California Court Forms & Fees

In the majority of cases, there are fees to file paperwork with the court system. The fees can vary depending on the county, but most counties have their fees posted on their web sites. Here are links to those web sites for use (the links will open in a new window or tab).

Los Angeles
Orange
Riverside
San Bernardino
San Diego

There are cases – such for a Domestic Violence restraining order – there are no fees associated with filing. Low income filers may not have to pay fees, but there are forms to fill out to get a fee waiver.

Description	Fillable Form	Instructions
Order on Application for Waiver of Court Fees and Costs	982(a)(18)	Instructions for form 982(a)(18)
Application for Waiver of Court Fees and Costs	982(a)(17) (form does calculations)	Instructions for form 982(a)(17)

If you decide to apply for a fee waiver later in your case, you will need these forms:

Description	Fillable Form
Order on Application for Waiver of Additional Court Fees and Costs	982(a)(18.1)
Application for Waiver of Additional Court Fees and Costs	982(a)(20)

Please note that these forms are for the court only and should not be served on the other party.