Kern County Small Claims: Bakersfield and Delano Guide

Updated May 2026

If you live in Kern County and somebody owes you money, your case belongs in small claims court. Kern's setup is simpler than most people expect. Two courthouses cover the whole county, the fees are the same as everywhere else in California, and the Small Claims Advisor answers your questions for free before you file. This guide walks you through filing at the Metro Justice Center in Bakersfield (or the Delano branch), the fees, the timeline, and the Kern-specific details that will make you feel confident on court day.

Bakersfield or Delano: Pick by the Defendant's Address

Kern is one of the larger CA counties by area; it stretches from the Grapevine in the south, to past Delano in the north, and from the Pacific Crest in the east, to the San Joaquin Valley floor in the west. Two courthouses split the small claims case load.

Metro Justice Building (Bakersfield). Handles the majority of Kern County small claims cases; anything south of (and including) Bakersfield, plus most of the eastern half of the county.

• Address: 1215 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301
• Phone: 661-868-5393
• Small Claims Advisor: 661-610-6518 (free procedural help from a court attorney)
• Clerk's office hours: Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Friday 8:00 a.m. to noon

Delano Courthouse. Handles small claims for the northern Kern communities; Delano, McFarland, Wasco, and Shafter. It’s a smaller building with shorter lines, but a more limited calendar.

• Address: 1122 Jefferson Street, Delano, CA 93215
• Phone: 661-720-5800
• Clerk's office hours: typically, Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Friday 8:00 a.m. to noon (call ahead to confirm)

The general rule for venue is that you file in the county where the defendant lives or where the dispute happened. Within Kern, file at the courthouse closer to the defendant's address. If you're unsure, call the Small Claims Advisor; they'll tell you which courthouse is correct, so the clerk doesn't kick back your filing paperwork.

For a fuller picture of how California small claims works statewide, see our complete guide to filing small claims in California.

THE LOCAL QUIRK MOST PEOPLE MISS

Kern is one of the only CA counties that built its own e-filing platform.

Most California counties push you toward a third-party Electronic Filing Service Provider (One Legal, FileAndServeXpress) that adds a convenience fee to every filing. Kern built, and maintains, its own small-claims platform called File @ Home, that handles the SC-100 filing process from start to finish. You skip the convenience fee that people in Riverside, San Diego, and most other CA counties pay. The platform is at Kern.courts.ca.gov.

How to File the SC-100 in Kern

The form you need is the SC-100, called the Plaintiff's Claim and Order to Go to Small Claims Court. Download the fillable PDF from the California Courts website (search "SC-100") or pick up a paper copy at either Kern courthouse.

The form asks for your name and address, the defendant's name and address, the amount you're suing for, and a brief description of why. You only need to write three to five sentences. The judge won't read the form before the hearing.

Kern gives you four ways to file:

• E-filing through File @ Home. Kern's own e-filing platform lets you complete and submit the SC-100 from your laptop. You'll need to create a free account, upload a PDF of the signed form, and pay the filing fee by card. The hearing date will be assigned by the next business day.
• E-filing through an EFSP. Kern also accepts filings from approved Electronic Filing Service Providers (One Legal, FileAndServeXpress, and others). It’s useful if you already use one for other counties.
• In person. Walk into the small claims clerk's office at the Metro Justice Building in Bakersfield or the Delano Courthouse. Bring the form, your filing fee, and a photo ID. Allow 30 to 60 minutes.
• By mail or drop box. Mail the form, the fee, and a self-addressed and stamped envelope to the courthouse where the case belongs. The drop boxes at the entrance accept filings during business hours; envelopes deposited after closing are processed the next court day.

The clerk will assign a hearing date 30 to 70 days out. Kern's calendar moves at a steady pace, because there are fewer cases per day.

Kern Filing Fees

Filing fees in Kern follow the statewide California schedule that took effect January 1, 2026. There is no Kern surcharge.

For claims under $1,500, the filing fee is $30. For claims between $1,500 and $5,000, the fee is $50. For claims over $5,000 up to the $12,500 individual limit, the fee is $75. There's a higher rate of $100, and it only applies if you've filed more than 12 small claims cases in the last year.

If paying the filing fee up front isn't realistic, California has fee waivers. File form FW-001 along with your SC-100. You qualify automatically if you receive public benefits like Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, or SSI. The Kern Small Claims Advisor can walk you through the waiver paperwork over the phone.

If you win your case, the judge typically orders the defendant to pay your filing fee back to you.

Th service costs are separate from filing fees. The Kern County Sheriff's Civil Section, at 34970 McMurtrey Avenue in Bakersfield (661-392-6750), serves civil process for under $50 in most cases. A private process server runs $50 to $125 depending on how easy the defendant is to find. Certified mail through the court clerk is the cheapest at $15, but it's the least reliable. For more, see our guide to serving someone in California small claims.

Logistics at the Metro Justice Building

The Metro Justice Building is one of the easier mid-size CA courthouses to use. Here's what to expect.

Parking. Several public lots within two blocks; the lot directly across Truxtun is the closest, and rates run about $5 to $8 for a half-day visit. Street parking is metered and short-term. You don’t want to be worried about the meter running out.

Security. Standard airport-style screening at the main entrance. Allow 10 to 15 minutes on a busy morning.

Finding your courtroom. Civil and small claims are on the upper floors. The directory in the main lobby confirms the department number listed on your hearing notice.

Ag and oil worker scheduling. Kern's economy runs on agriculture and energy, and many people work shifts that make a daytime court appearance hard. If you have an unmovable shift, write a short letter to the small claims clerk asking for a continuance. The court usually grants one continuance for a documented work conflict.

Mediation option. Kern runs a community mediation program that resolves many small claims disputes before the hearing. Ask the clerk about it when you file.

Kern-Specific Tips

• Call the Small Claims Advisor before you file. The Advisor (661-610-6518) is a court attorney who answers procedural questions for free. They can't tell you whether you'll win, but they can flag the venue mistakes that get the most Kern cases tossed.
• File at the right courthouse. Filing the Bakersfield case in Delano (or vice versa) doesn't get it rejected outright, but it does delay your hearing by weeks while the file is transferred. Check the defendant's address against the Bakersfield-vs-Delano line before you file.
• Use File @ Home, if you're inland and far from the courthouse. The platform handles SC-100 and the SC-104 series end-to-end. It saves you a drive if you live in Ridgecrest, Tehachapi, or California City.
• Look up the defendant's correct legal name BEFORE you file; especially if they're a business. For example, suing "Bob's Welding" instead of "Bob's Welding & Fabrication LLC" can get your case dismissed. Use the California Secretary of State business search at bizfile.sos.ca.gov.
• Use the Sheriff service for Ag and oil-field workers. Defendants who work in remote sites can be hard to serve at home. The Kern Sheriff's Civil Section is experienced with rural addresses and field work schedules.
• Bring your phone but keep it silent. Many Kern judges allow you to pull up texts, photos, or emails on your phone during the hearing.

Common Kern Filing Mistakes

• Filing in the wrong courthouse. Bakersfield handles south and central Kern; Delano handles the north. Filing in the wrong building doesn't kill your case, but it delays it.
• Showing up Friday afternoon. Both Kern small claims clerks close at noon on Fridays. A Friday afternoon trip is a wasted one.
• Improper service. Personal service through the Kern County Sheriff or a registered process server is the gold standard. Substituted service is allowed but has stricter rules. Whatever method you use, file the proof of service with the court before your hearing.
• Suing the wrong entity. If you sue a person but the dispute was with their LLC, your judgment is worthless. Verify the entity name on the Secretary of State website first.
• Skipping the evidence exchange. CA requires both sides to share evidence at least 10 days before the hearing. Skipping this can get your evidence excluded.

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Filing small claims in Kern County is more straightforward than the system looks from the outside. Two courthouses, a free advisor on the phone, and an e-filing platform the court built itself. The process works when you understand it.

If you want a complete walkthrough, see our full California Small Claims Guide, which covers every step from before-you-file decisions through after-you-win collection.

ClaimKit Help is an educational guide, not legal advice. Verify court rules, forms, and deadlines before filing.

Source: California Courts Self-Help: Small Claims