Santa Barbara County Small Claims Court

Court Information

Court name

Santa Barbara County Superior Court — Small Claims Division (Anacapa Division)

Address

1100 Anacapa St., 2nd Floor, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Phone

(805) 882-4520

Hours

Mon-Fri 8:00am-3:00pm (phone hours 9:00am-3:00pm)

Official website

https://www.santabarbara.courts.ca.gov/divisions/small-claims

Typical hearing wait

8 weeks

Other Courthouses in This County

This county hears small claims cases at more than one courthouse. Confirm the correct location on your Notice of Hearing before you file or appear.

Court name

Santa Barbara County Superior Court — Small Claims Division (Cook Division, Santa Maria)

Address

312 East Cook Street, Building E, Santa Maria, CA 93454

Phone

(805) 614-6414

Covers

Santa Maria, Orcutt, Guadalupe, Los Alamos, New Cuyama, Lompoc, Vandenberg, and the Santa Ynez Valley. The Lompoc and Solvang courthouses no longer process small claims filings — those cases are routed here.

Filing Fees

Max claim: $12,500 · Required forms: SC-100, SC-104

Claim amount	Filing fee
$1 – $1,500	$30
$1,501 – $5,000	$50
$5,001 – $12,500	$75

Fee waiver available if you qualify (form FW-001).

How to File

File at the Anacapa Division (1100 Anacapa St., 2nd Floor, Santa Barbara) if your dispute is in South Santa Barbara County (Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Goleta, to Gaviota), or at the Cook Division (312 East Cook St., Building E, Santa Maria) for Santa Maria, Orcutt, Guadalupe, Los Alamos, New Cuyama, Lompoc, Vandenberg, and the Santa Ynez Valley — the Lompoc and Solvang courthouses no longer take small claims filings. The court also offers e-filing through its Odyssey Guide & File online portal. Bring a completed SC-100 (Plaintiff's Claim and Order to Defendant) and the filing fee, or ask the clerk's office for a fee-waiver form (Request to Waive Court Fees) if you cannot afford it.

Serving the Defendant

Have someone other than yourself who is over 18 serve the defendant with the Plaintiff's Claim and Order — by the Sheriff's Civil Unit (for a fee), by personal or substitute service, or by certified mail arranged through the court clerk ($15). Service must be completed at least 15 days before the hearing (20 days if the defendant lives outside Santa Barbara County), and the proof of service form must be filed with the court at least 5 days before the trial date.

Allowed methods: Personal service, Substituted service, Certified mail
Deadline: Serve at least 15 days before the hearing date.

Hearing Tips

Personal appearance is required for small claims hearings in this county — phone appearances are not offered, and appearing by Zoom is available only by advance written request (local form SC-2073) and is granted at the judge's discretion, not guaranteed.
The court does not provide a language interpreter for litigants — you must arrange and bring your own. A sign-language interpreter for hearing-impaired persons can be provided if you notify the court in advance.
Bring your evidence (receipts, letters, invoices, cancelled checks, photographs) and make sure any witnesses know the trial date and location; you can request a Subpoena Duces Tecum for documents or a Subpoena for witness testimony.
You may request one written postponement of your hearing, but it must be submitted at least 2 weeks before the court date and costs $10.

✓ Interpreters available

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