Court Rules

Hennepin County District Court Filing Fees and Waivers

24 rules from official source documents

Filing fees, payment methods, fee waiver requirements, deferrals, and clerk payment rules. This page is scoped to Hennepin County District Court; use the court rules overview to switch categories without leaving this court.

Applies to
Nonpayment eviction response

A tenant defending a nonpayment eviction must bring the rent and the court fees listed on the complaint to court.

When you are being evicted for not paying rent:Bring the rent money to court with the court fees listed on the complaint. Bring your money in the form of cash or certified check;

Applies to
Answer

A tenant's Answer must be filed with the filing fee at the Housing Court counter, and a copy must be given to the landlord before the hearing begins.

If you wrote a response (Answer) to your landlord’s complaint, file the Answer, with the filing fee, at the front counter of Housing Court. Give a copy of the Answer to your landlord before the hearing starts;

Applies to
ETRA petition

An ETRA filing requires payment of the filing fee unless the court orders a waiver for inability to pay because of low income.

To file an ETRA, the tenant must do the following: Pay the filing fee (unless the filing fee is ordered waived due to inability to pay due to low income);

Applies to
Claim form

A claim form requires a filing fee, but a financially qualifying claimant may file an affidavit of inability to pay instead.

You must file your completed claim form with the court and pay a filing fee. Visit the Fees tab on our homepage to see current fee amounts. If you financially qualify, you may complete and file the Affidavit of Inability to Pay Conciliation Court Filing Fee.

Applies to
Claim form

A claim may be filed in person or by mail; mailed filings require the correct fee by check payable to Conciliation Court or a fee-inability affidavit.

You may file in person or by mail. If you file by mail, send your completed claim form along with the correct filing fee (checks should be payable to Conciliation Court) or Affidavit of Inability to Pay Conciliation Court Filing Fee to:

Applies to
Counterclaim

A counterclaim requires a filing fee, but a financially qualifying filer may submit a fee-inability affidavit.

When you have filled out your counterclaim, you must file it with the court and pay a filing fee. Visit the Fees tab on our homepage to see current fee amounts. If you financially qualify, you may complete and file the Affidavit of Inability to Pay Conciliation Court Filing Fee.

Applies to
Counterclaim

If filing by mail, you must send the completed claim form and either the correct filing fee, payable by check to Conciliation Court, or an Affidavit of Inability to Pay Conciliation Court Filing Fee.

If you file by mail, send your completed claim form along with the correct filing fee (checks should be payable to Conciliation Court) or Affidavit of Inability to Pay Conciliation Court Filing Fee to:

Applies to
Hearing date change request

If you have not paid the initial filing fee, you must include the fee for your request to be processed; if you financially qualify, you may file the Affidavit of Inability to Pay Conciliation Court Filing Fee.

If you have not already paid the initial filing fee, you must include the fee for the request to be processed. Visit the Fees tab on our homepage to see current fee amounts. If you financially qualify, you may complete and file the Affidavit of Inability to Pay Conciliation Court Filing Fee.

Applies to
Ex parte new trial request

If you have not paid the initial filing fee, you must include it for your request to be processed; if you financially qualify, you may file the Affidavit of Inability to Pay Conciliation Court Filing Fee.

If you have not already paid the initial filing fee, you must include the fee for the request to be processed. Visit the Fees tab on our homepage to see current fee amounts. If you financially qualify, you may complete and file the Affidavit of Inability to Pay Conciliation Court Filing Fee.

Applies to
Transcript of judgment request

An electronic transcript-of-judgment request requires payment of the filing fee.

Paying the filing fee

Applies to
Transcript of judgment request

A mailed transcript-of-judgment request must include a check payable to the District Court Administrator.

Check payable to the District Court Administrator (fee schedule)

Applies to
Transcript of judgment request

An in-person transcript-of-judgment request requires the debtor-identification affidavit and payment of a fee.

Apply in person at the civil division counter on the 3rd floor court's tower of the Hennepin County Government Center to request a transcript of your judgment. You will need to complete an Affidavit of Identification of Judgment Debtor and pay a fee.

Applies to
Satisfaction of judgment

Filing a Satisfaction of Judgment with the court requires a filing fee.

there is a filing fee to file the Satisfaction with the court.

Applies to
Removal

A removal filed in District Court requires payment of a filing fee.

Pay the filing fee.

Applies to
Filing

A filing will be rejected unless all required fees are paid at filing or the filing includes a fee-waiver request.

All required filing fees must be paid at the time of filing or submitted with a fee waiver request, or the filing will be rejected.

Applies to
Condemnation Appeal case

A party filing a notice of appeal must initiate a new Condemnation Appeal case and pay a first filing fee.

The party must file a new Condemnation Appeal case with their notice of appeal and pay a first filing fee.

Applies to
Administrative default judgment

The required filing fees must be paid when filing the documents needed to request administrative default judgment.

To ask that a judgment entered by default on an administrative basis, the following documents must be filed with the court along with the required filing fees:

Applies to
Jury trial request

A tenant requesting a jury trial may be required to pay a jury fee.

If you want a jury trial, you may have to pay a jury fee.

Applies to
Additional hearing date change request

A party may request one hearing-date change, and additional requests may result in costs of up to $50.

You may ask to change your hearing date only one time. If you need to make additional requests, the Court may order you to pay costs of up to $50.

Applies to
Subpoena

A Conciliation Court subpoena used to require a reluctant witness to appear is available for a fee.

If a witness is reluctant to appear, you may use a "subpoena" (written form from the court) to require them to appear. Subpoenas are available from the Conciliation Court for a fee.

Applies to
Subpoena

A subpoena used to obtain relevant documents held by another person is available from Conciliation Court for a fee.

You can also demand that someone give you documents that relate to the dispute that another person has but is not willing to give to you voluntarily. You do this with a subpoena that you can get from the Conciliation Court for a fee.

Applies to
Drug related seized property claim

No filing fee is required for a drug-related seized-property claim filed in Conciliation Court.

Effective August 1, 2010, claims for return of seized property may be filed in Conciliation Court if the property is valued at $20,000 or less. There is no filing fee.

Applies to
Alcohol related seized vehicle claim

No filing fee is required for an alcohol-related seized-vehicle claim filed in Conciliation Court.

Effective August 1, 2012, claims for return of seized property may be filed in Conciliation Court if the property is valued at $20,000 or less. There is no filing fee.

Applies to
Pleadings

Pleadings filed by Adult Representation Services may be filed without a fee.

FAM - Authorized Filing of Pleadings without Fees by Adult Representation Services - Nov. 2023

Common questions about Hennepin County District Court filing fees and waivers rules

Are filing fees or waivers addressed in Hennepin County District Court?

A fee is required for covered filings. A tenant defending a nonpayment eviction must bring the rent and the court fees listed on the complaint to court.

View ruleSource: page 1, section Eviction Information for Tenants

Are filing fees or waivers addressed in Hennepin County District Court?

A fee is required for covered filings. A tenant's Answer must be filed with the filing fee at the Housing Court counter, and a copy must be given to the landlord before the hearing begins.

View ruleSource: page 1, section The Courtroom Process

Are filing fees or waivers addressed in Hennepin County District Court?

A fee is required for covered filings, and the rule identifies waiver availability. An ETRA filing requires payment of the filing fee unless the court orders a waiver for inability to pay because of low income.

View ruleSource: page 1, section The Courtroom Process

Are filing fees or waivers addressed in Hennepin County District Court?

A fee is required for covered filings, and the rule identifies waiver availability. A claim form requires a filing fee, but a financially qualifying claimant may file an affidavit of inability to pay instead.

View ruleSource: page 1, section How to file a Conciliation Court claim

Are filing fees or waivers addressed in Hennepin County District Court?

A fee is required for covered filings, and the rule identifies waiver availability. A counterclaim requires a filing fee, but a financially qualifying filer may submit a fee-inability affidavit.

View ruleSource: page 1, section How to file a counterclaim

Are filing fees or waivers addressed in Hennepin County District Court?

A fee is required for covered filings, and the rule identifies waiver availability. If you have not paid the initial filing fee, you must include the fee for your request to be processed; if you financially qualify, you may file the Affidavit of Inability to Pay Conciliation Court Filing Fee.

View ruleSource: page 1, section How to continue or reschedule a court date