California Small Claims Court by County: Local Filing Guides

Find your county courthouse, then walk in knowing what to expect. Each guide below covers the local courthouse address, the filing fees, the e-filing options, and the small county-specific quirks that trip people up, written for the exact county you're filing in. Start with your county, and if you want the full statewide walkthrough, our complete California Small Claims Guide covers every step from before you file through after you win. New to the form itself? Start with how to fill out the SC-100, section by section.

Filing by county

• Los Angeles CountyMultiple courthouses and district routing. How to find the right one and file without a wasted trip.
• San Diego CountyWhere to file in San Diego County, the fees, and what to expect on hearing day.
• Orange CountyFiling at the Orange County courthouse, the fees, and the local steps that keep your case on track.
• Sacramento CountyOne courthouse for the whole county, and a rare evening Night Court session for people who can't take time off work.
• Alameda CountyAlameda runs many small claims hearings virtually. How to file and appear by video.
• Fresno CountyFiling in Fresno County, the courthouse details, the fees, and the timeline.
• Kern County (Bakersfield and Delano)The Kern County courthouses, the fees, and what to bring on hearing day.
• Ventura CountyA local guide to filing and appearing in Ventura County small claims court.
• Riverside CountyA local guide to Riverside County small claims, the courthouse, the fees, and the timeline.

More California small claims guides

Filing somewhere else, or further along than the courthouse logistics? These walk through the parts people ask about most.

• What California Small Claims Judges Look ForHow to present a case that lands, in the terms a judge is actually weighing.
• What to Bring to Your HearingThe evidence checklist for court day, so nothing important gets left at home.
• Small Claims vs Civil CourtWhich court your case belongs in, and what changes if it's the wrong one.
• Roommate DisputesUnpaid rent, a broken lease, or property that walked off, handled in small claims.
• Default JudgmentWhat happens when the person you're suing doesn't show up, and how to win cleanly.
• Suing a Moving CompanyDamaged property, lost items, or overcharges from a mover, taken to court.
• Are Your ChatGPT Chats Private?What the Heppner ruling means if you've used AI to prep your case.

When you're ready for the actual forms, scripts, and the full playbook, ClaimKit Core walks you through every step of a California small claims case.