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California Court Forms · Small Claims
The six-page form that starts a California small claims case and orders both sides to come to court on the trial date.
Mandatory form · Revised January 1, 2026 · 6 pages · SC-100-INFO · Information for the Plaintiff
The PDF is the Judicial Council’s own file on courts.ca.gov, revised January 1, 2026. Form page on courts.ca.gov ↗
Not legal advice. This page explains what the form asks; it does not tell you what to put in your case.
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Create a free accountWhat it is
SC-100 is both the plaintiff’s claim and the court’s order that the plaintiff and defendant attend the trial. The plaintiff fills out pages 2, 3 and 4; the clerk fills in the trial date. The form says to read SC-100-INFO first. It cites Code of Civil Procedure sections 116.110 and following.
When it is used
The form says someone at least 18, not the plaintiff or anyone listed in the case, must give each defendant a court-stamped copy of all pages and attachments. Special rules apply to public entities, associations and some businesses (SC-104, SC-104B and SC-104C).
Section by section
Use the current official form and its instructions. The descriptions below identify the questions without choosing answers for your situation.
In English and Spanish: you must go to court on the trial date or may lose the case.
Trial date, time and department, filled in by the clerk.
Copies for each party, filing and the fee, electronic filing where the court allows it, and service.
Names and addresses, fictitious business names (SC-103), additional parties (SC-100A), the agent for service of an entity, and military duty.
How much is owed, why, when and how it was calculated, and whether the plaintiff asked the defendant to pay first.
Why this courthouse, the zip code, attorney-client fee disputes (SC-101) and claims against public entities.
More than 12 claims in 12 months, claims over $2,500, no right to appeal for the plaintiff, and the signature.
The $12,500 limit for individuals and $6,250 for businesses (with exceptions), and that a lawyer may not represent a party in court except on appeal.
Before you file
These checks come from the official form and instructions. They are not a ranking of rejection reasons; the court decides whether a filing meets its requirements.
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1
Check the current court and case-type list. A court must support the particular filing; this guide does not make every form available in every county.
2
Upload the finished papers and their attachments. Lexary checks them for common filing problems. Review the documents and the results before continuing.
3
Confirm the case, document types and payment choice. Review every fee shown before submitting.
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The court reviews the filing. Keep the court’s acceptance and returned copy, or read its rejection notice before deciding what to do next.
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Live counties with a relevant case type: Butte · Calaveras · Colusa · Contra Costa · Glenn · Los Angeles · Madera · Mariposa · Mendocino · Merced · Napa · San Bernardino · San Diego · San Luis Obispo · San Mateo · Santa Barbara · Santa Clara · Santa Cruz · Sonoma · Stanislaus · Sutter · Tehama · Yolo · Yuba. Check each listing’s new-case or existing-case status and document restrictions.
Questions
The defendant information on SC-100 says $12,500 for individuals and sole proprietors and $6,250 for corporations, partnerships, public entities and other businesses, with listed exceptions.
Item 11 has the plaintiff confirm they understand that by filing in small claims court they have no right to appeal the claim.
The form says your court may allow electronic filing and to check your local court’s website.
Related forms
Not legal advice. This page explains public filing information. It does not tell you what to put in your own case. Legal Hub Group is a certified e-filing service provider for California courts, not a law firm.
Information checked as of October 2026. Rules, form revisions and provider prices can change. The court decides whether to accept a filing.
SC-100 form revision: January 1, 2026.