Can you get your Minnesota court filing fee waived?
Minnesota 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 Minnesota
- Public benefits. Receiving MFIP, SSI, Medical Assistance, MinnesotaCare, SNAP, or General Assistance counts toward qualifying, often without any income showing at all.
- 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.
Presumed eligible at or below 125% FPL, on need-based assistance, or when represented by a civil legal services program. The court can still order a partial payment of $75 where the criteria are not met but hardship is shown.
What to file
Minnesota uses the Affidavit to Request Fee Waiver (FEE102). File it at the same time as your petition or response, not after.
This page explains how Minnesota 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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