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SC-103Optional

Fictitious Business Name (Small Claims)

California · Judicial Council of California · Effective January 1, 2026

This form is used to tell the court if the person suing or being sued is operating a business under a name that is not their real legal name. It asks for details about the business and the official filing of the fictitious name.

The court describes it as: Tell the court and other side if you are suing on behalf of your business that has a Fictitious Business Name. Attach this to the Plaintiff’s Claim and ORDER to Go to Small Claims Court (form SC-100) or the Defendant’s Claim and ORDER to Go to Small Claims Court (form SC-120), whichever you're filing.

Open the official PDFfrom Judicial Council of California

Where this fits in a case

Start a case

Stage: Start a case

This form must be attached when filing a small claims case if the person involved is doing business under a name other than their own legal name.

Either party may file.

Official instructions

How-to guides published by the court for this form.

Common questions

Who needs to file this form?
This form is for someone filing a small claim who is operating a business under a fictitious name (also called 'doing business as' or 'dba').
Can nonprofits or exempt real estate investment trusts file this form?
No, the form states that nonprofits and exempt real estate investment trusts do not have to file this form.
Who can sign this form?
Only the owner, president, chief executive officer (CEO), or other qualified officer can sign this form.

Revision history

No changes recorded since we started tracking this form on October 9, 2026. The current version took effect January 1, 2026.

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