If the action is to enforce the payment of a debt, the statement of calculation of liability shall separately state the original debt, each payment credited to the debt, each fee and charge added to the debt, each payment credited against those fees and charges, all other debits or charges to the account, and an explanation of the nature of those fees, charges, debits, and all other credits to the debt, by source and amount.
§ 116.222.Action to enforce payment of debt
Title 1. Organization and Jurisdiction · Chapter 5.5. Small Claims Court · Article 2. Small Claims Court · Enacted 2005 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 116.222 requires a plaintiff enforcing payment of a debt in small claims court to itemize the calculation of liability, separately listing the original debt, every payment credited to it, every fee or charge added, every payment credited against those fees and charges, and any other debits, with an explanation of each item’s nature, source, and amount.
Full Text of § 116.222
Plain-English Summary
Debt-collection claims can arrive at a dollar figure after years of payments, interest, and added fees, leaving the defendant with no clear picture of how the number was reached. Section 116.222 addresses that by requiring the plaintiff’s statement of calculation to break the total down piece by piece: the original debt, each payment credited against it, each fee or charge tacked on, each payment credited against those fees and charges, and any other debits or charges to the account.
The statement must also explain the nature of each fee, charge, or credit, along with its source and amount — not just a running total. That itemization gives a self-represented defendant something concrete to check and dispute, rather than a single lump-sum demand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a debt collector have to explain how they calculated the amount owed in small claims court?
Yes. Section 116.222 requires a plaintiff enforcing payment of a debt to separately itemize the original debt, each payment applied to it, each fee or charge added, and any other debits, along with the source and amount of each item.
What can I do if a debt collector’s small claims statement is not itemized this way?
Section 116.222 sets the itemization requirement for the plaintiff’s own statement of calculation; a defendant can point to the missing detail when disputing the claim at the hearing described in § 116.520.
Amendment History
Added Stats 2005 ch 618 § 3 (AB 1459), effective January 1, 2006.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: debt collection lawsuit small claims californiaitemized statement of debt small claims court