What does a contractor dispute claim have to show?

The scope of work, the price, and whether it was in writing. What you paid and when. What was not done or was done badly, with photos. That you asked them to fix it or refund you, when, and what happened.

How much can you claim in small claims court in California?

An individual can claim up to $12,500. A business can claim up to $6,250. A public agency can claim up to $6,250. That comes from Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §116.221, Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §116.220.

Contractor Dispute claims in California

Use the day the contractor missed the deadline, stopped work, or the day you discovered the defect.

The day the clock starts

The day the work was due, or the day you found the problem

What the claim has to show

The scope of work, the price, and whether it was in writing
What you paid and when
What was not done or was done badly, with photos
That you asked them to fix it or refund you, when, and what happened

What to bring

The contract, estimate, or proposal
Receipts and payment records
Photos of the work
Messages about the problem
Any second opinion or repair estimate

How long you have

How long you have
Kind of claim	Agreement	Window	Counted from	Rule
Unpaid Invoice	Spoken or by conduct	2 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §339
Unpaid Loan	Spoken or by conduct	2 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §339
Contractor Dispute	Spoken or by conduct	2 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §339
Auto Repair	Spoken or by conduct	2 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §339
Other	Spoken or by conduct	2 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §339
Unpaid Invoice	In writing	4 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §337
Unpaid Loan	In writing	4 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §337
Contractor Dispute	In writing	4 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §337
Auto Repair	In writing	4 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §337
Other	In writing	4 years	the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken	Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §337

Worked example

If the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken was 2026-03-15, a window of 2 years runs out on 2028-03-15. That is the same arithmetic the check uses: calendar months, clamped to the end of the month, and no roll forward to the next court day.

More about California

Common questions

When does the clock start on a contractor dispute claim in California?: Use the day the contractor missed the deadline, stopped work, or the day you discovered the defect.
How long do you have on a contractor dispute claim in California?: 2 years, counted from the day the payment was missed or the agreement was broken, under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §339.
What does a contractor dispute claim have to show?: The scope of work, the price, and whether it was in writing. What you paid and when. What was not done or was done badly, with photos. That you asked them to fix it or refund you, when, and what happened.
How much can you claim in small claims court in California?: An individual can claim up to $12,500. A business can claim up to $6,250. A public agency can claim up to $6,250. That comes from Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §116.221, Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §116.220.

Verify with your court

Numbers change, and a court can post its own variation. Open California's small claims page and confirm anything you are about to rely on.

Open the court's small claims page

Verified on 2026-09-05, sources: Rules effective from 2026-01-01.

Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §337 · effective 2019-01-01 · A claim based on a written agreement must be filed within four years of the breach.
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §339 · effective 1997-01-01 · A claim based on a spoken agreement must be filed within two years of the breach.
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §116.320 · effective 2008-01-01 · The claim form asks you to state that, where possible, you demanded payment before filing.
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §116.221 · effective 2024-01-01 · An individual can bring a claim for up to $12,500 in small claims court.
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §116.220 · effective 2024-01-01 · A business or agency can bring a claim for up to $6,250. Any claimant can give up the amount over the limit to stay in small claims.

FairSquare assembles documents and explains your court's rules. It is not a substitute for advice about your situation.