Blog / Local rules
How to Evict a Tenant in San Bernardino County (2026)
- Where a San Bernardino County eviction is filed and heard is set by the court's general order, Civil Cases, Where Filed and Heard (effective May 5, 2026). Limited unlawful detainers are handled in district courthouses such as Fontana, Barstow, Joshua Tree and Needles; unlimited ones go to the San Bernardino Justice Center.
- Every new civil complaint must be accompanied by a Certificate of Assignment (local form 13-16503-360) under Local Rule 404.
- The filing fee is $255 for claims up to $10,000 and $395 for claims over $10,000 up to $35,000.
- The San Bernardino County Sheriff's eviction fee is $180. After the notice to vacate is posted, the tenant has 5 days to leave.
San Bernardino County covers a huge area, from the West End to the high desert and the Colorado River, and its court spreads eviction cases across several district courthouses. A landlord in Ontario or Victorville may find that the case is not heard at the courthouse down the street. This guide explains how to evict a tenant in San Bernardino County: where to file, the local Certificate of Assignment, fees, e-filing, service, and the sheriff lockout.
Step 1: Serve a proper notice
The case starts with a written notice. For unpaid rent, serve a 3-day notice to pay rent or quit; weekends and court holidays are not counted, so use our 3-day notice calculator. For other problems you may need a notice to cure or quit or a 30, 60 or 90 day notice. If the unit is covered by the state Tenant Protection Act, the notice must state a just cause, and no fault terminations require relocation assistance. Our guide on Inland Empire landlord rules explains when that law applies.
Step 2: Find the right courthouse
Under Local Rule 131, the Presiding Judge designates by general order where every type of civil case is filed and heard. The current order, Civil Cases, Where Filed and Heard, took effect May 5, 2026 and is posted on the court's General Orders page. Check it for the district that serves your property before you file.
The court's own calendaring guidelines show where unlawful detainer matters are heard today:
- Fontana District, 17780 Arrow Boulevard, Fontana: unlawful detainer matters in Departments F6 and F7.
- Barstow District, 235 E. Mountain View Street, Barstow: unlawful detainer matters in Department B1.
- Joshua Tree District, 6527 White Feather Road, Joshua Tree: unlawful detainer guidelines with motions that must be reserved in advance.
- Needles District: landlord tenant hearings and trials set on Fridays.
- San Bernardino Justice Center, 247 W. 3rd Street, San Bernardino: several civil departments hear unlawful detainers, and the court takes filing appointments for unlimited landlord tenant cases there.
The Rancho Cucamonga and Victorville courthouses have civil courtrooms and clerk's offices, but the court's landlord tenant page offers filing appointments for limited landlord tenant cases only at Barstow, Fontana, Joshua Tree and Needles. Do not assume the closest courthouse is the right one. Filing in the wrong courthouse is a ground for transfer under Local Rule 132 and costs you time.
Step 3: Prepare the complaint and the Certificate of Assignment
The core papers are statewide forms: the summons (SUM-130), the complaint (UD-100), the civil case cover sheet (CM-010), and a Prejudgment Claim of Right to Possession if you want the judgment to cover unnamed occupants. San Bernardino adds one local form that landlords often miss:
- Certificate of Assignment (form 13-16503-360). Local Rule 404 requires a Certificate of Assignment to be attached to the complaint, and the form itself states that a civil action presented for filing must be accompanied by it. You state the ground for filing in a particular district, such as the location of the rental property. The answers help the clerk confirm the proper filing district.
Our self-represented filing packet includes the San Bernardino Certificate of Assignment. See our fees.
Step 4: Pay the fee and file
The court's fee schedule effective January 1, 2026 lists the unlawful detainer complaint fee at $255 when the amount demanded is $10,000 or less, and $395 for more than $10,000 up to $35,000. These amounts include a local courthouse construction surcharge, so they differ from the statewide schedule. Cases over $35,000 are unlimited and cost more; check the current schedule. For the full budget, see how much an eviction costs in California.
The court has offered voluntary e-filing in landlord tenant cases for attorneys and self-represented litigants since October 2, 2023. The court states that a date for mandatory e-filing has not been set. Writs of possession can also be submitted through e-filing. You can still file in person, and the court offers filing appointments.
Step 5: Serve the tenant
Each defendant must be served with the summons, complaint and any claim of right form by an adult who is not a party, a registered process server, or the sheriff. If the tenant avoids personal service, ask the court for an order allowing posting and mailing. After personal service, the tenant has 10 court days to respond, plus 5 more court days if service was completed by mail.
Step 6: Default or trial
If the tenant does not respond, you request entry of default and a default judgment. If the tenant files an answer, either side can file a request to set the case for trial, and the law calls for trial within 20 days after the first request. Check the calendaring guidelines for your district: some districts require hearings to be reserved before you file a motion.
Step 7: Writ of possession and the San Bernardino County Sheriff
Once you have a judgment for possession, the clerk issues a writ of possession for a $40 fee. Evictions are handled by the Sheriff's Civil Enforcement Unit, which has two offices:
- San Bernardino: 157 W. 5th Street, 3rd Floor, San Bernardino.
- Victorville: 14455 Civic Drive, Suite 400, Victorville.
The unit accepts requests in person, by mail, by email or by fax. Include the writ, Judicial Council form SER-001 with form SER-001A for writs, and, if deputies will need to force entry, the sheriff's Forced Entry Waiver. The sheriff's fee schedule lists the eviction fee at $180 ($105 for posting and $75 for restoring possession), $125 to repost a notice, and $50 if an eviction is cancelled before the lockout. The $180 eviction fee matches Government Code section 26733.5. Payment can be made by cash, check, debit or credit card.
A deputy serves or posts a notice to vacate. Under Code of Civil Procedure section 715.020, the occupants have 5 days to leave, and the deputy then returns to remove anyone still there and put you in possession. Meet the deputy at the property at the scheduled time with keys or a locksmith. Our article on the writ of possession and sheriff lockout walks through lockout day, and our guide to tenant belongings after an eviction explains your duties for anything left behind.
Typical San Bernardino County timeline
- Notice: 3 court days for unpaid rent, longer for other notices.
- Filing and service: depends on how quickly every tenant is served.
- Response: 10 court days after personal service, 15 after posting and mailing.
- Judgment: by default, or after a trial set within about 20 days of a request.
- Lockout: when the sheriff schedules it, after the 5 day notice to vacate.
High desert and mountain properties can take longer to serve. For more, read how long an eviction takes in California.
Mistakes we see in San Bernardino County
- Leaving out the Certificate of Assignment or filling it out with the landlord's address instead of the property's.
- Filing at the nearest courthouse without checking the general order.
- Using an old 5 day response deadline on paperwork. Tenants now have 10 court days.
- Changing the locks before the sheriff lockout. Self-help evictions expose the landlord to damages.
If you have a rental in San Bernardino County and want an attorney to handle the case, request a case review.
This article is general information about California and San Bernardino County procedures as of its date, not legal advice for your situation. Filing locations, local forms and sheriff fees can change, so confirm them with the court and the sheriff before you act.
Related: Riverside County eviction guide | Request a case review
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This article is general information about California law as of its date, not legal advice for your situation. Laws and local ordinances change, and court decisions can be reviewed or reversed. Reading it does not create an attorney client relationship.