Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino — Small Claims Division
Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino — Small Claims Division
17780 Arrow Boulevard, Fontana, CA 92335
909-350-9322
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday (uniform hours pattern published for other San Bernardino districts; not independently confirmed for the Fontana District specifically)
- In person at the district courthouse with venue over the case (by appointment)
- By mail to that district courthouse
- Electronically through a court-approved Electronic Filing Service Provider (voluntary for self-represented litigants, live since May 8, 2023)
Walk-in filing is available at 5 locations: Barstow District, Fontana District, Joshua Tree District, Needles District, Big Bear satellite (1st Wednesday of each month, via Barstow District).
- Filing locations
- 5
- Hours
- 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday (uniform hours pattern published for other San Bernardino districts; not independently confirmed for the Fontana District specifically)
- Filing fee
- $30–$75
- File without going in
- Yes, online
Every location that takes a small claims filing
San Bernardino County accepts small claims filings at:
- Barstow District
- Fontana District
- Joshua Tree District
- Needles District
- Big Bear satellite (1st Wednesday of each month, via Barstow District)
San Bernardino County — the largest county by area in the contiguous United States — hears small claims at only four districts: Barstow, Fontana, Joshua Tree, and Needles (plus a Big Bear satellite of the Barstow District open the first Wednesday of each month). The general-civil districts at San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, and Victorville do not hear small claims. Which district has venue is governed by Code of Civil Procedure sections 392-395 and the court's own geographic 'Where Can I File?' assignment tool, so there is no single central filing office.
Is San Bernardino County the right court for your case?
Which court may hear a small claims case turns on where the dispute belongs, not on where it is convenient for you to go. It is normally:
- Where the defendant lives — or, for a business, where it has its place of business.
- Where the events you are suing about actually happened.
- Where a contract was to be performed, where the claim is about an agreement.
San Bernardino County — the largest county by area in the contiguous United States — hears small claims at only four districts: Barstow, Fontana, Joshua Tree, and Needles (plus a Big Bear satellite of the Barstow District open the first Wednesday of each month). The general-civil districts at San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, and Victorville do not hear small claims. Which district has venue is governed by Code of Civil Procedure sections 392-395 and the court's own geographic 'Where Can I File?' assignment tool, so there is no single central filing office.
We cannot advise you which venue to choose. Where two courts would both be proper, either is a valid filing.
Going to Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino — Small Claims Division in person
If you are filing at the counter rather than by mail or online, this is the shape of the visit.
- Go during filing hours, not court hours. The counter is open 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday (uniform hours pattern published for other San Bernardino districts; not independently confirmed for the Fontana District specifically). Clerks stop accepting new filings before closing, so arriving in the last half hour is how people end up coming back.
- Bring the completed claim form and your copies. Bring a copy for the court, one for each defendant, and one for yourself.
- Bring the fee, in a form this clerk takes. The filing fee is $30–$75. Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino — Small Claims Division accepts 4 forms of payment — cash is not always one of them, and cards are not always one either. Service is a further $15 per defendant.
- Know the defendant's exact legal name and address. The clerk will not look it up for you, and a judgment against a trade name that is not the legal entity is difficult to collect on afterwards.
- Leave with your court date. San Bernardino County sets the first court date at filing, so you leave the counter knowing when to come back.
Court staff can explain procedure and check a form is complete. They cannot tell you what to write in your claim, or whether to bring it at all.
Ways to file without standing in line
Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino — Small Claims Division accepts a filing:
- In person at the district courthouse with venue over the case (by appointment)
- By mail to that district courthouse
- Electronically through a court-approved Electronic Filing Service Provider (voluntary for self-represented litigants, live since May 8, 2023)
Free help at the courthouse
San Bernardino County runs a self-help center for people filing without a lawyer. It can:
- Point you at the right form for your case type
- Check a form is complete before you hand it in
- San Bernardino Superior Court's Self-Help Resource Center provides phone assistance for small claims and landlord-tenant matters at 909-708-8606, and partners with the IELLA Legal Assistance Clinic for a Small Claims Clinic (iellaaid.org); statewide small claims self-help guidance is at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov.
Court staff can explain procedure. They cannot tell you what to write in your claim, or whether you should file at all — that is the line they are not allowed to cross, and it is the part most people actually need.
Common questions
Where is small claims court in San Bernardino County?
Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino — Small Claims Division, 17780 Arrow Boulevard, Fontana, CA 92335.
What are the San Bernardino County small claims court hours?
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday (uniform hours pattern published for other San Bernardino districts; not independently confirmed for the Fontana District specifically). Confirm before travelling — court hours change around holidays.
Do I have to go to the courthouse to file in San Bernardino County?
Not necessarily. San Bernardino County accepts a filing in person at the district courthouse with venue over the case (by appointment); by mail to that district courthouse; electronically through a court-approved electronic filing service provider (voluntary for self-represented litigants, live since may 8, 2023).
Which San Bernardino County location do I file at?
San Bernardino County — the largest county by area in the contiguous United States — hears small claims at only four districts: Barstow, Fontana, Joshua Tree, and Needles (plus a Big Bear satellite of the Barstow District open the first Wednesday of each month). The general-civil districts at San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, and Victorville do not hear small claims. Which district has venue is governed by Code of Civil Procedure sections 392-395 and the court's own geographic 'Where Can I File?' assignment tool, so there is no single central filing office.
The San Bernardino County filing packet — $49
Everything above, assembled and filled in with your facts:
- Your San Bernardino County forms, completed with your claim
- A filing checklist with the address, hours and fee for Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino — Small Claims Division
- A demand letter built from the same facts
- What to bring on the day
Answer a few questions first. See your claim written out before you pay anything.
Reviewed by Small Claims Desk · Last reviewed 2026-08-23 · Sourced from sanbernardino.courts.ca.gov (Small Claims Division, civil fee schedule, phone roster, Where Can I File, e-filing), leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (CCP 116.220/116.221/116.230/116.232) and Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §§ 116.110-116.950 (The Small Claims Act). See how we verify.