San Diego County Small Claims Court (California): How to File in Superior Court

San Diego County small claims: the $12,500 limit, filing at the Hall of Justice, fees, the free advisor, phones and case lookup. Checked 2026-10-27.

Navy cover with a drawn generic courthouse and the words San Diego County Small Claims, One filing office, free advisors and free mediation
Where and how to file small claims in San Diego County, California.

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Quick answer: In San Diego County, small claims are heard by the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego. Individuals can sue for up to $12,500. All small claims are filed at the Hall of Justice (Central Division), 330 W. Broadway, Room 225, by mail or the 2nd-floor drop box. Filing costs $30 to $75 depending on the amount. Lawyers can't represent you in court, and mediation is free.

Drawn generic courthouse beside a pinned info board for the San Diego small claims office at the Hall of Justice, Room 225, 330 W. Broadway, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, with e-filing set to check your court's rules, or file by mail or drop box.
San Diego County small claims at a glance, checked 2026-10-27.

This independent guide covers small claims cases in San Diego County, California, including San Diego, Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido, Carlsbad and El Cajon. Small Claims Coach is not the court; we link to the court's official pages throughout.

Checked on 2026-10-27 against the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego website and the California Statewide Civil Fee Schedule. Sources are listed below. Jump to court addresses and phones ↓ For the statewide rules, see our California small claims guide.

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Which court hears small claims in San Diego County?

  • Court: the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego.
  • Limit: $12,500 for individuals (including sole proprietors), since January 1, 2024. Under California law, businesses and other entities are limited to $6,250.
  • Age: you must be at least 18 to file, or use a guardian ad litem.
  • Lawyers: you can ask a lawyer for advice before court, but a lawyer can't represent you in court.
  • Mediation: small claims mediation is available at no cost.

Which courthouse do I file in?

  • One filing location for the whole county. The court says all small claims actions must be filed at the Hall of Justice (Central Division), 330 W. Broadway, Room 225, San Diego, CA 92101. Mail your claim there, or put it in the drop box inside the Hall of Justice, 2nd floor.
  • That applies wherever in the county you live, including Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido, Carlsbad and El Cajon.
  • You still have to file in the proper county. The statewide venue rules are in our California guide.
  • Hearing location: it will be on your court paperwork. The court lists small claims departments C-1401 and C-1402 at the Central Courthouse, and hearings may be in person or remote. If you're unsure, call the small claims business office at (858) 634-1919 (8:30 to 11:30 a.m. weekdays).

Addresses, phone numbers and hours

Addresses, phones and hours are from the court's small claims locations page and small claims advisor page.

Hall of Justice (Central Division)

Address: 330 W. Broadway, Room 225, San Diego, CA 92101

Phone: (858) 634-1919

Offices in this building:

  • Small claims business office: 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday; phone line 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., Monday to Friday: (858) 634-1919
  • Small Claims Legal Advisor (free): 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday: (858) 634-1777
  • Advisor 24-hour recorded information: (858) 634-1900

How much does small claims cost in San Diego County?

From the California Statewide Civil Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2026):

  • Claim of $1,500 or less: $30
  • More than $1,500, up to $5,000: $50
  • More than $5,000, up to $12,500 (individuals only, with certain exceptions): $75
  • If you filed more than 12 small claims in California in the past 12 months: $100
  • Clerk mails the claim to each defendant: $15 per defendant
  • Request to postpone the hearing (once the defendant has been served): $10
  • Notice of appeal: $75
  • Motion to vacate: $20

Can I e-file in San Diego County?

We haven't confirmed whether San Diego accepts e-filing for small claims. The court's own instructions say to file by mail or the drop box at the Hall of Justice. Ask the small claims business office at (858) 634-1919 about other options.

San Diego County small claims forms

The claim form is California's statewide Plaintiff's Claim (SC-100). Find it and the court's instructions on the court's small claims page. If you need an interpreter, the court names form ADM-348.

How to file in San Diego County, step by step

Illustrated winding road with six numbered stations for San Diego County small claims: check your claim fits the limit, fill out form SC-100, file by mail or drop box, have someone else serve the defendant, check your hearing date and consider free mediation, and bring evidence to court.
The steps to file a small claims case in San Diego County.
  1. Make sure your claim is $12,500 or less (or $6,250 or less for a business).
  2. Fill out the Plaintiff's Claim (SC-100). The free Small Claims Legal Advisor can help.
  3. File at the Hall of Justice, 330 W. Broadway, Room 225, by mail or the 2nd-floor drop box, and pay $30 to $75 (or ask about a fee waiver).
  4. Have the defendant served. You can't serve the papers yourself; the clerk can mail them for $15 per defendant.
  5. Check your paperwork for your hearing date and location, and consider the free mediation.
  6. Bring your evidence to the hearing. Statewide rules are in our California guide.

Ready to fill in your own form?

The steps above are free. The Playbook helps you do each one: a filled-in sample of the California Plaintiff's Claim and ORDER to Go to Small Claims Court (SC-100) with every box explained, plus your California Playbook section with a made-up sample filing, a hearing outline, California printables, a California day-of plan, and a step-by-step checklist for collecting your judgment.

You also get prep guides that work in any state: a document checklist, exhibit labels, a prep timeline and a hearing-day outline. $149 for your first year (introductory offer), then $199 a year. Join now.

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How to look up a San Diego County small claims case

  • Online Case Search (Court Index): the court says it finds a case number and location for civil and other case records.
  • Register of Actions: covers civil, small claims, probate and criminal cases. The court says documents for most small claims cases can be previewed (first page only) and downloaded for a fee.
  • We couldn't confirm what you can search by. If you can't find your case online, call the small claims business office at (858) 634-1919.

What does it cost to collect a judgment?

Winning doesn't mean you get paid automatically. The court says the winner must wait 30 days from the mailing of the Notice of Entry of Judgment before taking any action to collect. San Diego's collection fees weren't on the pages we checked; ask the business office or the Small Claims Legal Advisor.

Fee waivers and venue changes

  • Fee waiver: ask the small claims business office or the Small Claims Legal Advisor how to request one.
  • Missed the hearing? A party who wasn't at the hearing can't appeal, but can file a motion to vacate ($20).
  • Postponement: a request to postpone costs $10 once the defendant has been served.

Coach's Tips for San Diego County

  • Make your advisor time count. The free Small Claims Legal Advisor offers unlimited phone help but caps in-person clinic visits (six in 30 days, 30 minutes each). Bring your receipts, texts and demand letter organized.
  • Walk-ins go early. Clinic walk-ins are Monday to Thursday, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., and you must be signed in by 10:10 a.m.
  • Only 2 bigger claims a year. California lets you file only 2 small claims a year, anywhere in the state, asking for more than $2,500 (and you sign a declaration saying so). If you have several disputes, decide which ones need the bigger claims.

San Diego County small claims checklist

  • My claim is $12,500 or less (or $6,250 or less for a business).
  • I filled out the Plaintiff's Claim (SC-100).
  • I'm filing at the Hall of Justice, Room 225, by mail or the drop box.
  • I have the filing fee or a fee waiver request.
  • I have a plan to serve the defendant (not by me).
  • I know my hearing date and location from my paperwork.
  • My evidence is organized and copied for court.

San Diego County small claims FAQ

What is the small claims limit in San Diego County?

$12,500 for individuals, including sole proprietors, since January 1, 2024. Businesses and other entities are limited to $6,250 under California law.

How much does it cost to file small claims in San Diego County?

$30 for claims of $1,500 or less, $50 up to $5,000, and $75 up to $12,500, under the statewide fee schedule. It's $100 if you filed more than 12 small claims in California in the past 12 months.

Which San Diego County courthouse do I file in?

All small claims are filed at the Hall of Justice (Central Division), 330 W. Broadway, Room 225, San Diego, by mail or the 2nd-floor drop box.

Where is small claims court in San Diego?

Filing is at the Hall of Justice, 330 W. Broadway. Your hearing location is on your court paperwork; call the business office at (858) 634-1919 if you're unsure.

How do I look up a small claims case in San Diego County?

Use the court's Online Case Search (Court Index) to find a case number, or the Register of Actions for small claims case documents. If you can't find your case, call the business office at (858) 634-1919.

Where do I get San Diego County small claims forms?

The claim form is California's Plaintiff's Claim (SC-100). The court's small claims page has the forms and instructions, and the free Small Claims Legal Advisor can help.

Do I need a lawyer for small claims in San Diego County?

No. You can ask a lawyer for advice before court, but a lawyer can't represent you in court. The court's Small Claims Legal Advisor is free.

Is San Diego County small claims court part of the Superior Court?

Yes. It's the Small Claims Division of the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego.

What is the Plaintiff's Claim (SC-100)?

It's the claim form you file to start a small claims case: California's statewide Plaintiff's Claim (SC-100).

Sources

Checked 2026-10-27.

Nearby counties

More for California: California small claims guide · Ready to sue · Just got sued · How to serve small claims papers · What to say on hearing day

Free: the Small Claims Starter Kit (basic timeline and checklists).

You do the work. The Playbook hands you the plays.

This page covers where and how to file in San Diego County. The Playbook coaches you from filing to hearing day: a filled-in sample of the California Plaintiff's Claim and ORDER to Go to Small Claims Court (SC-100), your California Playbook section, and step-by-step prep guides. One membership covers every state. $149 for your first year (introductory offer), then $199 a year. Join now.

See the Playbook →

Small Claims Coach is built to help you handle your case yourself, without a lawyer. But if your situation is complicated, doesn't fit our samples, or a deadline is close, you may want to call a lawyer.

Small Claims Coach uses public information to build the Playbook, which coaches you as you organize and present your own case. We are not your lawyer, there is no attorney-client relationship, and we don't want the details of your case.

This information is for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice.