San Francisco County eFiling and Court Filing Services

San Francisco County eFiling & Court Filing Services

San Francisco County Superior Court has one of the broadest mandatory eFiling programs in California, covering civil, family, probate, and even certain criminal case types. The court’s Civic Center Courthouse serves as the primary filing location for most case types.

Legal Document Server provides reliable eFiling and court filing services for all San Francisco County Superior Court case types, with expert knowledge of the court’s unique requirements.

San Francisco eFiling Requirements

• Mandatory eFiling for attorneys in civil, family, and probate cases
• eFiling available for criminal case types (one of few CA counties)
• Self-represented litigants may eFile or file in person
• All eFiling through court-approved EFSP
• San Francisco has specific local rules for document formatting
• Complex litigation department has additional filing requirements

San Francisco’s eFiling program is among the most comprehensive in California. The court was an early adopter of mandatory eFiling and continues to expand the case types covered.

Case Types We File in San Francisco County

The San Francisco Superior Court operates from a consolidated civic center complex and handles a distinctive mix driven by the city’s commercial density and tenant-landlord volume. Legal Document Server eFiles the following matter types daily:

• Civil Unlimited ($35,000+) — business disputes, personal injury, professional malpractice. Complex designation is decided by Department 304 (Hon. Ethan P. Schulman), which also hears unlawful detainer trials.
• Civil Limited ($10,000–$35,000) — collections, breach of contract, small business disputes.
• Unlawful Detainer (Eviction) — San Francisco has among the highest UD volumes in California. We pair eFile with service of process in a single workflow.
• Family Law — dissolutions, custody, and DVROs, filed through the Unified Family Court at the Civic Center Courthouse.
• Probate & Trust — estates, conservatorships, and trust litigation.
• Small Claims — filings up to $12,500 for individuals or $6,250 for businesses.
• Juvenile Dependency — handled by the Unified Family Court on the 4th floor of the Civic Center Courthouse.
• Appeals — Court of Appeal First District filings routed through the SF Superior Court clerk.

San Francisco County Filing Fees (2026)

California’s Statewide Civil Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2026) applies in San Francisco. The most-requested filing fees:

• Unlimited civil complaint (over $35,000): $435
• Unlimited civil first appearance or answer: $435
• Unlawful detainer unlimited (over $35,000): $435
• Limited civil (over $10,000 to $35,000): $370
• Limited civil ($10,000 or less): $225
• Small claims: $30 (up to $1,500), $50 ($1,501–$5,000), $75 ($5,001–$12,500)
• General motion fee: $60
• Jury demand (first party per side): $150 nonrefundable (CCP § 631)
• Stipulation and order: $20

Fees are set statewide under Government Code sections 70602 through 70617. San Francisco Superior Court may add local surcharges on specific filings. Our portal itemizes court filing fees and the ePay convenience fee before you authorize submission.

San Francisco Courthouses and Department Lookup

Legal Document Server files at every San Francisco Superior Court location:

• Civic Center Courthouse — 400 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. Civil, Probate, Family Law, Unified Family Court (including Juvenile Dependency on the 4th floor), and Appeals.
• Hall of Justice — 850 Bryant Street, San Francisco, CA 94103. Criminal and Traffic matters.
• Polk Street Annex — 575 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. Community Justice Center (specialized criminal).

Commonly-asked department assignments at the Civic Center Courthouse:

• Complex civil designation: Department 304
• Civil trials and settlements: Department 305
• Law and motion (civil): Department 302
• Asbestos and toxic tort: Department 503

Department assignments are updated periodically by the court. For a current specific assignment, call our SF desk at (800) 687-5003.

Common Rejection Reasons in San Francisco Filings

The rejection triggers we see most often at SF Superior Court — and how our pre-submission review catches them:

• Missing Civil Case Cover Sheet (CM-010) — required on every initial unlimited civil filing. We auto-check.
• Incorrect routing for complex designation — complex-eligible cases must be delivered to Department 304 for designation review. Filing in a trial department causes a bounce.
• Unlawful detainer summons format deviations — SF UD summons must list all occupants. The generic civil summons (SUM-100) is rejected; we use SUM-130 (UD) automatically.
• PDF bookmarking conflicts — certain SF departments reject bookmarked PDFs on unsigned drafts; we strip bookmarks pre-submission when required.
• Over-length memoranda — civil memoranda are capped at 15 pages (20 for summary judgment) under California Rules of Court 3.1113(d). We flag page overages before submission.
• Missing proof of service (POS-030 or POS-040) — most motions and responses require a proof of service. Our checklist enforces this.
• Wrong case caption — the caption must match the court-approved format (case number, department, and hearing date when applicable).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is eFiling mandatory in San Francisco?

Yes, San Francisco has one of the broadest mandatory eFiling programs in California. Attorneys must eFile in civil, family, probate, and certain other case types. Self-represented litigants may choose to eFile or file in person.

Does San Francisco accept eFiling for criminal cases?

Yes, San Francisco is one of the few California counties that accepts eFiling for certain criminal case types, making it unique among California courts.

What are the local rules for San Francisco filing?

San Francisco has specific local rules regarding document formatting, motion calendaring, and department assignments. Legal Document Server’s team is familiar with all SF-specific requirements to ensure your filing is accepted.

What are the eFiling fees for San Francisco County Superior Court?

San Francisco County follows the statewide Judicial Council fee schedule. A new civil unlimited complaint costs approximately $435, civil limited cases start at approximately $75, and family law petitions begin at approximately $435. A per-transaction electronic filing service fee also applies. Legal Document Server provides a complete fee summary before you submit, with no hidden charges.

Where is the San Francisco County Superior Court located?

San Francisco County Superior Court operates at the Civic Center Courthouse at 400 McAllister Street for most civil matters, and at 400 McAllister Street, Room 103 for the clerk’s office. Family law matters are handled at the same location. The Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant Street handles criminal matters. Since San Francisco is both a city and county, all Superior Court operations are centralized. Legal Document Server can eFile to any San Francisco court department.

What document formats does San Francisco County accept for eFiling?

San Francisco County requires text-searchable PDF documents for all eFilings. Scanned or image-only PDFs are generally not accepted. Maximum file size is 25 MB per document. Documents must follow California Rules of Court formatting standards. San Francisco may have additional local rules for certain filing types, and Legal Document Server’s team can advise on any county-specific requirements.

Can I eFile after hours in San Francisco County?

Yes, eFiling through Legal Document Server is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Documents submitted before midnight receive that day’s filing date when accepted by the court. The San Francisco court clerk processes eFilings during regular business hours. You receive real-time status updates as your filing moves through the review process.

Is eFiling mandatory in San Francisco County?

Yes, eFiling is mandatory for represented parties in civil and family law cases in San Francisco County. Self-represented litigants have the option to eFile or file in person at the courthouse. San Francisco’s centralized court location means eFiling is especially convenient, eliminating the need to travel to the Civic Center courthouse for routine filings.

Get Started with San Francisco County Filing

Contact Legal Document Server to handle your San Francisco County court filings. Our team understands SF’s unique eFiling landscape and local rules.