You pay court fees at the moment you file your document, either through the court’s online portal, by mail with a cashier’s check or money order, or in person at the clerk’s window. Federal civil filings cost $405; state court fees vary widely by case type and location. Knowing how to pay court fees comes down to three things: your case number, the exact fee owed, and a payment method the court actually accepts.
What to Have Ready Before You Pay
Every case has a unique case number (sometimes called a docket number or index number) that links your payment to the correct file. You’ll find it on your summons, complaint, or any prior document from the court. For a brand-new case, the clerk assigns the number when you file, and the fee is collected at that same moment.
Check the court’s official fee schedule before paying anything. In federal district court, a civil filing costs $350 under statute plus a $55 administrative fee set by the Judicial Conference, for a total of $405.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 U.S.C. 1914 – District Court; Filing and Miscellaneous Fees2United States Courts. District Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule State court fees run from around $30 for a small claims case to over $400 for a general civil lawsuit, depending on the jurisdiction and the amount in dispute. Schedules are posted on the clerk’s website or available at the courthouse counter.
Confirm which payment methods the court accepts. Many clerk’s offices won’t take personal checks for mailed or in-person payments, requiring cashier’s checks or money orders instead. Online systems generally accept credit cards, debit cards, and sometimes electronic checks. If you use a method the court rejects, your payment comes back and your filing sits unprocessed until you resubmit.
Paying Online
Most courts now accept electronic payment through an e-filing portal. Federal courts use the CM/ECF (Case Management/Electronic Case Files) system, which processes payments through Pay.gov.3United States Courts. Electronic Filing (CM/ECF) State courts run their own platforms. You enter your case number, select the filing type, and pay with a credit card, debit card, or electronic check. The system generates a digital receipt and a transaction reference number. Save both.
Online payments almost always carry a convenience fee. Expect a flat charge of a dollar or two for electronic checks, or a percentage-based fee (commonly 2.75% to 5%) for card transactions. That surcharge is noticeable on a $405 federal filing, so factor it in.
Paying by Mail
Mail a cashier’s check or money order made payable to the clerk of court. Include a copy of your filing or a cover letter listing the case number, the names of the parties, and what fee you’re paying. Certified mail with return receipt requested gives you proof of delivery and a date stamp if something goes wrong. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the clerk to send back a file-stamped receipt.
The clerk credits your payment when the envelope is opened and processed, not on the date the postal service delivers it. If you’re close to a deadline, build in at least a week of lead time.
Paying in Person
The clerk’s window is the most direct option. Hand over your payment, the clerk verifies the amount, updates the case management system, and gives you a stamped receipt on the spot. Accepted methods at the window usually include cashier’s checks, money orders, and cash. Some clerk’s offices also accept credit and debit cards in person, but not all do. Call ahead to confirm.
Paying Through Your Attorney
If you have a lawyer, they typically handle court fee payments for you. Attorneys keep client funds in a trust account (often called an IOLTA account) that stays separate from the lawyer’s own money. Funds you give your attorney for filing fees remain your property in the trust account until the attorney actually pays the clerk. Ask for an itemized accounting of every court cost paid on your behalf.
If You Can’t Afford the Fee
You can ask the court to waive fees if paying would be a hardship. In federal court, this is called proceeding “in forma pauperis” (IFP), governed by 28 U.S.C. ยง 1915. The statute lets any federal court accept your filing without prepayment if you submit a sworn statement showing you can’t afford the fees.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 U.S.C. 1915 – Proceedings In Forma Pauperis Every state has a similar process, though forms and thresholds differ.
The application asks for a full picture of your finances: income from all sources, monthly expenses like rent and utilities, assets including bank accounts and vehicles, the people you support, and any public benefits you receive. Many courts use 150% of the federal poverty level as a benchmark. For 2026, the federal poverty level is $15,960 for a single person (150% is roughly $23,940) and $33,000 for a family of four (150% is about $49,500).5HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines Enrollment in means-tested programs like Medicaid, SNAP, or SSI is strong supporting evidence.
Fill out the application honestly. It’s a sworn statement, and federal law requires the court to dismiss the case if the poverty claim is untrue.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 U.S.C. 1915 – Proceedings In Forma Pauperis False statements on sworn court documents can also expose you to perjury liability.6Library of Congress. False Statements and Perjury: An Overview of Federal Criminal Law
Relief isn’t always all-or-nothing. Some courts grant a partial waiver or an installment plan if your income is too high for a full waiver but the fee still bites. In federal bankruptcy court, for example, the court can authorize installments before considering a full waiver.
What Happens If Your Payment Doesn’t Go Through
A document isn’t legally filed until the clerk accepts it and the fee is paid. If your payment bounces or you submit the wrong amount, the clerk rejects the filing, and a rejected filing is treated as if it never happened. This is where deadlines become dangerous: if a statute of limitations runs while your filing sits in rejected status, you may permanently lose the claim. Courts sometimes grant relief for a good-faith error, but not for last-minute filings or avoidable mistakes.
Federal district courts can require advance payment by local rule.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 U.S.C. 1914 – District Court; Filing and Miscellaneous Fees “I’ll pay later” isn’t an option unless you’ve been granted a waiver or an installment plan. No payment, no filing. No filing, no case.
Once you’ve paid, don’t count on a refund if you change your mind. The Judicial Conference has a longstanding policy against refunding filing fees.7United States Court of Federal Claims. Electronic Filing Fee Refund Policy The narrow exception is for fees paid in error: duplicate charges, wrong amounts processed by the electronic system, or clerical mistakes by the court itself. Voluntarily dismissing your own case does not get your money back.
Getting Court Costs Back If You Win
Keep receipts for every fee you pay. Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 54(d), costs are generally awarded to the prevailing party unless a statute or court order says otherwise.8Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 54 – Judgment; Costs Recoverable categories are set by statute and include clerk and marshal fees, transcripts necessary for the case, witness fees and travel, copies obtained for use in the case, and court-appointed interpreter and expert costs.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 U.S.C. 1920 – Taxation of Costs
You claim these by filing a “bill of costs” with the clerk after judgment. The federal form is AO 133.10United States Courts. Bill of Costs (District Court) Attach receipts. Attorney’s fees are separate and only recoverable when a specific statute authorizes them; winning by itself does not entitle you to reimbursement of what you paid your lawyer.