Once you file Form FW-001 asking the court to waive your filing fees, the court does not simply approve or reject it informally. It responds with Form FW-003, Order on Court Fee Waiver, a document that spells out exactly what was granted, what was denied, and what deadlines now apply to you.
Key Takeaway: FW-003 is completed by the court in response to your FW-001 request. It can grant your fee waiver in full, deny it, or say the court needs more information. A denial or incomplete request generally gives you only 10 days after the clerk gives notice to act, so read your FW-003 as soon as it arrives.
Form FW-003, Order on Court Fee Waiver, is the California Judicial Council form the Superior Court uses to state its decision about your request to file papers or receive court services without paying the usual fees and costs. It is issued under Government Code section 68634(e) and California Rules of Court, rule 3.52, and responds to a Request to Waive Court Fees, Form FW-001, or a Request to Waive Additional Court Fees.
For background on how to request a fee waiver in the first place, see our guide on Form FW-001: Request to Waive Court Fees. A fee waiver request commonly accompanies a case opened with Form FL-800 for a summary dissolution, or Form FL-700 for a joint dissolution petition, though FW-001 and FW-003 apply broadly across family law and other civil filings.
You do not fill out FW-003 yourself. After you submit FW-001, the court reviews the information you provided about public benefits, household income, or expenses, and a judicial officer or clerk completes FW-003 to record the decision. The form is explicit about this on its face: "Read this form carefully. All checked boxes are court orders."
<h2 id="the-three-outcomes">The Three Possible Outcomes</h2>Section 4 of FW-003 lays out three possible paths, each with its own checkbox and its own consequences:
| Outcome | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Granted (4a) | The court waives the listed fees and costs, and possibly additional fees like jury fees or interpreter fees |
| Denied (4b) | The court denies the request because it is incomplete, or because the information provided shows you are not eligible |
| More information needed (4c) | The court sets a hearing to get more information before deciding, and you must appear |
If the court checks the box granting your request, item 4a(1), Fee Waiver, lists the standard court fees and costs you no longer have to pay, including:
- Filing papers in superior court
- Making and certifying copies
- Sheriff's fee to give notice
- Court fee for a phone hearing
- Giving notice and certificates
- Sending papers to another court department
A separate checkbox, item 4a(2), Additional Fee Waiver, can also waive further costs like jury fees and expenses, fees for a peace officer to testify, court-appointed expert fees, and court-appointed interpreter fees for a witness, if those boxes are checked.
Pro Tip: Read section 4a carefully rather than assuming everything is covered. The form only waives the specific fees and costs that are actually checked. If something you expected is not checked, it may not be covered, and you should confirm with the clerk's office.
Section 4b covers denials, and the form separates this into two distinct reasons that carry different next steps.
Your Request Was Incomplete
If the court checks this reason, you generally have 10 days after the clerk gives notice of the order to either pay your fees and costs, or file a new, revised request that includes whatever information was missing, which the order will list.
You Are Not Eligible Based on the Information Provided
If the court checks this reason instead, it states the specific reasons you did not qualify. The court also encloses a blank Request for Hearing About Court Fee Waiver Order, Form FW-006. You generally have 10 days after the clerk gives notice to either pay your fees and costs in full, or ask for a hearing using FW-006 to present more information.
FW-003 includes a direct warning here: if you miss the stated deadline, the court cannot process your request for a hearing or the court papers you originally filed with your request. If those papers included a notice of appeal, the appeal may be dismissed. Calendar this deadline the day you receive the order.
Section 4c applies when the court cannot decide based on what you submitted and needs to ask you questions in person. If this box is checked, you must appear in court on the date and time listed on the order, and the form states the specific questions about your eligibility that the hearing will address. The order may also list specific items of proof you should bring, if they are reasonably available.
If you do not appear at that hearing, the form states the judge will deny your request to waive court fees, and you will then have 10 days to pay your fees. Missing that follow up deadline creates the same risk described above: the court may be unable to process the papers you filed with your original request, including dismissal of an appeal if that was involved.
<h2 id="ongoing-obligations">Your Ongoing Obligations After a Granted Waiver</h2>Even a full grant is not necessarily the end of the story. FW-003 carries an ongoing notice that applies for as long as your case continues:
- The court can order you to answer questions about your finances later in the case, and can order you to pay back waived fees if it finds you are able to
- If you do not pay back fees the court orders repaid, the court can also charge collection fees
- If your financial circumstances improve during the case in a way that increases your ability to pay, you must notify the trial court within five days, using Form FW-010
- If you win your case, the trial court may order the other side to pay the fees that were waived
- If you settle a civil case for $10,000 or more, the trial court will place a lien on the settlement for the amount of the waived fees, and the case cannot be dismissed until that lien is paid
FW-003 documents exactly how it was delivered to you, which matters because your deadlines generally run from the date the clerk gives notice, not from the date the order was signed. On the final page, a Clerk's Certificate of Service records whether the order was handed to you and your attorney, if any, directly at the court, or mailed first class to the addresses on file. If it was mailed, the certificate can note that a separate certificate of mailing is attached, and it states the city and date the mailing went out.
This is also where FW-003 addresses accessibility. If you need assistive listening systems, computer-assisted real-time captioning, or a sign language interpreter for a hearing under section 4c, the form directs you to contact the clerk's office at least five days before the hearing using Request for Accommodations by Persons With Disabilities and Response, Form MC-410.
Pro Tip: Note the exact date of service on your copy of FW-003 as soon as you receive it, whether that was in person or by mail. Every deadline described in this guide, including the 10 day windows after a denial, runs from that date, not from the date printed elsewhere on the form.
- Assuming every fee and cost in your case is covered just because the waiver was granted, instead of checking exactly which boxes were checked in section 4a
- Missing the 10 day deadline after a denial or incomplete finding, which can prevent the court from processing a hearing request or your original filing
- Skipping a scheduled hearing under section 4c, which results in an automatic denial and a new 10 day payment deadline
- Not notifying the court within five days if your financial situation improves, as required once a waiver has been granted
- Forgetting that a settlement of $10,000 or more in a civil case can trigger a lien for the waived fee amount
What is Form FW-003 used for?
Form FW-003, Order on Court Fee Waiver, is the document the Superior Court uses to state its decision on your Request to Waive Court Fees, Form FW-001. It tells you whether your fee waiver was granted, denied, or whether the court needs more information before deciding, and explains what you owe and what deadlines apply.
Do I fill out FW-003 myself?
No. FW-003 is completed by the court, not by you. You file FW-001 to make your request, and the court responds with a completed FW-003 stating its decision. Your job is to read the order carefully once you receive it, since every checked box on the form is a court order.
What does it mean if FW-003 grants my request?
A grant means the court waives your listed court fees and costs, such as filing fees and copying fees, and you do not have to pay them. The order also carries an ongoing notice: the court can later ask about your finances and, in some circumstances, order you to repay the waived fees, especially if your financial situation improves or you recover money in your case.
What happens if FW-003 denies my request?
A denial states a reason, either that your request was incomplete or that the information you provided shows you do not qualify. Either way, you generally have only 10 days after the clerk gives notice of the order to pay your fees, file a corrected request, or ask for a hearing using Form FW-006, depending on which reason applies.
What if FW-003 only partially grants my waiver?
The court can grant your waiver for some fees while requiring payment of others, or set a hearing if it needs more information about your eligibility. Read section 4 of your FW-003 closely to see exactly which fees are waived and what, if anything, you still owe or need to do.
What if I miss the deadline on my FW-003?
The form includes a specific warning: if you miss the stated deadline, generally 10 days after the clerk gives notice, the court cannot process your request for a hearing or the papers you originally filed. If those papers included a notice of appeal, the appeal may be dismissed. Calendar the deadline as soon as you receive the order.
How Virdix Helps After You Receive FW-003
The biggest risk with FW-003 is not the decision itself, it is missing the short deadline attached to a denial or an incomplete finding. Virdix is built to help you stay on top of it:
- Deadline tracking, so a 10 day response window after a denial or incomplete order does not get missed
- Guided next steps, plain language explanations of what a granted, denied, or partial order actually requires of you
- Consistency checks, so a corrected or revised FW-001 request lines up with the reasons stated on your FW-003
- Ongoing obligation reminders, so changes in your financial circumstances get reported within the required window
We do not replace an attorney for contested fee waiver hearings, but for straightforward filings, Virdix helps make sure you understand and act on your FW-003 order correctly. You can also browse our county-by-county divorce guides for local court details.
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Last updated: July 2026. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Virdix is a document preparation service, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed California family law attorney.
Sources: Form FW-003, Order on Court Fee Waiver (Superior Court), California Courts Self-Help Center (selfhelp.courts.ca.gov), Judicial Council of California