California Small Claims Court Forms: Which Ones You Need and When

The Forms You Need to File a Claim

California small claims court uses standardized Judicial Council forms — the same ones in every county. All forms are free to download from the California Courts website at courts.ca.gov/forms.

Here is every form a plaintiff may need, in the order you will use them:

SC-100: Plaintiff's Claim and ORDER to Go to Small Claims Court

This is the primary filing document. It identifies you and the defendant, states your claim amount, describes the dispute, and includes a sworn declaration that you made a pre-filing demand for payment or explains why you did not. The clerk stamps it, assigns your case number, and fills in the hearing date, time, and department.

SC-100A: Other Plaintiffs or Defendants

Required only if your case involves more than two plaintiffs or two defendants. Attach it to your SC-100.

SC-103: Fictitious Business Name Declaration

Required if you are suing under a registered business name (DBA). If you operate as a sole proprietor under a trade name, file this alongside SC-100 to connect your business name to your legal identity.

FW-001: Request to Waive Court Fees

If you receive Medi-Cal, CalFresh, SSI, or General Assistance — or your household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines — use this form to request a waiver of filing fees and sheriff service fees. The court responds on Form FW-003.

The Form You Need for Service

SC-104: Proof of Service

After the defendant has been served, the person who delivered the papers completes this form describing the method, date, and location of service. It must be filed with the clerk at least five court days before the hearing. Without it, the court may postpone your case.

SC-104A: Declaration of Service by Mail

If substituted service was used (papers left with another adult, plus a copy mailed), and a different person handled the mailing, this form documents the mailing portion.

Forms the Defendant May Use

SC-120: Defendant's Claim

If the defendant has their own monetary claim against you (a counterclaim), they file this form. It must be served on you at least five calendar days before the hearing — or one day before if the defendant received the original SC-100 with fewer than 10 days' notice.

SC-109: Authorization to Appear

If a corporation or LLC is named as a defendant, a regular employee, officer, or director fills out this form to appear on the entity's behalf. The representative cannot be someone hired solely for the hearing.

Post-Hearing and Enforcement Forms

SC-130: Notice of Entry of Judgment

The court mails this form to both parties after the hearing. It states who won, the judgment amount, allowable costs, and the post-judgment interest rate (10% per year under CCP section 685.010).

SC-140: Notice of Appeal

A defendant who lost can file this within 30 calendar days of the SC-130 mailing date. Plaintiffs cannot appeal their own claims — only a defendant's counterclaim. The appeal fee is $75.

SC-135: Notice of Motion to Vacate Judgment

A defendant who missed the hearing files this within 30 calendar days of the SC-130 mailing to ask the court to set aside the judgment and schedule a new hearing.

EJ-130: Writ of Execution

If the defendant does not pay after the 30-day period to appeal or seek to vacate, use this form to start enforcement — bank levies, wage garnishment, or seizure of personal property through the sheriff.

EJ-001: Abstract of Judgment—Civil and Small Claims

Once issued by the clerk, this form can be recorded with a county to create a lien against the defendant's real property there.

Keeping Track of It All

Between the filing forms, service forms, and enforcement forms, a single case can involve half a dozen documents with overlapping deadlines. The California Small Claims Filing Guide puts every form into a sequenced checklist with the exact deadline for each one counted back from your hearing date.

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