Small claims court in San Mateo County, California
Which court hears your case, whether San Mateo County is the right place to file, how to serve the defendant here, and what it costs.
The court that hears your case
Your case belongs in the Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo, whose small claims division sits within the county's Superior Court system. The county seat is Redwood City. San Mateo County is large enough to run its court from several locations, so confirm which courthouse hears small claims for the defendant's address before you drive anywhere — filing at the wrong branch wastes a trip. Check filing hours, current local procedures and whether e-filing is offered at the court's own website.
With 764,442 residents at the 2020 Census, San Mateo County is 15th in California — big enough to run a busy small claims calendar, small enough that the clerk's office is usually reachable by phone. Hearing dates tend to be set sooner than in the Los Angeles or Bay Area courts, and you will generally find a process server without difficulty.
Is San Mateo County the right place to file?
Worth a minute, because filing in the wrong county gets your case transferred or dismissed and the fee is not refunded. Venue is generally where the defendant lives or does business, where the agreement was made or was to be performed, or for a vehicle or property claim, where the incident happened. Those can point in different directions, and when more than one genuinely applies you may have a choice.
San Mateo County borders San Francisco, Alameda, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz. County lines matter more here than in the cities, because journeys are longer and a defendant a short drive away may well be in a different court's territory entirely.
If the defendant is in one of these neighboring counties, that is probably where you file instead:
- Small claims court in San Francisco County
- Small claims court in Alameda County
- Small claims court in Santa Clara County
- Small claims court in Santa Cruz County
Serving someone in San Mateo County
You may not serve the papers yourself. Use the San Mateo County sheriff's civil division, a registered process server, or any adult who is not a party, and file proof on SC-104 before the hearing. The deadline is at least 15 days beforehand if the defendant is inside San Mateo County and at least 20 days if they are outside it — which includes every neighboring county listed above, so a defendant one county over buys you less time, not more.
Work out your service deadline → · Why this step loses winnable cases →
What it costs
Filing fees and claim limits are set statewide — San Mateo County does not set its own, and neither does any other.
| Amount you are claiming | Filing fee |
|---|---|
| up to $1,500 | $30 |
| over $1,500 up to $5,000 | $50 |
| over $5,000 up to $12,500 | $75 |
| More than 12 small claims filed in the past 12 months | $100 |
Individuals may claim under $12,500; corporations, LLCs and partnerships under $6,250. If the fee would mean going without necessities, FW-001 asks the court to waive it.
Start with a demand letter
Most California small claims cases settle before anyone sees a courtroom. The letter is free to write, and you can have us print and certified-mail it for $29.
No account needed to start. We are not a law firm and cannot give legal advice.