Can you get your Alabama court filing fee waived?
Alabama decides fee waivers using 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. That gives you a number to compare against, but it is usually a presumption or one route of several, not a hard ceiling.
Compare your income
For a household of 1, 125% of the federal poverty guidelines is $19,950 a year ($1,663 a month). The guideline itself is $15,960.
Ways to qualify in Alabama
- Income. At or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines for your household size.
- Inability to pay. You explain your income, expenses and debts on a sworn form, and the court decides whether paying the fee would leave you unable to cover basic needs. This route has no income cutoff.
The statute defines substantial hardship at or below 125% of the HHS guidelines, but the court applies the full income, expense and asset disclosure. If the court makes no written finding within 90 days of filing, the hardship request is deemed granted. Benefits are evidence, not an automatic qualifier.
What to file
Alabama uses the Affidavit of Substantial Hardship (C-10A). File it at the same time as your petition or response, not after.
Alabama does not publish this in one clear place, so confirm the current form and standard with the clerk in your county before you rely on it.
This page explains how Alabama decides fee waivers. It is not legal advice, and it cannot tell you how a judge will rule on your case. Virdix is a document preparation service, not a law firm.
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