California's Universal Fees

In California, there are universal fees that must be paid in addition to any fees imposed at the county level. These fees vary based on a couple criteria including dollar worth of the claim and type of document filed.

Standard Case Filing (Statewide)

Civil Case Filing:

Divorce: $435

Unlimited civil (over $35,000): $435 (most counties)

Limited civil ($10,000-$35,000): $370

Limited civil (under $10,000): $225

Small claims (up to $1,500): $30

Small claims ($1,501-$5,000): $50

Small claims ($5,001-$10,000): $75

Other Common Fees:

General motions: $60

Motion for summary judgment: $500

Jury deposit: $150 (non-refundable)

These fees can be daunting for many, luckily there is fee waiver options available for those who receive public benefits, have household incomes below a certain threshold, and cannot afford the fees while meeting basic needs. For this, you will use form FW-001 (Request to Waive Court Fees).

County Fees

San Joaquin County Superior Court

Standard California statewide civil fee schedule applies. E-filing not offered for this county.

Standard California statewide civil fee schedule applies. E-file is mandatory for most documents.

Tuolumne County Superior Court

Mariposa County Superior Court

Standard California statewide civil fee schedule applies. $80 surcharge for physical filing and courtesy copy delivery. E-filing is available.

Merced County Superior Court

Standard California civil fee schedule applies.

$1 minimum credit card convenience fee. E-filing is required for most documents.

Madera County Superior Court

Standard California statewide civil fee schedule applies. E-filing is available for most documents with a base fee of $9.45 and a credit card convenience fee of 2.75%.

Stanislaus County Superior Court

Standard California statewide civil fee schedule applies. E-filing not available.

Fresno County Superior Court

Standard California statewide civil fee schedule applies. E-file mandatory for most civil cases. Copy fees of $1.50 for the first page, $0.50 for subsequent pages, and $1.00 for certified copies will apply to physical court filings.

Tulare County Superior Court

Standard California statewide civil fee schedule applies. E-filing is available for most documents with a base fee of $9.45 and a credit card convenience fee of 2.75%.