Can you get your New Jersey court filing fee waived?
New Jersey 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 New Jersey
- 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.
Income at or below 150% of the guidelines AND liquid assets no greater than $2,500. Fees must be repaid if the case later recovers more than $2,000.
What to file
New Jersey uses the Certification in Support of a Fee Waiver (CN 11208). File it at the same time as your petition or response, not after.
This page explains how New Jersey 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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