Santa Clara Superior Court Filing Fees and Waivers

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Sep 20, 2026CRITICAL

Civil cases

Applies to

Final account

Upon termination of a conservatorship, all claims filed by the Court Investigator's unit for its services, unless waived, must be paid before the Court will sign an order settling the final account.

Upon termination of a conservatorship, all claims filed by the Court Investigator's unit for its services, unless waived, must be paid before the Court will sign an order settling the final account.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Sep 21, 2026CRITICAL

Applies to

Custody evaluation

FCS charges for evaluations; parties must submit deposits or fee waiver requests to FCS within five court days of the evaluation order.

FCS will charge for evaluations, unless a fee waiver is granted for a party. The parties must submit deposits or fee waiver requests to FCS within five court days of receipt of the Court's order to an evaluation.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026WARNING

Civil cases

FCS charges fees for evaluations unless a fee waiver is granted; parties must submit deposits or fee waiver requests within 5 court days of receipt of the order.

F. Fees: Fees will be charged by FCS for evaluations, unless a fee waiver is granted. When the Court orders a custody/visitation evaluation through FCS, the parties shall submit deposits or fee waiver requests to FCS within 5 court days of receipt of the Court's order.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

Criminal cases

Fees for a recording copy are collected at the time the request is submitted, and the requesting party is informed of the current cost.

Courthouse staff shall inform the requesting party of the current cost per recording and collect the fees at the time the request is submitted.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

Applies to

Request to waive court fees

A petitioner requesting service by posting must submit a Request to Waive Court Fees (FW-001) unless one was approved within the last 4 months.

A Petitioner requesting service by posting must submit a Request to Waive Court Fees, Judicial Council Form FW-001, unless one has been approved in the last 4 months.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

Applies to

Mediation rescheduling

A party who fails to notify FCS of a rescheduling request at least 48 hours before the mediation appointment will be assessed a fee.

If a party does not notify FCS of a request to reschedule at least 48 hours before the mediation appointment, that party will be assessed a fee to FCS.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026WARNING

Applies to

Fcs screening

Fees are charged for any FCS screening unless a fee waiver is granted.

Fees shall be charged for any screening performed by FCS, unless a fee waiver is granted.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026WARNING

FCS screening fees are charged unless a fee waiver is granted.

Fees shall be charged for any screening performed by FCS, unless a fee waiver is granted.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026WARNING

FCS staff appearance at trial/hearing may incur expert witness fees split evenly unless Court orders otherwise.

Any party may be assessed expert witness fees for the appearance of an FCS staff member at a trial or hearing. The parties shall pay the fees equally unless the Court orders otherwise.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026WARNING

Applies to

Motion

Filing fees are due with ex parte motions.

All ex parte requests by attorneys must be submitted to the Court Specialist through e-filing with any filing fees due with the motion.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026WARNING

Inability to pay e-filing fees is not undue hardship; eligible parties may request a fee waiver.

Undue hardship or significant prejudice does not include the inability to pay fees for electronic filing, as fee waivers may be requested if the party otherwise qualifies for or has been granted a fee waiver as provided in this Rule.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026INFO

Civil cases

Applies to

Emergency screening

Emergency screenings by FCS carry fees, and any party may request a fee waiver from the Court.

Fees will be charged for emergency screenings by FCS. Any party may request a Fee Waiver from the Court regarding the fees charged for screenings.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Sep 20, 2026INFO

Civil cases

Guideline rates customarily allowed for private fiduciary conservator compensation are $115-$170/hour for professional services, up to $100/hour for case management workers, and $25-$55/hour for routine services.

applying the non-exclusive standards for determining just and reasonable compensation set forth at CRC 7.756, and recognizing that CRC 7.756(c) provides that such standards are “not authority for a court to set an inflexible maximum or minimum compensation or a maximum approved hourly rate for compensation,” the following periodically reviewed guidelines rates are customarily allowed for private fiduciary conservator compensation: (Effective 1/1/2014) (a) From $115.00 to $170.00 per hour for professional services; (b) Up to $100.00 per hour for case management workers in the employment of the private fiduciary; and, (c) $25.00 to $55.00 per hour for routine, services rendered by the professional fiduciary or his or her staff (for example, office filing, collecting and opening mail, paying routine household bills, computer entry input, and when the conservatee is not accompanying the conservator, tending to the conservatee’s personal needs and grocery

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026INFO

Applies to

Mediation

FCS mediation is free when a custody or visitation motion is pending before the Court.

There are no fees for FCS mediation, provided that there is a pending custody or visitation motion before the Court.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 21, 2026INFO

Applies to

Private mediation

Parties may stipulate to private mediation for custody and visitation disputes at their own expense.

The parties may stipulate to private mediation for custody and visitation disputes, at their own expense.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026INFO

Applies to

Recording copy request

Courthouse staff will inform the requesting party of the current cost per recording and collect the fees when the request is submitted.

Courthouse staff shall inform the requesting party of the current cost per recording and collect the fees at the time the request is submitted.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026INFO

Applies to

Family court file creation

No filing fee is charged when the Court Clerk creates a new Family Court file to hold the original Juvenile Court custody order.

If no Court file exists in the Family Court or other Superior Court division or in any other jurisdiction, the Court Clerk will create a file under the names of the child's parents. The file will contain the original Juvenile Court Order (Judicial Council Form JV-200). There will be no filing fee. (W & I Code Section 362.4).

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026INFO

Applies to

Spousal or domestic partner property petition

No additional filing fee is required for a spousal or registered domestic partner property petition filed simultaneously with a probate petition or while probate proceedings are pending.

If the two are filed simultaneously, or if probate proceedings are already pending, an additional filing fee for the spousal or registered domestic partner property petition will not be required.

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026INFO

Applies to

Electronic filing service

Parties with an approved fee waiver need not pay electronic filing and service fees; others may request a waiver using Forms FW-001 and FW-002.

A party who has received a fee waiver is not required to pay any fee for electronic filing and service. A party who has not already received a fee waiver may request a waiver of the fees for electronic filing and service by filing with the court an application for waiver of court fees and costs [Judicial Council Forms FW-001 and FW-002].

Checked against the court's document on Sep 20, 2026INFO

Fee waivers on appeal to the Appellate Division are governed by CRC 8.818.

Applications for a waiver of fees and costs on appeal to the Appellate Division are governed by CRC 8.818.

The quote is in the court's document. The summary is not checked yet.CRITICAL?

Civil cases

Fee

$150

Applies to

Jury fees

The amount of jury fees required to be posted in advance of a jury trial is $150.00. (See Code Civ. Proc., § 631, subd. (b).)

Summary: Jury fees of $150.00 must be posted in advance of a jury trial.

The quote is in the court's document. The summary is not checked yet.WARNING?

Applies to

Traffic citation

Standing Order Re: Fees Due For Traffic Citations (March 12, 2019)

Summary: A standing order addresses fees due for traffic citations in Santa Clara County.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

Civil cases

When the temporary conservator will come into possession of personal property of the conservatee, bond as provided in Local Probate Rule 11A (1) must be posted before temporary letters of conservatorship of the estate can be issued.

Summary: A bond must be posted before temporary letters of conservatorship of the estate can be issued when the temporary conservator will possess the conservatee's personal property.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

Applies to

Traffic citation ?

Effective March 12, 2019: 17 1. For cases in which the notices reflect an amount that is less than the actual amount 18 due, the Court will accept the amount reflected on the notices as payment in full for 19 the applicable violation(s). 20 2. For cases in which the notices reflect an amount that is more than the actual amount 21 due, the Court will collect only the actual amount

Summary: Effective March 12, 2019: 1. For cases in which the notices reflect an amount that is less than the actual amount due, the Court will accept the amount reflected on the notices as payment in full for the applicable violation(s). 2. For cases in which the notices reflect an amount that is more than the actual amount due, the Court will collect only the actual amount.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?

Applies to

Juvenile custody order file ?

There will be no filing fee. (W & I Code Section 362.4).

Summary: No filing fee is charged when the Court Clerk creates a file under the parents' names for the JV-200 order.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?

Civil cases

Applies to

Spousal property petition ?

A spousal or registered domestic partner property petition must be filed separately from a petition for probate of the will or for administration of the estate, as set forth in CRC Rule 7.301. If the two are filed simultaneously, or if probate proceedings are already pending, an additional filing fee for the spousal or registered domestic partner property petition will not be required. Both petitions must be filed under the same case number.

Summary: Spousal/registered domestic partner property petitions must be filed separately from probate petitions; no additional filing fee is required when filed simultaneously or when probate is pending.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?

Criminal cases

Applies to

Traffic citation ?

cases in which the notices reflect an amount that is less than the actual amount 18 due, the Court will accept the amount reflected on the notices as payment in full for 19 the applicable

Summary: Where a courtesy notice understates the fees due, the Court accepts the notice amount as payment in full.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.INFO?

Criminal cases

Applies to

Traffic citation ?

cases in which the notices reflect an amount that is more than the actual amount 21 due, the Court will collect only the actual amount due for the applicable violation(s).

Summary: Where a courtesy notice overstates the fees due, the Court collects only the actual amount due.