Can you get your Arizona court filing fee waived?
Arizona decides fee waivers using 150% 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, 150% of the federal poverty guidelines is $23,940 a year ($1,995 a month). The guideline itself is $15,960.
Ways to qualify in Arizona
- Public benefits. Receiving SSI, TANF, SNAP, or Verified legal aid client counts toward qualifying, often without any income showing at all.
- Income. At or below 150% 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.
An automatic WAIVER (you never pay) needs income at or below 150% of the guidelines, or SSI/TANF/SNAP. Between 150% and 225% you can get a DEFERRAL, which is a payment plan, not forgiveness. Arizona also requires a second Supplemental Application once there is a final decree.
What to file
Arizona uses the Application for Deferral or Waiver of Court Fees or Costs (AOC DFGF1F). File it at the same time as your petition or response, not after.
This page explains how Arizona 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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