Western District of Washington Filing Fees and Waivers

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Civil cases

Applies to

Filing or removal of a civil action

A party must pay the Civil Filing Fee when filing or removing a civil action unless the proceeding is in forma pauperis or otherwise exempted by law.

A party must pay the Civil Filing Fee when it files or removes any civil action except for proceedings in forma pauperis under LCR 3(c) or as otherwise exempted by law.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Civil cases

An attorney required to petition for regular admission after qualifying federal employment ends must pay the applicable fee.

If a conditionally admitted attorney ceases to be employed as an attorney for the United States or one of its agencies, the conditional admission will be revoked and the attorney must file a petition for admission as set forth in LCR 83.1(c)(1) and pay the applicable fee.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026CRITICAL

Civil cases

Applies to

Petition for Admission to Practice

A petitioner seeking reinstatement after disbarment must also file a Petition for Admission to Practice and pay the applicable fee.

Petitioners for reinstatement after disbarment must also file a Petition for Admission to Practice before this court and pay the applicable fee.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 4, 2026INFO

Civil cases

Applies to

2255 motion or habeas petition

No filing fee is required for § 2255 motions or habeas petitions filed with an in forma pauperis application.

No filing fee is required for motions filed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2255 or for petitions for habeas corpus filed with applications to proceed in forma pauperis.

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Applies to

Voluntary petition

Every voluntary petition submitted to the clerk of court for filing shall be accompanied by one of the following payment options: (i) full payment of the applicable filing fee; (ii) a signed application for waiver of the filing fee, if the debtor is eligible; or (iii) a signed application to pay the filing fee in installments.

Summary: Voluntary petition must be accompanied by full payment, waiver application, or installment application.

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Applies to

Voluntary petition

Application to Pay Filing Fee in Installments. If the debtor is unable to pay the filing fee except in installments, the debtor must file an Application for Individuals to Pay the Filing Fee in Installments (Official Form B 103A) with the voluntary petition. (1) The initial installment payment for individual chapter 7, 12 or 13 cases shall be $100. The initial installment payment for individual chapter 11 cases shall be $350. The initial installment is due with the voluntary petition. (2) The chapter 13 trustee is authorized to pay the balance of the filing fee owing in a chapter 13 case in which the debtor has been authorized to pay the filing fee in installments from plan payments made prior to confirmation of the plan. (3) An application to pay the filing fee in installments will be denied if the debtor or joint debtor has commenced a bankruptcy case within 8 years before the date of the filing of the instant petition, or has a pending case, in which the filing fees are owed to the Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington.

Summary: Debtor unable to pay filing fee may file installment application with initial payment due with petition; initial installment amounts vary by chapter; denial if prior case within 8 years with fees owed.

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Applies to

Voluntary petition

Application for Waiver of Filing Fee. An individual chapter 7 debtor seeking a waiver of the chapter 7 filing fee must file an Application to Have the Chapter 7 Filing Fee Waived (Official Form B 103B) with the voluntary petition. Local Rule W.D. Wash. LCR 3(b) shall not apply in bankruptcy cases.

Summary: Individual chapter 7 debtor may file waiver application (Form B 103B) with petition for waiver of filing fee.

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Applies to

Motion to reopen ?

Except as otherwise ordered by the court, any filing fees prescribed by 28 U.S.C. § 1930(b) and the Judicial Conference of the United States are due at the time the motion is filed.

Summary: Reopening filing fees are due at time motion is filed.

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Applies to

Notice of removal

a notice of removal required to be filed in the Western District of Washington pursuant to Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9027 shall be filed with the clerk of court of the Bankruptcy Court and shall be accompanied by a filing fee as required for adversary proceedings.

Summary: Notice of removal must be accompanied by a filing fee as required for adversary proceedings.

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Fee

$400

Applies to

Complaint ?

You must submit either the full $400.00 filing fee or a completed in forma pauperis application, including a certified copy of your prisoner account.

Summary: Submit the $400 filing fee or an in forma pauperis application with a certified prisoner-account copy.

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Civil cases

otherwise jury expenses incurred by the government, if any, shall be paid to the clerk by the parties agreeing to such settlement or waiver.

Summary: If timely notice is not filed, the parties agreeing to settle or waive the jury trial must pay any government-incurred jury expenses to the clerk.

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Civil cases

Applies to

Habeas petition ?

Petitions for habeas corpus shall be accompanied by the appropriate filing fee.

Summary: A habeas petition must be accompanied by the appropriate filing fee unless an expressly stated exception applies.

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

Civil cases

Applies to

Complaint

The complaint shall be accompanied by the appropriate filing fee or an application to proceed in forma pauperis.

Summary: A prisoner § 1983 complaint must be accompanied by the appropriate filing fee or an application to proceed in forma pauperis.

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Criminal cases

Applies to

Petition for reinstatement after disbarment ?

Petitions for reinstatement shall be filed with the Clerk of Court, who will transmit the petition to the Chief Judge. The petition must include a copy of this court’s prior order of suspension or disbarment, a copy of an order of reinstatement from another jurisdiction if the petitioner is seeking reinstatement based on such an order, and a concise statement of facts claimed to justify reinstatement. Petitioners for reinstatement after disbarment must also file a Petition for Admission to Practice before this court and pay the applicable fee.

Summary: Petitioners for reinstatement after disbarment must pay the applicable filing fee.

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Applies to

Amendment to schedules ?

Every amendment to a debtor’s schedules of creditors or equity security holders shall be accompanied by the fee prescribed by the Judicial Conference of the United States.

Summary: Amendments to schedules must be accompanied by the prescribed fee.

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

Civil cases

Applies to

Legal intern application ?

No fee shall be required.

Summary: No fee is required for the legal intern application.

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Criminal cases

Applies to

Petition for admission

If a conditionally admitted attorney ceases to be employed as an attorney for the United States or one of its agencies, the conditional admission will be revoked and the attorney must file a petition for admission as set forth in CrR 62.1(c)(1) and pay the applicable fee.

Summary: Conditionally admitted attorney whose employment ends must file a new petition and pay the applicable fee.

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Criminal cases

Applies to

Application for leave to appear as legal intern ?

The applicant shall submit to the clerk a completed Application for Leave to Appear as a Legal Intern, which can be downloaded from the court’s website. No fee shall be required.

Summary: No fee is required for a Legal Intern application.