up to $10,000 go to the small-claims court: simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
What follows covers the maximum you can claim in New Hanover County, court fees, the right courthouse, serving the defendant, the deadlines that apply, and the filing process itself. Squabble handles the documents and the filing if you want that.
These cases are heard at the single courthouse below. New Hanover County confirms the venue from the defendant's address or where the events happened.
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.
About 243,333 people live in New Hanover County. New Hanover County covers 16 ZIP codes, including the Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne and Kure Beach areas.
This court takes small-claims filings electronically, so the case can be started from home.
Small claims are heard at the courthouse, in person.
Bring copies of your evidence for the judge and the other side; some courts also accept electronic submission ahead of the hearing.
Residents of New Hanover County, North Carolina, which has a population of 243,333, can bring small claims cases through the North Carolina Small Claims Court. The county includes Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne, Kure Beach, and Wrightsville Beach, along with ZIP codes such as 28401, 28403, 28405, 28409, and 28480. Claims filed in this court are limited to $10,000. Cases are heard at the New Hanover County Courthouse, located at 316 Princess Street in Wilmington, 28401, which can be reached at (910) 772-6600. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Electronic filing is available. Additional information is posted at https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/new-hanover-county/new-hanover-county-courthouse. New Hanover County lies near Pender County, Brunswick County, and Columbus County, each of which operates within the same statewide court system.
New Hanover County covers these 5 towns and cities:
Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne, Kure Beach, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach.
ZIP codes:
New Hanover County holds about 243,333 people, 11th of the 100 counties in North Carolina. From Wilmington, New Hanover County Courthouse is roughly 11 miles from the Pender County courthouse in Burgaw and 9 miles from the Brunswick County courthouse in Bolivia.
Neighbouring counties and the courts that serve them:
Everyday disputes over money belong in the small claims division, where the rules are simplified, and the sum in question has an upper bound.
Maximum claim
Where the dispute arose does not set venue in this state; where they live does.
You can't divide one dispute into several smaller cases to get around the limit.
The court decides who pays whom and how much. Anything beyond money goes to a higher court.
North Carolina allows attorneys at the hearing, but none is required. The procedures are designed for self-representation.
Where a party is under 18, the court appoints a guardian to act.
Over the limit? Either bring the figure down to the maximum and remain in small claims, or file the whole amount in the regular civil court. The amount given up is usually gone for good.
These are the limits for New Hanover County, population about 243,333. New Hanover County Courthouse is the courthouse listed for New Hanover County.
If someone owes you money, up to $10,000, small claims is built for it. These are the disputes residents bring most often.
New Hanover County Courthouse is the New Hanover County courthouse listed below. New Hanover County takes in Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne and Kure Beach 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.
The defendant receives the papers through formal service and can reply or negotiate an end to it.
A short hearing, held in the courtroom or remotely where that is offered. A decision follows on the day or shortly afterwards.
New Hanover County Courthouse publishes its counter hours; they are listed on this page. This is the route a New Hanover County case takes, whether it starts in 28401 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes.
A filed case still has to reach the defendant. Formal notice, known as service of process, does that, and delivering it personally is generally not allowed. In North Carolina, courts typically use delivery arranged by the court, email service where the court allows it or the sheriff or constable.
The options usually include a sheriff or constable, a licensed process server, certified mail sent by the clerk, or any adult with no stake in the case. What is allowed, and what it costs, differs from county to county.
How long before the hearing notice must be given is set by the court. That deadline arrives with your hearing date. Service must be completed within 5 days of hearing. NC has close hearing dates.
After delivery, the server fills out a proof of service, and that goes on the court file before the hearing.
Service is where many self-filed cases stall. Squabble can coordinate professional Service of Process so it's done correctly and on time.
A New Hanover County address carries one of its 16 ZIP codes, 28401, 28402 and 28403 among them. Pender County and Brunswick County are the counties nearest to New Hanover County.
Claims do not stay open indefinitely. Time runs from the events themselves, and a filing made afterwards may be shut out.
| Type of claim | How long you have |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 3 years |
| Oral contract | 3 years |
| Property damage | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
They do not change from one New Hanover County ZIP code to another, 28401 included. The same periods apply in New Hanover County as in nearby Pender County and Brunswick County, which are in the same state.
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).
A running total including interest can be worked out with the Squabble interest calculator.
New Hanover County is under the same state rate as nearby Pender County and Brunswick County. It is the same rate across all 16 New Hanover County ZIP codes.
Two checks first: the amount must fall within the ceiling, and the claim must still be in time.
Name the correct party, describe what happened, and show how the amount is calculated.
File with the New Hanover County small-claims court, or e-file, and pay the $96 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
Service comes after the date is set. File the server's proof once the papers have been delivered.
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 →A claim form opens the case, a proof of service records that notice was given, and a fee waiver applies where you qualify. Titles differ between courts, and Squabble uses the ones your courthouse expects.
New Hanover County has a population of about 243,333. Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne and Kure Beach are among the places in New Hanover County that filings come from.
Small claims hearings are short and informal, and the judge asks questions directly. Most people present their own case.
Hearings in New Hanover County cases are listed at New Hanover County Courthouse in Wilmington. New Hanover County has about 243,333 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.
Part of the debtor's earnings may be redirected toward the judgment where state law provides for it.
A court-ordered levy allows funds to be taken from the debtor's bank account.
Lodging the judgment with the county can create a lien over property the debtor owns.
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.
Pender County and Brunswick County are the counties nearest to New Hanover County. Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne and Kure Beach are among the New Hanover County places a judgment debtor may live in.
Last reviewed August 2026. Court fees, limits, and procedures change. Verify current details with the court before filing.
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 New Hanover County case for you.
