California Rules of Court Filing Fees and Waivers

No electronic filing service fee may be charged when a prosecutor, an indigent defendant, or that defendant's court-appointed counsel files a document in a criminal action.

Source text: Electronic filing service providers and electronic filing managers may not charge a service fee when an electronic filer files a document in a criminal action when the electronic filer is a prosecutor, an indigent defendant, or court appointed counsel for an indigent defendant.

Initial court fee waivers are available for probate fiduciaries and parties in civil actions with conservators/guardians based on financial condition.

Source text: Rule 7.5. Waivers of court fees in decedents’ estates, conservatorships, and guardianships (a) Scope of rule This rule governs initial fee waivers, as defined in rule 3.50(b), that are requested by petitioners for the appointment of fiduciaries, or by fiduciaries after their appointment, in decedents’ estates, conservatorships, and guardianships under the Probate Code. The rule also governs initial fee waivers in other civil actions or proceedings in which conservators or guardians are parties representing the interests of their conservatees or wards.

A fee waiver may later be ended, modified, or retroactively withdrawn if the court determines the applicant is not eligible.

Source text: As provided in Government Code sections 68631 and following, any waiver may later be ended, modified, or retroactively withdrawn if the court determines that the applicant is not eligible for the waiver.

The court may later order that previously waived fees and costs be paid.

Source text: As provided in Government Code sections 68636 and 68637, the court may, at a later time, determine that the previously waived fees and costs be paid.

An electronic filing service provider may be allowed to charge electronic filers a reasonable fee in addition to the court's filing fee.

Source text: Allow the provider to charge electronic filers a reasonable fee in addition to the court's filing fee;

An electronic filing service provider may not require a credit or debit card or bank account information when a filer creates an account.

Source text: An electronic filing service provider may not require a filer to provide a credit card, debit card, or bank account information to create an account with the electronic filing service provider.

While payment information cannot be required to open an account, a provider may require it before rendering services unless the services are covered by a court-granted fee waiver.

Source text: This provision applies only to the creation of an account and not to the use of an electronic filing service provider's services. An electronic filing service provider may require a filer to provide a credit card, debit card, or bank account information before rendering services unless the services are within the scope of a fee waiver granted by the court to the filer.

This division's rules govern applications for an initial waiver of court fees and costs based on the applicant's financial condition.

Source text: The rules in this division govern applications in the trial court for an initial waiver of court fees and costs because of the applicant's financial condition.

"Initial fee waiver" is defined as the initial waiver of court fees and costs that may be granted at any stage of the proceedings, covering fees and costs under rules 3.55 and 3.56.

Source text: For purpose of the rules in this division, "initial fee waiver" means the initial waiver of court fees and costs that may be granted at any stage of the proceedings and includes both the fees and costs specified in rule 3.55 and any additional fees and costs specified in rule 3.56.

Initial fee waivers in probate matters (decedents' estates, conservatorships, guardianships) are governed by rule 7.5 rather than this division.

Source text: Initial fee waivers in decedents' estate, probate conservatorship, and probate guardianship proceedings or involving guardians or conservators as parties on behalf of their wards or conservatees are governed by rule 7.5.

A court may permit credit cards, debit cards, electronic fund transfers, or debit accounts for civil filing fees associated with electronic filing, and may also authorize other payment methods.

Source text: A court may permit the use of credit cards, debit cards, electronic fund transfers, or debit accounts for the payment of civil filing fees associated with electronic filing, as provided in Government Code section 6159, rule 10.820, and other applicable law. A court may also authorize other methods of payment.

Eligible persons may seek a waiver of court fees and costs.

Source text: Eligible persons may seek a waiver of court fees and costs, as provided in Government Code sections 68630-68641, rule 2.252(f), and division 2 of title 3 of these rules.