SC-220

Request to Make Payments 

Clerk stamps here when form is filed.

Read the other side before you fill out this form.

1

I am asking for permission to pay my small claims judgment in payments.

My name is:

Mailing address: 

Phone: 

2

On (date):

I owe (total amount): $

To (name of party you must pay):

Mailing address: 

Phone: 

, the court made the decision (judgment) that:

Fill in the court name and street address:

Superior Court of California, County of

3

I am asking for permission to make payments, instead of paying the full  
amount all at once, because (explain):

Case Number:

If your answer will not fit in the space below, check this box and attach 
your answer on a separate sheet of paper. Write “SC-220, Item 3” at the 
top.

Case Name:

Fill in your case number and case name:

4

I ask the court to allow me to make payments on the following terms (check and complete all that apply):

Payments of $
Starting (date):

, on the

day of each (month, week, other):

, until (date of final payment): 

; amount of final payment: $

Other payment schedule (specify):

The total amount of payments is $
The actual amount of that interest may be different if the payments are made late or early. Attach a page that 
shows how you calculated the interest and write “SC-220, Item 4c” at the top. 

, which includes interest on the unpaid balance of the judgment. 

The total amount of payments is the same as the judgment. If all payments are made in full and on time, no  
interest will be owed on the judgment, and the judgment will be paid in full.   

Other (specify):

Warning! If any payment is not made in full and on time, the judgment creditor may notify the court to 
cancel the payment plan and the entire unpaid balance will become due and collectible.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the information above is true and correct. 

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

Date:  

Type or print your name 

Sign here

Judicial Council of California,  www.courts.ca.gov  
Rev. July 1, 2013, Optional Form  
Code of Civil Procedure, § 116.620, Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.2107

Request to Make Payments 
(Small Claims)

SC-220, Page 1 of 2

Payments in Small Claims Cases 

General Information

If the court ordered you to pay money, you can ask  
the court for permission to make payments. Here’s how:

If the court ordered someone to pay you money, and 
that person has filed a Request to Make Payments...

• Read this form. 

• Fill out Form SC-220, Request to Make Payments. 

Fill out one form for each plaintiff or defendant 
(judgment creditor) you want to make payments to. 

• Fill out Form EJ-165, Financial Statement. 

• File your completed forms with the small claims 

court clerk. 

The court will mail all other plaintiffs and defendants 
in the case copies of your Request to Make Payments 
and Financial Statement, and a blank Form SC-221, 
Response to Request to Make Payments. 

The other parties will have 10 days to file a 
Response. Then, the court will mail all plaintiffs and 
defendants in the case:

• A decision on the Request to Make Payments or  

• Read this form and the Request. 

• If you agree with the Request, you do not need to do  

anything. 

• If you do not agree with the Request or you want to 

be paid interest, file a Response within 10 days 
after the court clerk mailed the Request to you. 
(This date is on the Clerk’s Certificate of Mailing.) If you 
do not do this, the court may allow the person who 
owes you money to make payments. And, you may 
lose your rights to collect interest on the judgment. 

To file your Response: 

• Fill out Form SC-221, Response to Request to Make  

Payments. 

• Have your Response served on all other plaintiffs and  

defendants in your case. (See Form SC-112A, Proof of  
Service By Mail.) 

• File your Response and Proof of Service with the small 

• A notice to go to a hearing. 

claims court clerk. 

Answers to Common Questions

When is the judgment due?  
Unless the court orders otherwise, small claims judgments 
are due immediately. If the judgment is not paid in full 
within 30 days, the judgment creditor (person to whom the 
money is owed) can take legal steps to collect any unpaid 
amount. (Collection may be postponed if an appeal or a 
request to vacate (cancel) or correct the judgment is filed.)

Can the judgment debtor make payments?  
A party who was ordered to pay a small claims judgment 
(the judgment debtor) can ask the court for permission to 
make payments. If the court agrees, the party who is owed 
money (the judgment creditor) cannot take any other steps 
to collect the money as long as the payments are made on 
time. 

Is interest added after the judgment?  
Interest (10 percent per year) is usually added to the 
unpaid amount of the judgment from the date the judgment 
is entered until it is paid in full. Interest can only be 
charged on the unpaid amount of the judgment (the 
principal); interest cannot be charged on any unpaid  

interest. If a partial payment is received, the money is 
applied first to unpaid interest and then to unpaid principal.

When the court allows payments, the court often does not  
order any interest, as long as all payments are made in full  
and on time. Unless the creditor asks for interest to be  
included in the order allowing payments, the creditor may  
lose any claims for interest. But, if the debtor does not 
make full payments on time, interest on the missed 
payment or the entire unpaid balance might become due 
and collectible. 

How do I calculate interest?  
If you are proposing a payment schedule that includes 
interest, you need to itemize the principal and interest for 
each payment. To do this, you can search on the Internet 
for “free amortization calculator.” Enter the total amount of 
the judgment as the principal, the interest rate of 10 percent 
per year, the frequency of payments (monthly, weekly, 
etc.), and the number or length of payments. Print the 
results showing the payment amount and how each 
payment is divided between principal and interest. Attach 
this to your Request or Response. 

?

Need help?  
For free help, contact your county’s small claims advisor:
[local info here]

Or go to “County-Specific Court Information” at www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-smallclaims.htm

Rev. July 1, 2013

SC-220, Page 2 of 2

Request to Make Payments  
(Small Claims)