FW-001 - Request to Waive Court Fees

Summary

Request to Waive Court Fees

Text

Form ID: FW-001
Title: Request to Waive Court Fees
Effective Date: 2026-03-01
Mandatory Form: yes
Languages: 汉语, 한국어, español, Tiếng Việt
Info Page: https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/jcc-form/FW-001
Primary Download URL: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fw001.pdf
Alternate Download URLs: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fw001c.pdf, https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fw001k.pdf, https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fw001s.pdf, https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fw001v.pdf
Form Detail Page:
Request to Waive Court Fees
(FW-001)
Ask the court to let you file papers and receive services without paying court fees and costs because you are getting public benefits, you are a low-income person, or you do not have enough income to pay your basic needs and your court fees.
Get form FW-001
汉语
Get form FW-001 in Chinese Simplified
(Chinese Simplified)
한국어
Get form FW-001 in Korean
(Korean)
español
Get form FW-001 in Spanish
(Spanish)
Tiếng Việt
Get form FW-001 in Vietnamese
(Vietnamese)
Effective: March 1, 2026
Go to
How-to instructions for Fee Waivers
PDF Text:
Judicial Council of California, courts.ca.gov  
Rev. March 1, 2026, Mandatory Form  
Gov. Code, § 68633;  
Cal. Rules of Court, rules 3.51, 8.26, and 8.818
Request to Waive Court Fees
FW-001 Request to Waive Court Fees CONFIDENTIAL
Clerk stamps date here when form is filed.
Fill in court name and street address:
Superior Court of California, County of
Fill in case number and name:
Case Number:
Case Name:
If you are getting public benefits, are a low-income person, or do not have 
enough income to pay for your household’s basic needs and your court fees, you 
may use this form to ask the court to waive your court fees. The court may order 
you to answer questions about your finances. If the court waives the fees, you 
may still have to pay later if:
•   You cannot give the court proof of your eligibility,
•   Your financial situation improves during this case, or
•   You settle your civil case for $10,000 or more. The trial court that waives 
your fees will have a lien on any such settlement in the amount of the 
waived fees and costs. The court may also charge you any collection costs. 
1 Your Information (person asking the court to waive the fees):
Name:
Street or mailing address:
City: State: Zip:
Phone:
2 Your Job, if you have one (job title):
Name of employer:
Employer’s address:
3 Your Lawyer, if you have one (name, firm or affiliation, address, phone number, and State Bar number):
a.   The lawyer has agreed to advance all or a portion of your fees or costs (check one): Yes No 
(If yes, your lawyer must sign here) Lawyer’s signature:b.
If your lawyer is not providing legal-aid type services based on your low income, you may have to go to a 
hearing to explain why you are asking the court to waive the fees.
4 What court’s fees or costs are you asking to be waived?
Superior Court (See Information Sheet on Waiver of Superior Court Fees and Costs (form FW-001-INFO).)
Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, or Appellate Division of Superior Court (See Information Sheet on Waiver of 
Appellate Court Fees (form APP-015/FW-015-INFO).)
5 Why are you asking the court to waive your court fees?  
a. I receive (check all that apply; see form FW-001-INFO for definitions): 
Food Stamps Supp. Sec. Inc. SSP Medi-Cal County Relief/Gen. Assist. IHSS
CalWORKS or Tribal TANF  CAPI WIC Unemployment
b. My gross monthly household income (before deductions for taxes) is less than the amount listed below. (If 
you check 5b, you must fill out 7, 8, and 9 on page 2 of this form.)
Family Size Family Income Family Size Family Income Family Size Family Income
1 $2,660.00 3 $4,553.33 5 $6,446.67
2 $3,606.67 4 $5,500.00 6 $7,393.33
If more than 6 people  
at home, add $946.67  
for each extra person.
c. I do not have enough income to pay for my household’s basic needs and the court fees. I ask the court to:  
(check one and you must fill out page 2):
waive all court fees and costs waive some of the court fees let me make payments over time 
6 Check here if you asked the court to waive your court fees for this case in the last six months.
(If your previous request is reasonably available, please attach it to this form and check here):
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the information I have provided 
on this form and all attachments is true and correct.
Date:
Print your name here
 Sign here
FW-001, Page 1 of 2

For your protection and privacy, please press the Clear 
button after you have printed the form.
Rev. March 1, 2026 Request to Waive Court Fees
Your name:
Case Number:
If you checked 5a on page 1, do not fill out below. If you checked 5b, fill out questions 7, 8, and 9 only.  
If you checked 5c, you must fill out this entire page. If you need more space, attach form MC-025 or attach a 
sheet of paper and write Financial Information and your name and case number at the top.
7 Check here if your income changes a lot from month to month. 
If it does, complete the form based on your average income for 
the past 12 months.
8 Your Gross Monthly Income
a. List the source and amount of any income you get each month, 
including: wages or other income from work before deductions, 
spousal/child support, retirement, social security, disability, 
unemployment, military basic allowance for quarters (BAQ), 
veterans payments, dividends, interest, trust income, annuities, 
net business or rental income, reimbursement for job-related 
expenses, gambling or lottery winnings, etc.
(1) $
(2) $
(3) $
(4) $
b. Your total monthly income: $
9 Household Income
a. List the income of all other persons living in your home who 
depend in whole or in part on you for support, or on whom you 
depend in whole or in part for support.
Name Age Relationship
Gross Monthly 
Income
(1) $
(2) $
(3) $
(4) $
b. Total monthly income of persons above: $
Total monthly income and 
household income (8b plus 9b): $
10 Your Money and Property
a. Cash $
b. All financial accounts (List bank name and amount):
(1) $
(2) $
(3) $
c. Cars, boats, and other vehicles
Make / Year Fair Market  
Value
How Much You 
Still Owe
(1) $ $
(2) $ $
(3) $ $
d. Real estate
Address
Fair Market 
Value
How Much You 
Still Owe
(1) $ $
(2) $ $
e. Other personal property (jewelry, furniture, furs, 
stocks, bonds, etc.):
Describe
Fair Market 
Value
How Much You 
Still Owe
(1) $ $
(2) $ $
11 Your Monthly Deductions and Expenses
a. List any payroll deductions and the monthly amount below:
(1) $
(2) $
(3) $
(4) $
b. Rent or house payment & maintenance $
c. Food and household supplies $
d. Utilities and telephone $
e. Clothing $
f. Laundry and cleaning $
g. Medical and dental expenses $
h. Insurance (life, health, accident, etc.) $
i. School, child care $
Child, spousal support (another marriage)j. $
Transportation, gas, auto repair and insurance k. $
l. Installment payments (list each below):
Paid to:
(1) $
(2) $
(3) $
m. Wages/earnings withheld by court order $
n. Any other monthly expenses (list each below).
Paid to: How Much?
(1) $
(2) $
(3) $
Total monthly expenses (add 11a –11n above): $
To list any other facts you want the court to know, such as 
unusual medical expenses, etc., attach form MC-025 or 
attach a sheet of paper and write Financial Information and 
your name and case number at the top. 
                   Check here if you attach another page. 
Important! If your financial situation or ability to pay 
court fees improves, you must notify the court within five 
days on form FW-010.
FW-001, Page 2 of 2

Retrieval chunks

• #1

  Form ID: FW-001 Title: Request to Waive Court Fees Effective Date: 2026-03-01 Mandatory Form: yes Languages: 汉语, 한국어, español, Tiếng Việt Info Page: https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/jcc-form/FW-001 Primary Download URL: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fw001.pdf Alternate Download URLs: https://www.courts.ca.g…

• #2

  3 Your Lawyer, if you have one (name, firm or affiliation, address, phone number, and State Bar number): a. The lawyer has agreed to advance all or a portion of your fees or costs (check one): Yes No (If yes, your lawyer must sign here) Lawyer’s signature:b. If your lawyer is not providing legal-aid type services…

• #3

  sheet of paper and write Financial Information and your name and case number at the top. 7 Check here if your income changes a lot from month to month. If it does, complete the form based on your average income for the past 12 months. 8 Your Gross Monthly Income a. List the source and amount of any income you get…

• #4

  attach a sheet of paper and write Financial Information and your name and case number at the top. Check here if you attach another page. Important! If your financial situation or ability to pay court fees improves, you must notify the court within five days on form FW-010. FW-001, Page 2 of 2