Your SC-100 is ready. What to do next
This is a free tool. We are not lawyers and this is not legal advice. You fill in and sign the form yourself.
- Check and sign
Open the PDF and read every page. If something is wrong, fix it here and download again. Sign page 4 by hand. You sign under penalty of perjury, so everything must be true.
- Make copies
Make one copy of all pages (and any attachments, like SC-100A, SC-103, SC-101 or MC-031) for each defendant, plus one copy for you.
- File with the clerk
Take or mail the original and the copies to the small claims clerk of the court you chose in step 6. Some courts let you file online. How to file · Find my court.
- Pay the filing fee, or ask to waive it
The fee is $30 to $100 (see the table). If you can’t pay, file form FW-001 to ask for a fee waiver (fee waivers). The clerk will write your trial date on page 1.
- Serve the defendant
Someone at least 18 who is not in the case must give each defendant a court-stamped copy. There are deadlines before the trial and special rules for businesses and public entities. How to serve · Proof of Service (SC-104).
- Get ready for your trial
Bring witnesses, receipts, and any evidence. Free help: your county’s small claims advisor. Prepare for trial.
Filing fee (California)
| Claim up to $1,500 | $30 |
| Over $1,500 up to $5,000 | $50 |
| Over $5,000 up to $12,500 | $75 |
| You filed more than 12 small claims in the last 12 months | $100 |
Source: California Courts Self-Help Guide. Check with your court before you pay.