Free small claims worksheet (SC-100)

Before you start

This worksheet is for the person suing (the plaintiff). Each question has the same number as the official form SC-100, so you can copy your answers onto it.
From the form: people can claim up to $12,500; businesses, public entities and other organizations up to $6,250.
Lawyers can't represent anyone at the small claims trial. Your county's Small Claims Advisor helps for free. Small Claims Advisor
Have ready: the full name and address of the person or business you're suing, the amount, the dates, and how you figured the amount.
Your answers stay on this phone or computer. Nothing is sent to us or anyone else.
Never type your Social Security number or full ID numbers. These forms don't ask for them.

This tool explains what each item on the form asks. It does not tell you what to answer, and it is not legal advice. Only the judge decides.

Save my answers on this device so I can finish later (don't use this on a shared computer)

Built from SC-100, revised January 1, 2026. Checked November 2026. Official form page

The court

SC-100 page 1

Court name and street address

The top box of page 1. Use the small claims courthouse where you'll file (item 5 explains which courthouse can hear the case). The court fills in the case number.

Superior Court of California, County of

Court street address

Case name (for example, Smith v. Jones)

You, the plaintiff (item 1)

SC-100 1

The plaintiff

The person, business or public entity that is suing. Email is "if available."

Name

Phone

Street address

City

State

Zip

Mailing address (if different): street, city, state, zip

Email address (if available)

SC-100 1

A second plaintiff?

There is a second plaintiff

The form also has three boxes to check if they apply:

More than two plaintiffs (attach form SC-100A)A plaintiff is doing business under a fictitious name (attach form SC-103)A plaintiff is a "licensee" or "deferred deposit originator" (payday lender) under Financial Code 23000 et seq.

Who you're suing (item 2)

SC-100 2

The defendant

The person, business or public entity being sued. Use their full, correct legal name.

Name

Phone

Street address

City

State

Zip

Mailing address (if different): street, city, state, zip

SC-100 2

Corporation, LLC or public entity?

If so, the form asks for the person or agent authorized to receive court papers ("agent for service of process"). For California businesses, the Secretary of State's business search lists it. Business search

The defendant is a corporation, LLC or public entity

SC-100 2

Other boxes in item 2

I'm suing more than one defendant (attach form SC-100A)A defendant is on active military duty

Your claim (item 3)

SC-100 3

How much the defendant owes

Don't include court costs or fees for serving the papers.

The plaintiff claims the defendant owes

a. Why does the defendant owe the plaintiff money?

Say what happened, in order, in plain words.

b. When did this happen? (date)

If no specific date: date started

Through

c. How did you calculate the money owed to you?

For example, list each bill or payment and add them up.

I need more space: I'll attach one sheet or form MC-031 titled "SC-100, Item 3"

More questions (items 4–11)

SC-100 4

Did you ask the defendant to pay first?

The form says you must ask the defendant to pay (in person, in writing or by phone) before you sue. If the claim is for property, you must ask for the property back.

YesNo

SC-100 5

Why this courthouse?

Check the one that applies: the courthouse must cover one of these places. Read each one.

a(1). Where the defendant lives or does businessa(2). Where the plaintiff's property was damageda(3). Where the plaintiff was injureda(4). Where a contract (written or spoken) was made, signed, performed or broken by the defendant, or where the defendant lived or did business when they made itb. Where the buyer or lessee signed, lives now or lived when the contract was made, for a contract for personal, family or household goods, services or loansc. Where the buyer signed, lives now or lived when the contract was made, for a retail installment contract (like a credit card)d. Where the buyer signed, lives now or lived when the contract was made, or where the vehicle is permanently garaged, for a vehicle finance salee. Other

SC-100 6

Zip code

Zip code of the place you checked in item 5 (if you know)

SC-100 7

Attorney fee dispute?

YesNo

SC-100 8

Suing a public entity?

The form says: if yes, you must file a written claim with the entity first, and you can file SC-100 once it denies the claim or doesn't answer in the time allowed by law.

YesNo

SC-100 9

More than 12 claims this year?

Have you filed more than 12 other small claims in California in the last 12 months? If yes, the filing fee is higher.

YesNo

SC-100 10

Claim over $2,500?

If yes, you also confirm you haven't filed, and understand you may not file, more than two small claims over $2,500 in California this calendar year.

YesNo

SC-100 11

No appeal

By filing in small claims court, the plaintiff has no right to appeal this claim.

I understand that by filing a claim in small claims court, I have no right to appeal this claim.

Your copy sheet

Open SC-100

The court's forms can be typed into on a computer, or printed and filled out by hand.

What to do next

Copy each answer onto pages 2, 3 and 4 of SC-100 next to the same item number.
Read everything. Date, print your name and sign page 4 yourself. You sign under penalty of perjury.
Make copies of all pages and attachments: one for each defendant and one for you. File the original and copies with the small claims clerk and pay the filing fee, or file a fee waiver (FW-001). Free FW-001 worksheet
The clerk writes your trial date on page 1.
Serve each defendant: someone 18 or older who is not you or anyone in the case gives them a court-stamped copy of all pages. From the form: at least 15 days before the trial, or 20 days if they live outside the county. There are special rules for public entities, associations and some businesses (forms SC-104, SC-104B, SC-104C).
Go to court on your trial date. Bring witnesses, receipts and any evidence. Need an interpreter? Ask the clerk early (form INT-300).

Copy my answers into the official form

We copy your answers into the official SC-100 PDF on this device. Nothing is sent to us. Open it, read every line, fix anything that's wrong, then print, date and sign it yourself. The clerk fills in the trial date on page 1.

The form is filed in English. If an answer uses letters the PDF can't print (some accents, Vietnamese marks, non-Latin letters), that whole box is left blank for you to write by hand.

Questions about your case?

Your county's Small Claims Advisor helps for free.

Small Claims Advisor

Need the papers served?

We plan to offer process serving after our process server registration is complete. The price will be posted first. Until then, anyone 18 or older who isn't in the case, or the Sheriff, can serve the papers.

See the service

When you're done, tap Clear all, especially on a shared computer.

Fill out your small claims form yourself

Before you start

The court

Court name and street address

You, the plaintiff (item 1)

The plaintiff

A second plaintiff?

Who you're suing (item 2)

The defendant

Corporation, LLC or public entity?

Other boxes in item 2

Your claim (item 3)

How much the defendant owes

More questions (items 4–11)

Did you ask the defendant to pay first?

Why this courthouse?

Zip code

Attorney fee dispute?

Suing a public entity?

More than 12 claims this year?

Claim over $2,500?

No appeal

Your copy sheet

What to do next

Copy my answers into the official form

Questions about your case?

Need the papers served?

Questions about a word or item? Ask the free form helper