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Filing Fees

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Filing Fees1 - Effective 12/01/20

The Filing Fee schedule is for the payment of fees of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court - Southern District of California.

The Court does not accept personal checks or credit cards from debtors to pay filing fees. However, the Court does accept:

  • Cash (exact amount only; please do not send cash via the U.S. Mail)
  • U.S. Postal Service money orders
  • Cashier's checks issued by an acceptable financial institution
  • Attorney or law firm checks. All attorney or law firm checks must be made payable to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and must include a current pre-printed name, street address, telephone number, and California attorney bar number
  • Most major credit cards
  • Debit card payments via Pay.gov Forms

For more information, consult Administrative Procedure 1.10 - Fees.

Chapter 7 Filing Fee Waiver or Installments

In some situations, the court may approve a filing fee to be paid in installments or waived completely. Note that if an installment payment plan is approved, the payment schedule must be complied with, or the bankruptcy case may be dismissed without the debtor obtaining a discharge of debts.

If a debtor files a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case and the debtor's income is less than 150% of the federal H.H.S Poverty Guidelines, the court may waive the filing fee completely.

The debtor must complete form CSD 1006 to pay the filing fee in installments, or CSD 1020 for a fee waiver, and mail or submit to the Clerk's Office intake window at the time the bankruptcy petition is filed.

The current fees for filing documents with the United States Bankruptcy Court - Southern District of California are as follows:

 New Petitions  
Chapter 7 ($245 filing fee, $78 administrative fee, $15 trustee surcharge) $338.00*
Chapter 7 - involuntary ($245 filing fee, $78 administrative fee, $15 trustee surcharge) $338.00*
Chapter 9 ($1167 filing fee, $571 administrative fee) $1,738.00
Chapter 11 ($1167 filing fee, $571 administrative fee) $1,738.00*
Chapter 12 (Family Farmer) ($200 filing fee, $78 administrative fee) $278.00
Chapter 13 ($235 filing fee, $78 administrative fee) $313.00*
Chapter 15 ($1167 filing fee, $571 administrative fee) $1,738.00
Case Reopening2  
Chapter 7 ($245 filing fee, $15 trustee surcharge) $260.00*
Chapter 9 $1,167.00
Chapter 11 $1,167.00*
Chapter 12 $200.00*
Chapter 13 $235.00*
Chapter 15 $1,167.00
Act Cases: Same as original fee  
Case Conversions  
For a Case Commenced under Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 None
For a Case commenced under Chapter 7 and converted to Chapter 11 at the Request of the Debtor [28 U.S.C. §1930(a)] $922.00*
Upon filing of a Motion to Convert a Chapter 11 to Chapter 7 $15.00*
For a Case commenced under Chapter 12 and converted to Chapter 7 upon Notice of the Debtor $60.00*
For a Case commenced under Chapter 13 converted to Chapter 11 at the Request of the Debtor [28 U.S.C. §1930(a)] $932.00*
For a Case commenced under Chapter 13 and converted to Chapter 7 upon Notice by the Debtor $25.00*
Division of Joint Case at Request of Debtor Fees  
Chapter 7 Case ($245 filing fee, $78 administrative fee, $15 trustee surcharge) $338.00
Chapter 13 Case ($235 filing fee, $78 administrative fee) $313.00
Chapter 11 ($1167 filing fee, $571 administrative fee) $1738.00
Chapter 12 ($200 filing fee, $78 administrative fee) $278.00
Amendments  
Amendment to Add or Delete Names and Addresses of Creditors or Equity Security Holders; Change Amounts Owed or Classification of Debt $32.00
Motions  
Motion for Relief from Stay [11 U.S.C. §362(a)] $188.00
Motion to Compel Abandonment of Property by Parties in Interest [FRBP 6007(b)] $188.00
Motion to Withdraw Reference of Case or Proceeding to U.S. District Court [28 U.S.C. §157(d)] $188.00
Motion to Sell Property of the Estate Free & Clear of Liens under 11 U.S.C. §363(f) $188.00
Motion to Redact/Restrict a Record, per affected case $26.00
Motion for Leave to Appeal when accompanied by the required notice of Appeal

  If leave is granted, the $293 Docket Fee** becomes due.

 $5.00
Other  
Abstract of Judgment ($32 search fee, $11 certification fee) $43.00
Any payment returned or denied for insufficient funds $53.00
Certifying any document including Abstract of Judgments $11.00
Complaint Commencing Adversary Proceeding (including Removals) $350.00
Cross-Appeal including Appellate Docket Fee** $298.00
Exemplifications $23.00
Filing or indexing of miscellaneous paper not part of local case $49.00
Filing a transfer of claim (per claim transferred) $26.00
FRC Electronic Record Retrieval (Judiciary administrative fee) $10.00
FRC Pull/Refile Fee for Electronic Record Retrieval $9.90
Notice of Appeal including the Appellate Docket Fee1 (to District Court, Bankruptcy Appellate Panel) $298.00
Photocopies (does not include certification) made by court personnel (per page) $0.50
Printed Copies from Courthouse Public Terminal (per page) $0.10
Reproduction of  recording of proceedings (regardless of the medium) $32.00
Request for Authority to file Direct Appeal or Cross Appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals including Appellate Docket Fee

  If authorized, an additional fee of $207 becomes due.

 $298.00
Retrieval of records from NARA (first box) $64.00
Retrieval of multiple boxes of NARA Records (each additional box) $39.00
Retrieval of Records from NARA via Smart Scan $19.95
plus $0.65 per page
Returned Fee Charge (e.g., insufficient funds, disputed charges) $53.00
Search of court records (each name or item searched) $32.00
Electronic Public Access Fee (printed copies from courthouse public terminal, per page, does not include certification) $0.10

 

Admission to Practice in the United States District Court
under U.S. District Court - Southern District of California
Civic Local Rule 83.3 (effective January 1, 2021)		  
Practice Law District Court, Full Admission $213.00
Pro Hac Vice Application (Effective date 3/1/21) $213.00

*Only one fee payable for joint petition by husband and wife

**If the appellant is the trustee or debtor-in-possession, the $293 Appellate docket fee shall be paid from the assets of the estate.

1 Issued in accordance with 28 U.S.C. §1930(b) and FRBP 1006

2 The Court collects the fee unless a party files a complaint to obtain a determination under Rule 4007(b); or when a debtor files a motion to reopen a case based on alleged violation of the terms of the discharge under 11 U.S.C. §524; or whether the reopening is to correct an administrative error.