- Claim limit
- $12,500
- Court
- Small Claims Court
- File online
- Varies by court
- Appeal window
- 30 days
How filings are accepted here
Without a statewide portal, the filing method is set court by court:
- 7 of the 19 California counties we cover accept some form of electronic filing
- The rest take a filing in person or by mail
- Filing electronically, where available, does not change the fee and does not serve the defendant
However you file, service of the defendant is a separate step with its own cost and its own proof.
California counties that take an electronic filing
Of the counties Small Claims Desk covers:
- Los Angeles County — LA Superior Court electronic filing through court-approved Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSPs)
- Orange County — Orange County Superior Court electronic filing through court-approved Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSPs)
- Riverside County — Riverside Superior Court Civil eFiling via approved Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSPs), per Local Rule 3118 / General Order 2022-1
- San Bernardino County — Odyssey eFileCA (court-approved Electronic Filing Service Providers)
- Santa Clara County — Odyssey eFileCA (court-approved Electronic Filing Service Providers)
- Kern County — Court-approved Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSPs); self-represented litigants are not required to e-file but are encouraged to participate
- Sacramento County — Sacramento Superior Court Small Claims E-Filing through court-approved Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSPs), expanded to small claims effective June 17, 2024
Filing without going to the courthouse
Where the portal is closed to you, or your county is not on it, the counter is not the only route:
- Check whether your clerk takes a mailed filing. Many do, and it is the most commonly missed option. Each county page on this site lists the filing methods that court accepts.
- Send the complete set, not the form alone. The claim form, any document the claim is based on, the fee in the form the clerk accepts, and a return address. An incomplete mailed filing comes back, and the round trip costs a fortnight.
- Pay in a form that survives the post. Clerks that take mailed filings generally want a money order or a cashier’s cheque rather than cash or a personal card number.
- Remember that filing is not serving. However the case gets to the court, the defendant still has to be formally served, and that is a separate step with its own cost and its own proof.
Confirm with your clerk before posting anything. A rejected filing is charged again when you refile.
Common questions
Can you file a small claims case online in California?
It depends on your court in California — some accept e-filing, others require filing in person or by mail. Pick your county to see the methods it accepts.
Is e-filing open to people without a lawyer in California?
Yes — California lets a filer representing themselves register for No uniform statewide small claims e-filing mandate; e-filing is offered court-by-court, and self-represented litigants may e-file where their court provides it..
Does filing online cost more in California?
The filing fee is the same. Card payment may carry a processing surcharge, which your county's fee page sets out.
If I file online, is the defendant notified?
No. Filing and service are separate steps. Filing electronically does not serve anybody.
Pick your county to see how it accepts filings
Small claims is filed at the county level. Pick your county for its court, fee, and forms — or start your claim and we'll ask where you'd sue.
- Los Angeles County Small Claims Court
- San Diego County Small Claims Court
- Orange County Small Claims Court
- Riverside County Small Claims Court
- San Bernardino County Small Claims Court
- Santa Clara County Small Claims Court
- Alameda County Small Claims Court
- San Francisco County Small Claims Court
- San Mateo County Small Claims Court
- Contra Costa County Small Claims Court
- Fresno County Small Claims Court
- Stanislaus County Small Claims Court
- Sonoma County Small Claims Court
- Solano County Small Claims Court
- Monterey County Small Claims Court
- Tulare County Small Claims Court
- Santa Barbara County Small Claims Court
- Kern County Small Claims Court
- Sacramento County Small Claims Court
Your small claims filing packet — $49
Everything above, assembled and filled in with your facts:
- Your court's own forms, with your claim written in the language the court expects
- A demand letter built from the same facts
- A filing checklist with your court's address, hours, and fee
- What to bring to your hearing
Answer a few questions first. See your claim written out before you pay anything.
Reviewed by Small Claims Desk · Last reviewed 2026-08-20 · Sourced from California judiciary self-help resources and each county's clerk of court and Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §§ 116.110-116.950 (The Small Claims Act). See how we verify.