Small claims papers.
Served ahead of your date.
Your court date sets the deadline. A registered process server serves your claim and completes the proof of service, so you can file it before the hearing.
Small claims packet
To be served
- Plaintiff’s Claim (SC-100), as filed
- Your court date and the deadline
- The address to serve
- Served by
- California registered process server
- Returned to you
- Proof of Service (SC-104)
Your court’s instructions decide the forms and deadlines. Affid serves the papers you’ve prepared.
How serving small claims papers works.
What official California court sources say about serving these papers, with a link to each source. It explains the practical workflow; it isn’t legal advice.
You can’t serve the forms yourself. Someone 18 or older has to serve them for you.
California Courts: Serve your small claims formsServe at least 15 days before the court date, or 20 days if the person, business or agency is in a different county from where you filed.
California Courts: Serve your small claims formsSubstituted service, leaving the forms with an adult at their home or work and mailing a copy, has an earlier deadline.
California Courts: Substituted service in small claimsTo serve a business, the court’s instructions point to serving its agent for service of process.
California Courts: Serve your small claims formsThe server fills out the Proof of Service (SC-104), and you copy and file it.
California Courts: Serve your small claims formsWhat to prepare.
- Copies of your filed claim for the person being served
- Your court date, so the deadline can be counted back
- Home or work addresses and the best times to find them
- For a business: its exact name and agent for service of process
What you receive.
- A record of each attempt and its outcome
- The completed Proof of Service (SC-104) for you to file
Questions people ask.
All questionsHow early should I order service?
As soon as you have your filed papers and court date. Leave room for the 15- or 20-day deadline and for more than one attempt.
Can the court clerk mail the papers instead?
Some courts offer certified-mail service by the clerk for a fee. The court notes it often doesn’t work for individuals, which is why many people use a server.
What if they can’t be served in time?
The attempts are recorded for you. The court explains how to ask to postpone the trial so service can be completed.
Official sources
Get your small claims papers served.
Share the prepared papers, the address and your deadline. Scope and fees are confirmed before work begins.