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Small claims forms · California

California small claims court forms, filled in for you

Answer a few questions once. Vera fills in the California court's own forms from your answers, walks you through anything left, and gives you one packet to file, with how to file it.

Fill in my forms — start free
Sign online where the court accepts it. E-filing: Courts that take small claims e-filing; the signer is the filer (CCP 1010.6). Forms sworn before a notary or the clerk are still signed by hand.

To sue (you're the plaintiff)

  • Plaintiff's Claim and ORDER to Go to Small Claims Court (SC-100)Sign online

    The court's own form (www.courts.ca.gov)

    What to know
    • Read Information for the Plaintiff (SC-100-INFO) before you fill out this form (the form, page 1). This one form is both your claim and the order for the defendant to go to court: there is no separate summons. The clerk fills in the case number and case name in the box on page 1 and the trial date: leave them (the form, page 1).
    • Vera filled the county in the court box on page 1 when your court's name gives it, the names in items 1 and 2 and at the top of pages 2 to 4, the case number there if your case has one, and your printed name on page 4. From your answers in Court forms it filled the addresses, phones and email, a business's registered agent as the person authorized for service (only for a corporation, LLC or public entity, as item 2 says), the box in item 2 for more than one defendant when you named a second one, and items 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10: the amount, why it is owed, when, how you calculated it, whether you asked the defendant to pay first ("You must ask the defendant ... to pay you before you sue"), why you are filing at this courthouse, and whether the claim is over $2,500. Check each one. Add the court's street address on page 1 (the form, items 1 to 10).
    • Still yours: if you did not ask the defendant to pay, explain why in item 4; if item 5 is "other", say why; and answer items 7, 8 and 9 (an attorney-client fee dispute, suing a public entity, and more than 12 small claims in 12 months). Vera marks none of them (the form).
    • Where to file: item 5 lists the places a courthouse covers, such as where the defendant lives or does business, where the property was damaged or you were injured, or where a contract was made, signed, performed or broken (the form, item 5). "Venue and court location requirements in small claims actions shall be the same as in other civil actions" (Code of Civil Procedure section 116.370(a)).
    • The limit is $12,500 for a claim brought by a natural person (Code of Civil Procedure section 116.221) and $6,250 for others, such as a business (Code of Civil Procedure section 116.220(a)(1)). You may not file more than two small claims cases for more than $2,500 in California in the same calendar year (the form, item 10). By filing, you have no right to appeal your own claim (the form, item 11).
    • If you or another plaintiff does business under a fictitious name, attach Fictitious Business Name (SC-103). If there are more than two plaintiffs or more than one defendant, attach Other Plaintiffs or Defendants (SC-100A), offered here (the form, items 1 and 2). The form has no separate blank for interest, and Vera did not add your interest answers to the amount in item 3: item 3c asks "How did you calculate the money owed to you?" (the form, item 3).
    • No lawyer may take part in the case for you: "no attorney may take part in the conduct or defense of a small claims action", except an attorney suing or sued for themselves (Code of Civil Procedure section 116.530). A corporation appears "only through a regular employee, or a duly appointed or elected officer or director" who is not there "solely" to represent it in small claims court; other businesses the same way, or a partner (Code of Civil Procedure section 116.540(b), (c)).
    • The filing fee: "$30 if you're suing for up to $1,500", "$50 if you're suing for over $1,500 and up to $5,000", "$75 if you're suing for over $5,000 and up to $12,500", and "If you've filed more than 12 small claims cases in the past 12 months, your fee is $100." If you cannot afford it, you can ask for a fee waiver (California Courts Self-Help Guide, File your small claims forms).
    • Make copies of all pages and attachments, one for each party and one for you, and file the original and copies with the clerk, who writes the trial date on page 1 (the form, page 1).
    • You cannot serve the defendant yourself. Someone 18 or older who is not part of the case hands a court-stamped copy of all pages to each defendant, or leaves it with an adult at their home or work and mails a copy; some courts' clerks serve by certified mail for $15. To serve a business or public entity, see How to Serve a Business or Public Entity (SC-104C) (California Courts Self-Help Guide, Serve your small claims forms; Code of Civil Procedure section 116.340(a)).
    • Service must be completed at least 15 days before the trial date if the defendant lives in the county where you filed, or 20 days if outside it (Code of Civil Procedure section 116.340(b)). The server then fills out and signs Proof of Service (SC-104), and you file it at least 5 days before the trial (Code of Civil Procedure section 116.340(c); California Courts Self-Help Guide, Serve your small claims forms).
    • If your claim is for the return of a residential security deposit: the landlord must, "No later than 21 calendar days after the tenant has vacated the premises", give you an itemized statement and return any remaining portion of the deposit; bad faith retention may bring "statutory damages of up to twice the amount of the security, in addition to actual damages"; and the claim may be brought in small claims court within its limits (Civil Code section 1950.5(h)(1), (m), (o)).
    • Print the form, then date and sign it by hand. You sign under penalty of perjury (the form). Vera never signs or dates a form.

  • Other Plaintiffs or Defendants (SC-100A)Sign online

    Only if there are more than two plaintiffs or more than one defendant.

    The court's own form (www.courts.ca.gov)

    What to know
    • Attach this to the Plaintiff's Claim (SC-100) when there are more than two plaintiffs or more than one defendant, and mark the box at the top saying it is attached (form SC-100, items 1 and 2; this form).
    • Vera filled the case number if your case has one and your printed name under the declaration. When you named a second defendant in Court forms, it also marked the box saying this form is attached to SC-100, put that defendant's name and address in item 2, and answered item 3 (a claim over $2,500) from your amount. Add that defendant's phone and mailing address if different, and, if it is a corporation, LLC or public entity, the person or agent authorized for service. List any other plaintiffs or defendants, answer the fictitious name questions, and number the page at the bottom (the form).
    • Print the form, then date and sign it by hand. You sign under penalty of perjury (the form). Vera never signs or dates a form.

If you were sued (you're the defendant)

  • Defendant's Claim and ORDER to Go to Small Claims Court (SC-120)Sign online

    Only if you have a claim against the plaintiff.

    The court's own form (www.courts.ca.gov)

    What to know
    • You do not file a written answer. "You don't have to file any papers before your trial, unless you think this is the wrong court for your case." Go to the trial date on page 1 of the Plaintiff's Claim (SC-100) and bring witnesses, receipts and any evidence. If you do not go, "the judge may give the plaintiff what he or she is asking for plus court costs" (form SC-100, page 5).
    • If you think this is the wrong court, send a letter to the court before the trial explaining why, and serve a copy on every party by mail or in person; the letter must say you have done so (form SC-100, page 5; Code of Civil Procedure section 116.370(b)).
    • Use this form only if you have your own claim against the plaintiff. It "need not relate to the same subject or event as the plaintiff's claim" and has the same limits: $12,500 for a natural person, $6,250 for others (Code of Civil Procedure sections 116.360(a), 116.221, 116.220).
    • Vera filled the county in the court box when your court's name gives it, the case number on each page if your case has one, your name as defendant at the top of pages 2 and 3 and in item 2, the plaintiff in item 1, and your printed name on page 3. From your answers in Court forms it filled the addresses and phones, and in item 3 the amount, why the plaintiff owes it, and when it happened. Copy the case name from the Plaintiff's Claim into the box on page 1, and add the court's street address (the form: "Fill in case number and case name").
    • Still yours: how you calculated it (item 3), and items 4 to 10, such as whether you asked the plaintiff to pay first. Vera marks none of them (the form).
    • Make copies of all 3 pages, one for each party and one for you, file them and pay the filing fee; the clerk writes the trial date on page 1. If you do not have enough money for the fees, you can ask the court to waive them (the form, page 1 and item 9).
    • Someone 18 or older who is not part of the case gives each plaintiff a court-stamped copy of all 3 pages (the form, page 1). It must be served at least five days before the hearing, or at least one day before if you were served 10 days or less before it (Code of Civil Procedure section 116.360(c)). The server fills out Proof of Service (SC-104), which is filed at least five days before the hearing (Code of Civil Procedure sections 116.360(b), 116.340(c)).
    • No lawyer may take part in the case for you: "no attorney may take part in the conduct or defense of a small claims action", except an attorney suing or sued for themselves (Code of Civil Procedure section 116.530). A corporation appears "only through a regular employee, or a duly appointed or elected officer or director" who is not there "solely" to represent it in small claims court; other businesses the same way, or a partner (Code of Civil Procedure section 116.540(b), (c)).
    • Print the form, then date and sign it by hand. You sign under penalty of perjury (the form). Vera never signs or dates a form.

Checked against the court's own forms and rules. Courts change forms; check with the clerk before you file. This page is general information, not legal advice.