BIZREFUND guide
California small claims court: limit and fee
A refund request that a company refuses can end in small claims court. This page gives the California facts a letter writer needs before deciding anything: the limit, the court, the fee, the rule on asking first, and where to complain. Each fact names its official source and the date it was checked.
The limit
In California, the small claims limit is USD 12,500 for a person and USD 6,250 for a business. A person may claim up to USD 12,500 and a business up to USD 6,250 (Code of Civil Procedure 116.221, as amended from January 1, 2024); the court's self-help page phrases both as less than those amounts.
Which court
Small claims cases in California are heard in the Small claims court. The court's own page, linked below, explains where to file and what the forms are called.
Filing fee range
The filing fee runs from USD 30 to USD 75, depending on the amount you claim. USD 30 for a claim up to USD 1,500, rising to USD 75 for a claim over USD 5,000 and up to USD 12,500.
Before you file
The court requires you to ask the other side for the money before you file, and you confirm that when you file. The court's self-help page says the court wants you to ask the other side for the money before you start a case, and you confirm that when you file; there is an exception where asking would be unsafe.
Your state's consumer law
The main consumer protection law in California is the Consumers Legal Remedies Act (Cal. Civ. Code ยง 1750 et seq.). A letter can name it; what it covers in your case is a question for the statute itself or a lawyer.
Where to complain
The California attorney general takes consumer complaints through its own page, linked below. A complaint there is a report that the office keeps and can act on; it is not a claim for your money.
E-filing
Online filing depends on the county. The court's page says which counties offer it.
Worked example
Example: a USD 850 refund that a store in California refused is under the USD 12,500 limit, so it is the size of claim the Small claims court hears. The filing fee for it would fall between USD 30 and USD 75. The letter from the refund desk is the written request that comes first, and the timeline log is the record you bring.
Sources
- Small claims limit
- Filing fee
- The court
- Asking first
- Consumer law
- California attorney general: consumer complaint
- Online filing
Checked on 2026-10-11 against the sources above. Limits and fees change; confirm on the court's own page before you file.
Not legal advice and not a law firm. This page says what the court and the rule are, not whether you should file.
Common questions
What if my claim is over the limit?
Then small claims is not the court for the whole amount. People sometimes claim only up to the limit and give up the rest, or use a different court. Which is right for you is not something this page can say.
Do I have to send a letter before I file?
In California, a request first is required, by the official pages read for this guide. A dated letter with the evidence attached is the record either way.
Is this page legal advice?
No. It lists what the court and the rule are, with the official source for each fact and the date it was checked. It does not judge your case or tell you to file.