• San Bernardino County litigants who want a court page that is explicit about small claims eFiling.
• Plaintiffs deciding whether to use remote access tools or traditional in-person hearing prep.
• People suing a San Bernardino County business, contractor, landlord, or driver and needing local rules before filing.

• Natural persons can generally claim up to $12,500 in California small claims. Most businesses cap out at $6,250.
• California filing fees generally run $30 for claims of $1,500 or under, $50 up to $5,000, and $75 above $5,000, with higher rules for frequent filers.
• If the fee is a problem, submit a fee-waiver request with the claim instead of waiting for the hearing date.
• San Bernardino uses the same statewide California fee bands, but its local differentiator is the dedicated small claims eFiling workflow and FAQ rather than a separate county fee schedule.

• Service must be handled by a non-party adult, the sheriff, a registered process server, or clerk-certified mail where the court offers that option.
• California's standard deadline is at least 15 days before the hearing if the defendant is in the filing county, or 20 days if the defendant is outside the county.
• File proof of service before the hearing so the clerk does not take your case off calendar.
• San Bernardino's eFiling FAQ notes that certified mail requested through the filing process carries a $15 charge, but that does not change the underlying California service deadlines.
• If service is not completed cleanly, use the statewide proof-of-service forms and fix the problem before the hearing date instead of waiting for the judge to continue the case.

• San Bernardino's remote-access page matters because the county uses multiple remote platforms, including Zoom, Teams, and CourtCall depending on the proceeding.
• The county's public small claims materials focus more on filing and remote access than on a public evidence portal, so assume a conventional exhibit packet unless your notice says otherwise.
• If you expect a remote appearance, verify the exact platform on the current remote-access page close to the hearing date rather than relying on older paperwork.

San Bernardino County filings usually trace back to one of the same five money-dispute patterns. Start with the right path, then use this county guide to confirm venue, filing method, and hearing logistics.