Court costs and fines are two different bills that can arrive from the same case. Court costs are the administrative fees the court charges to process your matter, such as filing fees, service of papers, and copies. Fines are punishment for a violation or offense, set by statute or by the judge at sentencing. Both are enforceable, both accrue consequences if ignored, and both can often be paid online, by mail, or in person once you know your case number and the correct amount.
What Court Costs Actually Cover
Court costs are the price of using the courthouse. They are not punishment. Federal law sets the categories a judge can order the losing side to reimburse: clerk and marshal fees, transcript fees, witness-related expenses, copying costs, docket fees, and compensation for court-appointed experts or interpreters.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1920 – Taxation of Costs State courts use their own schedules, but the categories look similar.
The most common charge is the filing fee to start a case. In federal district court, the statutory civil filing fee is $350, and the Judicial Conference is authorized to add administrative fees on top of that amount.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1914 – District Court Filing and Miscellaneous Fees State filing fees vary widely by case type and jurisdiction, from under $100 for small claims to several hundred dollars for larger civil matters.
Other typical costs include service of process on the other party, certified copies of court documents (commonly $3 to $40 per document), and official transcripts, which vary because they depend on the page count the court reporter produces.
What Fines, Assessments, and Traffic Penalties Look Like
A fine reflects how seriously the system treats the offense, and the numbers can be large. In the federal system, maximum fines for individuals are:
- Infraction: up to $5,000
- Class B or C misdemeanor: up to $5,000
- Class A misdemeanor: up to $100,000
- Felony: up to $250,000
Organizations face higher ceilings, reaching $500,000 for a felony.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3571 – Sentence of Fine These are the general federal maximums. Individual criminal statutes can set their own limits, some well beyond these figures. State fines vary enormously; misdemeanor maximums run from a few hundred dollars to $25,000 depending on the state and the classification.
Every federal criminal conviction also triggers a mandatory special assessment that funds the Crime Victims Fund. For individuals, it is $5 for an infraction or Class C misdemeanor, $10 for a Class B misdemeanor, $25 for a Class A misdemeanor, and $100 for a felony.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3013 – Special Assessment on Convicted Persons A judge cannot waive that charge.
Traffic fines work on a fixed schedule tied to the specific violation rather than a case-by-case sentencing decision, which is why the same offense can cost $100 in one place and $400 in another. Courts can also impose fines for civil contempt when someone disobeys a court order, and restitution to victims is sometimes handled alongside these obligations in the judgment.
How to Find Out What You Owe
Every case has a docket or case number printed near the top of court-issued documents. That number is the key to everything. Without it, payments may not credit correctly and you may not be able to pull up your balance at all.
For federal matters, the PACER system lets you look up case details and documents online.5PACER. PACER Pricing: How Fees Work Most state courts now offer an online case lookup, though the level of detail varies. Some show an itemized balance; others only show case status.
When the online record is thin, contact the clerk of court and ask for an itemized statement of costs. It breaks down every fee, fine, assessment, and penalty attached to your case. If your matter involved multiple hearings or post-judgment motions, additional charges may have been added since your last paperwork arrived, so work from a current statement rather than an older one.
How to Pay
Federal courts accept electronic payments through Pay.gov, which processes fines, penalties, and debts owed to U.S. government agencies.6Pay.gov. Pay.gov The Central Violations Bureau handles online payments for federal tickets and petty offenses.7Central Violations Bureau. Online Payment for Federal Tickets State and local courts increasingly offer their own portals, though availability is uneven.
Courts also accept certified checks and money orders by mail. Put your case number on the payment and on any correspondence you send with it. In person, the clerk’s window typically accepts cash. Electronic payments generally take one to three business days to post. Whichever route you use, get a receipt and keep it indefinitely. That receipt is your only proof if the court’s records show an error later.
Payment Plans When You Cannot Pay in Full
Federal criminal fines and restitution are due immediately by default. A judge can allow installments when justice requires it, structured as equal monthly payments over the shortest period in which you can reasonably pay the full balance.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3572 – Imposition of a Sentence of Fine and Related Matters The court weighs your income, earning capacity, financial resources, and the burden the fine places on you and your dependents. If your finances change after the schedule is set, you must notify the court, and the judge can then adjust it or demand payment in full.
State courts run their own procedures, often at the discretion of the presiding judge or clerk. Many jurisdictions allow you to request a plan at sentencing or afterward by motion. Ask before the deadline passes. Courts are far more willing to work with someone who reaches out early than someone who simply stops paying.
Fee Waivers If You Cannot Afford Court Costs
If you lack the resources to pay court costs, you can ask the court to waive them by filing for in forma pauperis status. In federal court, this statute lets you start, defend, or appeal a case without prepaying fees or posting security.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1915 – Proceedings In Forma Pauperis The federal courts use Form AO 239 (long form) or Form AO 240 (short form).10United States Courts. Fee Waiver Application Forms
The application requires a sworn statement of your income, assets, expenses, and dependents. Courts assess whether you can afford both court fees and basic living needs. Enrollment in means-tested programs like SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, or TANF is strong evidence of eligibility, and some courts treat it as sufficient on its own.
Two boundaries matter here. A fee waiver covers administrative costs like filing fees and service of process. It does not typically cover punitive fines imposed as part of a criminal sentence, and it does not eliminate restitution owed to victims. It also does not pay for an attorney.
What Happens If You Do Not Pay
Ignoring a court-ordered balance escalates quickly. In the federal system, failing to pay a fine or appear can lead the court to issue a summons ordering you to appear or a warrant for your arrest.11Central Violations Bureau. What Happens If I Don’t Pay the Ticket or Appear in Court? For motor vehicle violations, the court may report your failure to your state’s motor vehicle agency, putting your driving privileges and vehicle registration at risk.
The driver’s license consequence is worth calling out. Most states allow license suspension for unpaid court debt, and in many of those the suspension lasts until the full balance is paid. Late fees and interest can compound the debt, which leaves people unable to drive to the work they need to earn what they owe. Several states have started to reform these policies, but the practice remains widespread.
Beyond warrants and license issues, a court can hold you in civil contempt for willfully refusing to pay, which carries its own fines or even jail. Unpaid civil judgments continue accruing post-judgment interest, calculated in federal cases from the date judgment is entered at a rate tied to the one-year Treasury yield and compounded annually.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1961 – Interest Some jurisdictions add collection surcharges or hand delinquent balances to private collection agencies, which adds another layer of fees. A balance you could have handled at sentencing can double or triple if you let it sit.
Community Service as an Alternative
Some courts allow defendants to work off fines through community service hours, particularly for lower-level offenses and juvenile cases. Availability and terms vary significantly. There is no uniform national conversion rate between hours worked and dollars owed; some courts set their own rates, and others leave it to the judge. If a payment plan still leaves you unable to make ends meet, ask your attorney or the clerk whether community service is an option in your case. Courts are more receptive when you can show genuine inability to pay rather than unwillingness.