How to

How do you file a small claims case in California, and how much can you sue for?

STATECalifornia law: the Small Claims Act in the Code of Civil Procedure, as the Judicial Council of California’s forms, fee schedule and self-help guide state it. Other states are on the small claims guide.Checked by the Justice legal team against official sources · Last reviewed Nov 1, 20264 free tools on this page

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Short answer

In California small claims, a person can sue for up to $12,500 and a business for up to $6,250. Ask for the money first, file form SC-100 in the right county, pay $30 to $75, and have an adult not in the case serve the papers at least 15 days before trial. No lawyers at the hearing.

Quick guide

Can you use California small claims, and what does it cost to file?

1. Who is suing?

Two taps: who is suing, and how much.

Rehearse the small claims trial

It points to the part of this page that fits, in the page's own words. Nothing you choose is saved or sent. Not legal advice.

Key points

Limit: $12,500 for a person or sole proprietor, $6,250 for a business or public entity. Only 2 claims a calendar year for more than $2,500.
Cost: $30, $50 or $75 by the amount, or $100 after more than 12 claims in 12 months. A fee waiver is free to ask for.
Serve: At least 15 days before the trial, 20 days if the defendant is in another county; 25 or 30 days by substituted service.
After: The side ordered to pay has 30 days to appeal, ask to vacate or pay. The side that sued cannot appeal its own claim.

Small claims is the part of every California superior court that decides money disputes quickly and cheaply, with simple and informal rules. You can sue a person, a business or a California government agency that you think owes you money. You can ask a lawyer for advice before the trial, but not have one with you in court, and once you file, the trial is typically in about 1-2 months. SC-100-INFO · California Courts

This page goes deeper on California only: the limits and the exceptions, who can sue, asking for the money with a letter, the right county, form SC-100 and every fee, serving on time, what to do if you are sued, the trial, the 30 days after the judgment, appeals, collecting and the deadlines to sue. For how small claims works in Texas, Florida and New York, see small claims court.

How much you can sue for in California small claims

The limit is set by state law, so it is the same in every county, from Los Angeles to San Diego. It is the most you can ask for in one case, before court costs. Code Civ. Proc. §§ 116.220, 116.221 · SC-100-INFO

$12,500 for a person. A natural person, including a sole proprietor, can claim up to $12,500.SC-100-INFO · Code Civ. Proc. § 116.221
$6,250 for a business or public entity. Corporations, partnerships, public entities and other businesses are limited to $6,250. A defendant who sues back is held to the same limits.SC-100 · SC-100-INFO
Only 2 claims a year over $2,500. You cannot file more than two small claims cases in California for more than $2,500 each during a calendar year. Form SC-100 asks you to confirm it.SC-100, item 10 · SC-100-INFO
Different limits for a guarantor. If you are suing someone who guaranteed another person's debt, other limits apply. Check them with your small claims advisor before you file.Code Civ. Proc. § 116.220(c) · SC-100-INFO
COVID-19 rent above $12,500: not here. As of 10/1/2025, a landlord can no longer sue in small claims court for unpaid COVID-19 rental debt above $12,500, meaning rent and other costs incurred before Sept. 30, 2021, because of COVID-19.California Courts

Penalties can count toward the amount. Some laws let you ask for more than your loss. A landlord who keeps a security deposit in bad faith can be ordered to pay the deposit plus two times the amount of the deposit in damages, and someone harmed by unlicensed contractor work can ask for 3 times the amount of the damages. The total still has to fit under $12,500. California Courts: common issues

Sue only for what is due. If a friend borrowed $5,000 to repay at $100 a month and missed 2 payments, you can sue for the missed payments, $200, unless your agreement says otherwise, and sue again later, or wait until the end of the loan and sue for the whole amount. California Courts

Owed more than the limit? You can give up the amount over the limit and stay in small claims, or file in the civil division of the superior court: a limited civil case for $35,000 or less, or an unlimited civil case for more.

What differs	Small claims	Limited civil
Lawyers	No lawyer can represent you	Allowed, at your cost; a corporation must have one
Filing fees	Up to $100.00	Start at $225.00
Rules	Informal and simpler	All the regular civil rules, including the rules of evidence
Time to a decision	Generally within 3 months	Up to a year or longer
Appeal	The plaintiff cannot appeal its own claim	Either side can appeal
Claims over $2,500	No more than twice a calendar year	No limit
Serving the defendant	In California, with few exceptions	Outside California too

Tip. A small claims judge can generally order only money. If you want the other side to do something, ask for its value instead: a neighbor's fence on your land can be a claim for the $9,000 of damage, and a grill your ex won't return can be a claim for the price of a comparable one. California Courts

Who can sue in California small claims, and who you can sue

You must be 18 or older. If you are not yet 18, tell the clerk: the court can appoint a guardian ad litem, usually a parent, a relative or an adult friend, to act for you.SC-100-INFO
You appear yourself. A corporation sends an employee, an officer or a director; another entity sends a regularly employed person, who files form SC-109, Authorization to Appear. If you are in jail, the court may excuse you and let a non-attorney go for you.SC-100-INFO
The claim must be yours. Unless one of two technical exceptions applies, you must be the original owner of the claim: someone who bought a claim cannot sue on it in small claims.SC-100-INFO
A business name. If you do business under a fictitious name ("doing business as"), attach form SC-103.SC-103

Use the defendant's exact legal name. For a business or corporation, check the state or local licensing agency, the county clerk or the Secretary of State's business search; if you get the name wrong, the court may be able to correct it at the trial or after the judgment, but you might not be able to collect. With very limited exceptions, the defendant must be served in California, so a person who lives in another state usually cannot be sued here unless they come back, though a car accident with an out-of-state driver and a landlord who lives out of state are exceptions. SC-100-INFO · California Courts

Special rules before you sue some defendants. A California state or local government agency must first get a written claim from you (see the deadline to sue); you cannot sue the federal government in small claims. Many attorney-fee contracts require arbitration first, and an attorney fee dispute after arbitration needs form SC-101. Suing a healthcare provider has special rules too; if you don't follow them you will lose. SC-100, items 7 and 8 · California Courts

Step 1: ask for the money first

California requires you to ask the defendant to pay before you sue, in person, in writing or by phone, and form SC-100 asks whether you did. If your claim is for property, ask for the property back. Say how much they owe you and why. You don't need to ask if there is a restraining order between you or you think it would be dangerous. SC-100, item 4 · SC-100-INFO · California Courts

A letter is the easiest proof that you asked. Keep a copy, and don't wait if your deadline to sue is coming up soon: you can file right after you ask. The tool below writes a California letter for money owed, a security deposit or property to return.

For a security deposit, a California landlord has 21 days after you move out to return the deposit or send an itemized list of what was taken out and why, with receipts if the deductions are more than $125. California Courts: common issues

Tip. Mediation is often free. Many small claims courts offer free or low-cost mediation before the trial or on the trial day, and many counties run dispute resolution programs. In court you have only 5 - 10 minutes; in mediation you often have an hour or more, and a private agreement keeps a judgment off your credit report. California Courts: mediation

Letter generator · 3 letter types

Write your California demand letter

Written to meet California's rule that you ask before you sue (form SC-100, item 4) · checked Nov 1, 2026

What are you asking for?

Your full nameYour mailing addressTheir exact legal name, or the business nameTheir mailing addressAmount you are asking forOnly what is due now. California small claims is limited to $12,500 for a person.Date it happened, or the date payment was dueWhat happened, in one to three sentencesDates, amounts and facts only.

How long to give them

I will file in small claims court if this is not resolved

Pick what you are asking for, then fill in the names, the amount and what happened.

Rehearse the small claims trial Why California requires you to ask first

Each rule comes from the official source linked in the result. It runs on your device: nothing you type is stored or sent. General information, not legal advice.

Step 2: file in the right county

Each county has its own small claims court, and you must sue in the right one (venue). Usually that is the county where the defendant lives or does business. Form SC-100 asks which reason applies, and the self-help guide lists other options: SC-100, item 5 · California Courts

Injury or car accident: where the other side lives, or where the accident or injury happened.
A broken agreement: where it was made or signed, where it was broken, where it was to be performed, or where the defendant lived or did business when it was made.
Something you bought or work you paid for, for personal, family or household use: where you signed the contract, live now or lived when you made it. Code Civ. Proc. § 395(b)
A retail installment contract, such as a credit card: where the buyer signed, lives now or lived then. Civ. Code § 1812.10
A vehicle finance sale: the same, or where the vehicle is permanently garaged. Civ. Code § 2984.4

If you file in the wrong court, the court will dismiss the claim unless all defendants come to the trial and agree to have it heard. Larger counties have several courthouses: check the court's website or ask the clerk which one takes your case. SC-100-INFO · California Courts

Step 3: fill out and file form SC-100, and pay the fee

Fill out the Plaintiff's Claim, form SC-100. It says who you are, who you are suing, why, how much and why you are suing in that county. The free Guide & File app asks you questions and fills it in, or you can type into the fillable PDF. Add form SC-100A for more plaintiffs or defendants, SC-103 for a fictitious business name, SC-101 for an attorney fee dispute after arbitration, and any local forms your court requires.
Make copies. One for you and one for each defendant, so the original and at least 2 copies.
File it. Give the original and the copies to the clerk, who stamps them, keeps the original and writes the trial date on the form. You can file by mail with the fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope; some courts allow e-filing.
Pay the fee, or ask for a fee waiver. See the fees below. If you get public benefits, your income is below a set amount, or you can't pay and meet your basic needs, ask for a fee waiver on form FW-001. It can also cover the sheriff's fee to serve your papers, and what you write on it is confidential.

What you file	Fee	Code section
A claim for $1,500 or less	$30	Code Civ. Proc. § 116.230(b)(1)
More than $1,500, up to $5,000	$50	§ 116.230(b)(2)
More than $5,000, up to $12,500 (a natural person)	$75	§ 116.230(b)(3)
Any claim, if you filed more than 12 small claims in California in the previous 12 months	$100	§ 116.230(c)
Raising a claim from $1,500 or less to up to $5,000; from up to $5,000 to up to $12,500; or from $1,500 or less to up to $12,500	$20, $25 or $45	§ 116.230(d)
The clerk mails the claim to a defendant by certified mail	$15 each	§ 116.232
Asking to postpone the trial, once the defendant has been served	$10	§ 116.570
A motion to vacate the judgment	$20	§ 116.745
A notice of appeal	$75	§ 116.760
Paying the judgment to the court	$20	§ 116.860
An order to examine the judgment debtor	$60	Gov. Code § 70617(a)(6)

Judicial Council of California, Statewide Civil Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2026. A defendant who sues back pays the same filing fees. Once you file, you typically get a trial date in about 1-2 months.

Step 4: serve the papers, on time

You cannot serve the papers yourself. Someone 18 or older who is not part of the case must deliver a court-stamped copy of every page to each defendant: a friend or family member, the sheriff in some counties (for a fee, unless you have a fee waiver), or a professional process server. SC-100 · California Courts

Personal service: 15 or 20 days before the trial. The server hands the papers to the defendant at least 15 days before the trial date, or 20 days if the defendant is in a different county from the court.SC-100-INFO · California Courts
Substituted service: 25 or 30 days before. If the defendant isn't at home or work, the server can leave the papers with an adult who lives there or seems to be in charge, and must mail a copy to the same address. Service is not complete until 10 days after the mailing, so it must be done at least 25 days before the trial, or 30 days if the defendant is in another county.SC-100-INFO · California Courts
Certified mail by the clerk: $15, often fails. Some courts send the papers by certified mail for $15. It often doesn't work, because the person won't pick up the mail or someone else signs. It works best for a business's agent for service of process.California Courts · § 116.232
Businesses and agencies. Serve the specific person form SC-104C names for each kind of business, such as the agent for service listed with the Secretary of State, not just any employee. You can serve a landlord out of state, and for an out-of-state driver, serve the driver, the owner and the Director of the DMV.SC-104C · California Courts

How to count back. The day before the trial is day 1. Count back to 15 (or 20, 25 or 30); if that day is a Saturday, Sunday or court holiday, keep counting back to the first day the court is open, and serve by the end of that day. Then the server signs the Proof of Service, form SC-104, and you file it at least 5 days before the trial. California Courts

Watch out. Can't serve in time? Ask to move the trial with a Request to Postpone Trial, form SC-150, 10 or more days before the trial date if you can, and mail a copy to everyone in the case. California Courts · SC-150

If you are sued in California small claims

Read the Plaintiff's Claim (SC-100) right away. The trial date, time and place are on page 1; who is suing you and for how much are on page 2. You don't have to file anything before the trial unless you think it is the wrong court, in which case you send the court a letter explaining why and give a copy to every party. SC-100 · California Courts

If…	What to do	Good to know
You agree you owe it	Pay, or settle and have the plaintiff file a Request for Dismissal (CIV-110) or a signed agreement.	If you can't pay now, go to the trial and say you want to make payments.
You disagree	Go to the trial with your witnesses, receipts and evidence.	If you were served and don't go, you will probably lose and owe the money.
They owe you too	File and serve a Defendant's Claim, form SC-120, at least 5 days before the trial.	If you were served 10 days or less before the trial, at least 1 day before. The same fees and limits apply.
You can't go that day	File a Request to Postpone Trial, form SC-150, and mail a copy to the other side.	There is a $10.00 fee if you were served on time.

Served on time? For the postponement fee, "on time" means at least 15 days before the trial if you live in the court's county, 20 days if you live in another county, or 25 (or 30) days by substituted service. There is no fee for a first request made because you need time to find an interpreter. California Courts

Tip. A free small claims advisor can explain your options, including what to do if you think you were not served properly or are being sued in the wrong county. California Courts

The trial: what to bring and what to say

Get there early. The date, time and courthouse are on the front of form SC-100. Leave time for parking, security and checking in with the bailiff. If you cannot come during working hours, ask whether the court holds trials at night or on Saturdays.
Bring your proof. All witnesses, books, receipts and papers. A witness who won't come can be ordered to with a Small Claims Subpoena (form SC-107), and a witness can charge a fee for going. Records can also be ordered brought to the trial.
Tell the judge your side, briefly. The plaintiff speaks first. Explain the situation, what you want the judge to order and why. You may have only a few minutes; don't interrupt, and note what you want to answer.
Get the decision. The judge may decide at the end of the trial or mail the decision later, on a Notice of Entry of Judgment (form SC-130 or SC-200). Ask the judge to explain anything you don't understand.

If someone doesn't come. If the plaintiff doesn't show up, the case will be dismissed. If the defendant doesn't show up and the plaintiff can prove the case, the plaintiff will likely win.California Courts
Remote trials. Some trials are by video or phone. Ask the clerk or the self-help center as soon as possible if you need to appear remotely; there may be a fee, which a fee waiver covers. Send evidence you will show to the court and the other side ahead of time.California Courts: remote hearings
Interpreters and accommodations. Ask the clerk for a court interpreter as soon as possible, on form INT-300 or a local form; you cannot bring your own unless the court has approved them. Assistive listening, real-time captioning or sign language interpreters are available if you ask at least five days before the trial, on form MC-410.SC-100 · SC-100-INFO

After the judgment: the 30 days

Everything runs from the Notice of Entry of Judgment. The side ordered to pay has 30 days from when it was handed or mailed to them (the mailing date is on the Clerk's Certificate of Mailing) to appeal, ask to vacate or pay. During those 30 days the winner cannot take legal steps to collect. SC-200-INFO

Pay, or ask for payments. Pay the winner directly, or pay the court with form SC-145, which charges about $20 to pass it on. If you can't pay all at once, ask the judge to allow payments with form SC-220; the winner has 10 days to agree or object on form SC-221. If a payment is missed, the whole balance can become due.SC-200-INFO · California Courts
Or tell the winner what you own. Unless you pay, appeal or move to vacate, you must fill out the Judgment Debtor's Statement of Assets, form SC-133, and deliver it to the winner within 30 days. It is mailed to the winner, not filed with the court; if you don't, the court can order attorney fees and other penalties.SC-133 · SC-200-INFO
What not paying costs. Unpaid amounts gather interest at 5% or 10% per year, collection costs can be added, the judgment may show up on your credit report, wages, bank accounts and property can be taken, and after a car accident on a California highway the DMV can suspend your driver's license.SC-200-INFO · California Courts

Date calculator · 5 stages

Your California small claims dates

Read from forms SC-100, SC-100-INFO, SC-150 and SC-200-INFO and the California Courts self-help guide · checked Nov 1, 2026

Where is your case?

The trial date on form SC-100

Where is the person you are serving?

Were you served 10 days or less before the trial?

Date the Notice of Entry of Judgment was handed or mailed to youIf it was mailed, the date is on the Clerk's Certificate of Mailing.Date the denial of your motion to vacate was mailedThe day you found out about the judgment

Pick where your case is, then enter the date on your papers.

Rehearse the small claims trial How to count back from the trial

Each rule comes from the official source linked in the result. It runs on your device: nothing you type is stored or sent. General information, not legal advice.

Appeals and motions to vacate

Only the side ordered to pay can appeal. Usually that is the defendant; a plaintiff can appeal only a decision on the defendant's own claim against them. If you started the case and lost, the judge's decision on your claim is final, though you may ask the court to correct a mistake in the judgment. SC-100, item 11 · SC-200-INFO · California Courts

Appeal: form SC-140, within 30 days, $75. If you went to the trial and owe money, file a Notice of Appeal within 30 days after the Notice of Entry of Judgment was handed or mailed to you. The appeal is a new trial in the superior court before a different judge, on all claims, and this time each side can have a lawyer. Its decision is final.Code Civ. Proc. § 116.710 · SC-140 · California Courts
Fees for the other side. The judge can order the side that appealed to pay the other side up to $150 in attorney fees and up to $150 for lost pay, travel and hotel costs; if the appeal was filed to harass or delay, up to $1,000 and $1,000.California Courts
Missed the trial? Vacate: form SC-135, within 30 days, $20. Either side that missed the trial can ask the court to cancel the decision, with a good reason such as a serious emergency or never getting the papers. If the court denies it, you have 10 days from the date the denial was mailed to appeal.Code Civ. Proc. §§ 116.720, 116.730, 116.740 · SC-135 · SC-200-INFO
Never properly served: 180 days. If the claim was not served on you the right way, you have 180 days from when you found out, or should have found out, about the judgment to ask to cancel it.SC-200-INFO · California Courts
An insurer can appeal too. If the judgment against a defendant exceeds $2,500 and the defendant's insurance covers the matter, the insurer can join the notice of appeal.SC-140

Collecting the money in California

The court does not collect the money for you. Wait at least 30 days after the Notice of Entry of Judgment was handed or mailed to you; if the other side has not appealed, asked to vacate or paid, they must send you form SC-133 listing what they earn and own. Collecting can take a lot of time and money, and you may not collect any of it, so a quick lump-sum deal or a written payment plan is often worth it. California Courts · SC-200-INFO

Find the money. Use form SC-133. If it never arrives or isn't enough, ask for a debtor's exam, where the debtor must come to court and answer questions: form SC-134 (SC-136 for a consumer debt), or EJ-125 after SC-133 arrives.
Take it from pay or a bank. Get a Writ of Execution, form EJ-130, issued by the clerk, and give it to the sheriff or other levying officer, who works with the employer (wage garnishment) or the bank (a bank levy).
Put a lien on real estate. Get an Abstract of Judgment, form EJ-001, and record it with the county recorder where the debtor owns property, so a sale or refinance pays you.
Other ways. A till tap or keeper at a business, a hold on a professional or driver's license, or a court order to turn over valuable property. Keep track of what you spend: costs and interest can be added.

A judgment lasts 10 years, and can be renewed before it expires. When you are paid in full, file an Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (SC-290, or EJ-100 if an abstract was recorded) within 14 days of being paid; if you don't, the debtor can sue you for $50 plus any damage it caused. California Courts · SC-200-INFO

How long you have to take someone to small claims court

Every claim has a filing deadline, the statute of limitations, in small claims too. If you file after it, the other side can ask the judge to rule against you, and they will probably win even if you had a good case. California's courts list some common deadlines: California Courts

Written agreement: 4 years from when it was broken.
Unwritten (verbal) agreement: 2 years from when it was broken.
Personal injury: 2 years from the injury.
Property damage: 3 years from when it was damaged.

Suing a California government agency starts with an administrative claim to the agency, within 6 months of an injury to you or damage to your property, or 1 year from a broken contract or damage to real estate. The agency has 45 days to answer; if it denies the claim, you have 6 months from the date it mailed the rejection to file in small claims, and if it doesn't answer, you generally have up to 2 years from the injury. California Courts · Gov. Code §§ 905, 911.2

See the statute of limitations for other deadlines and the rules that can pause them.

Free help in California

Every county must offer small claims help free of charge. Most counties have a small claims advisor who gives free legal information; the services vary by county, in person, by phone or online. Self-help centers give legal information to people without a lawyer, and the State Bar's Lawyer Referral Services can point you to a local bar association. SC-100-INFO · California Courts

Find your small claims advisorFree legal information on your case, by county.California Courts: small claimsEvery step and form, from asking for the money to collecting.Write a demand letterOur letter tool for any state, and how to send it.Getting your security deposit backThe 21 days, the deductions and the small claims case against a landlord.Find a lawyer or legal aid in CaliforniaFor advice before the trial, an appeal or collecting.Small claims in other statesTexas, Florida and New York, side by side.

Common questions about small claims in California

What is the small claims limit in California?

$12,500 for a person, including a sole proprietor, and $6,250 for a business or public entity. You can file only two claims a calendar year for more than $2,500 each, and different limits apply to a guarantor. The limit is the same in every county.

How much does it cost to file a small claims court case in California?

$30 for a claim of $1,500 or less, $50 up to $5,000 and $75 up to $12,500, or $100 if you filed more than 12 small claims in California in the past 12 months. If you can't afford it, ask for a fee waiver. Serving by the clerk's certified mail costs $15 per defendant. See forms and fees.

How long do I have to take someone to small claims court in California?

It depends on the claim: 4 years for a written agreement, 2 years for an unwritten one, 2 years for a personal injury and 3 years for property damage. Against a government agency, you must first file a claim with it, within 6 months or 1 year. See the deadline to sue.

What happens if you win in small claims court and they don't pay in California?

After 30 days, the other side must send you form SC-133 listing what they earn and own. You can then ask for a debtor's exam, get a Writ of Execution to garnish wages or levy a bank account through the sheriff, or record an Abstract of Judgment as a lien on real estate. The court will not collect for you. See collecting.

What are the disadvantages of small claims court?

No lawyer can represent you, the court does not collect the money for you, the plaintiff cannot appeal if it loses its own claim, the limit is $12,500 ($6,250 for a business), and you usually must be able to serve the defendant in California. See small claims or limited civil.

Can you sue two people for the same thing in small claims?

Yes. List each defendant on form SC-100, using form SC-100A if you need more space, and have each one served. A court-stamped copy goes to every defendant.

What do you need before you file a small claims case?

California's courts list what to work out first: how much to ask for under the limit, a legal reason the other side owes you, who to sue and where they are, the proof you will need, no agreement that keeps you out of court, and a deadline that has not passed. Then ask for the money. See ask first.

How much can you sue for property damage in California small claims?

Up to $12,500 if you are a person, $6,250 for a business, within 3 years of the damage. You can sue the driver at fault and also the car's owner, but not the other driver's insurance company.

Is it worth going to small claims court for $1,000 or $2,000?

Often, since the fee is $30 or $50 and the trial is usually within 1-2 months. California's courts suggest asking whether the other side can pay, whether winning will fix the problem or ruin a relationship, and whether the time to go to court and collect is worth it. Mediation can settle it faster.

Can I have a lawyer in California small claims court?

Not at the trial: you may ask a lawyer for advice before or after, but a lawyer may not represent either side in court. After the judgment and on an appeal, both sides can have lawyers.

Can I appeal a California small claims decision?

Only if the judge ordered you to pay and you went to the trial: file form SC-140 within 30 days after the Notice of Entry of Judgment was handed or mailed to you, with a $75 fee. If you missed the trial, file form SC-135 to vacate instead. The side that sued cannot appeal its own claim.

Does a small claims judgment go on your credit report?

It may. If the judge decides you owe money, the judgment can show up on your credit report; a private agreement reached in mediation avoids a judgment. Once you pay, the winner must file an Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment within 14 days.

Official sources

California Courts Self-Help Guide: Small claims in California (limits, fees, 1-2 months, COVID-19 rental debt) selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Before you start a small claims case (limits, examples, who to sue, proof, deadlines) selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Ask for the money selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Where to file your small claims case selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Fill out forms to start a small claims case selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: File your Plaintiff's Claim (fees, filing by mail) selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Serve your small claims forms selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Substituted service (25 or 30 days) selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Change your small claims court date selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: If you are sued (form SC-100) selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: File your Defendant's Claim selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Go to your small claims trial selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Remote court hearings selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Mediation in small claims selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: After your trial, appeal or pay selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Appeal the judge's decision ($75) selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Small claims appeals (fees for the other side) selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Ask to cancel (vacate) the judge's decision selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Collect your money (the 30-day wait, SC-133, payment plans) selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: How to collect your money selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: If you can't pay your small claims judgment selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Small claims or limited civil selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Ask a government agency to pay you selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Common issues in small claims (security deposits, contractors) selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Find your small claims advisor selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
California Courts Self-Help Guide: Fee waivers selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
Judicial Council form SC-100: Plaintiff's Claim and ORDER to Go to Small Claims Court (Rev. January 1, 2026) (PDF) courts.ca.gov
Judicial Council form SC-100-INFO: Information for the Small Claims Plaintiff (PDF) courts.ca.gov
Judicial Council form SC-103: Fictitious Business Name (PDF) courts.ca.gov
Judicial Council form SC-104C: How to Serve a Business or Public Entity (PDF) courts.ca.gov
Judicial Council form SC-120: Defendant's Claim and ORDER to Go to Small Claims Court (PDF) courts.ca.gov
Judicial Council form SC-133: Judgment Debtor's Statement of Assets (PDF) courts.ca.gov
Judicial Council form SC-135: Notice of Motion to Vacate Judgment and Declaration (PDF) courts.ca.gov
Judicial Council form SC-140: Notice of Appeal (PDF) courts.ca.gov
Judicial Council form SC-150: Request to Postpone Trial (PDF) courts.ca.gov
Judicial Council form SC-200-INFO: What to Do After the Court Decides Your Small Claims Case (Rev. January 1, 2026) (PDF) courts.ca.gov
Judicial Council of California: Statewide Civil Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2026 (small claims fees, lines 81-94) (PDF) courts.ca.gov

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