Federal court filing fees, civil, appeal and bankruptcy.

The short answer

To start a civil action in a federal district court you pay $405: the $350 filing fee in 28 U.S.C. 1914(a) plus a $55 administrative fee from the Judicial Conference's district court schedule. A habeas corpus application is $5. Docketing an appeal in a court of appeals is $605: a $600 docketing fee plus the $5 statutory fee under 28 U.S.C. 1917. Bankruptcy petitions run from $278 (Chapter 12) to $1,738 (Chapter 11), depending on the chapter.

The totals are our arithmetic from the line items in the Judiciary's schedules and the statutes; the schedules list the components, not these sums.

Other fees on the district court schedule

How the calculator works

Pick the kind of filing and the tool adds the component fees from the table above. The optional boxes add the certification ($12), record search ($34) and apostille ($50) amounts from the district court schedule. It does not price court-reporter transcripts, local rules or copying that the clerk's office quotes separately.

Worked example

A small-business owner files a civil complaint in district court and asks the clerk for two certified copies of the filed complaint: $405 + 2 x $12 = $429. An individual filing a Chapter 7 petition pays $338; a Chapter 13 debtor pays $313.

Who does not pay what

• The district court schedule states that the $55 administrative fee for a civil action does not apply to habeas corpus applications or to persons granted in forma pauperis status under 28 U.S.C. 1915.
• A bankruptcy judge may, for good cause, waive some of the smaller bankruptcy-court fees; the schedule says so for the creditor-list amendment fee, for example.
• Federal agencies and programs funded from judiciary appropriations are not charged under these schedules.

Limits of this tool

• Fee schedules can change. The three Judiciary schedules read for this page each displayed "Effective on: December 1, 2023." Check uscourts.gov for the current version.
• The Court of Federal Claims and the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation have their own fee schedules, which are not covered here.
• This is not legal advice and does not say whether you qualify for a fee waiver or installment payments. Ask the clerk of court.

FAQ

How much does it cost to file a federal lawsuit?

A civil action in a federal district court costs $405: a $350 filing fee under 28 U.S.C. 1914(a) and a $55 administrative fee from the district court miscellaneous fee schedule.

How much does a federal appeal cost to file?

Docketing an appeal in a court of appeals is $600 under the court of appeals fee schedule. A separate $5 statutory fee under 28 U.S.C. 1917 is collected, so the total is $605.

What does Chapter 7 bankruptcy cost to file?

The Chapter 7 filing fee is $245 under 28 U.S.C. 1930(a). The bankruptcy court schedule adds a $78 administrative fee and a $15 trustee payment, for $338 in total.

What does Chapter 13 bankruptcy cost to file?

The Chapter 13 filing fee is $235 under 28 U.S.C. 1930(a) and the administrative fee is $78, so the petition costs $313.

Is the administrative fee charged to everyone?

No. The district court schedule says the $55 administrative fee does not apply to habeas corpus applications or to persons granted in forma pauperis status under 28 U.S.C. 1915.

How much is a habeas corpus filing fee?

On application for a writ of habeas corpus the filing fee is $5 under 28 U.S.C. 1914(a).

Do these fees change?

Yes. The Judicial Conference prescribes the miscellaneous fees and Congress sets statutory ones. The schedules read for this page showed an effective date of December 1, 2023, so confirm on uscourts.gov.

Sources

Retrieved 2026-11-02. Each link was opened and checked against the claim next to it.

• U.S. Courts, District Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule (effective December 1, 2023): $55 civil administrative fee, $52, $34, $12, $24, $50, $0.50, $33, $199, $53 fees and the exclusions from the administrative fee (read 2026-11-02)
• U.S. Courts, Court of Appeals Miscellaneous Fee Schedule (effective December 1, 2023): $600 docketing fee and the additional $5 statutory fee under 28 U.S.C. 1917 (read 2026-11-02)
• U.S. Courts, Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule (effective December 1, 2023): administrative fees of $78 and $571 and the $15 trustee payment (read 2026-11-02)
• 28 U.S.C. 1914, District court; filing and miscellaneous fees (Cornell LII): the $350 civil filing fee and the $5 habeas fee (read 2026-11-02)
• 28 U.S.C. 1930, Bankruptcy fees (Cornell LII): $245 Chapter 7, $235 Chapter 13, $200 Chapter 12 and $1,167 Chapter 11 filing fees (read 2026-11-02)