How Much Does It Cost to E-File Court Documents in California?

Before you e-file anything, it helps to know what you will be charged and who is charging it. The total for an e-filed document is usually made up of a few separate pieces: the court's own fees, any fee the court's e-filing system adds, and the fee of the e-filing service you file through. This post walks through each piece, where to look up the court's numbers yourself, and what a fee waiver does and does not cover.

If you have never e-filed before, start with How to E-File Court Documents in California. This post is only about the money.

Piece one: the court's filing fees

The largest part of the cost is usually the court's filing fee, and it is the same whether you e-file or file at the counter. Court fees are set by statute and by the court, not by the e-filing service. They depend on what you are filing and, for a first paper, on the kind of case and the amount at issue.

The Judicial Council publishes the Statewide Civil Fee Schedule for the superior courts. The current version is effective January 1, 2026, and it is listed with the earlier versions on the courts.ca.gov civil fees page. A few lines from the 2026 schedule show how much the fee depends on the filing:

Complaint or other first paper, amount over $35,000: $435 (line 1).
Answer or other first paper filed by each party other than the plaintiff, amount over $35,000: $435 (line 5).
Limited civil complaint or other first paper, amount over $10,000 up to $35,000: $370 (line 7).
Limited civil complaint or other first paper, amount up to $10,000: $225 (line 10).
Motion or other paper requiring a hearing (unless it is the party's first paper and the first paper fee is paid): $60 (line 46).
Motion for summary judgment or summary adjudication: $500 (line 52).
Complaint, response or other first paper filed on behalf of a public entity: no fee under Gov. Code 6103 (line 24).

Two cautions when you read the schedule. First, fees marked with an asterisk vary in a few counties because of a local surcharge for courthouse construction; the schedule's appendix lists those counties and their amounts. Second, many papers you file in an existing case carry no court fee at all, while others carry one. The schedule is long — read the line that matches your exact filing rather than assuming.

The courts' own self-help guide makes the same point about where to look: the filing fees shown on its pages are estimates, and it points you to your county court's website or the statewide fee schedule for exact amounts. Because the fee follows the filing, picking the right filing type matters. A wrong choice is one of the problems covered in Why Was My E-Filing Rejected?

Piece two: fees some courts' e-filing systems add

Some courts' e-filing systems add a small fee of their own on top of the court's filing fee. Whether there is one depends on the court. Through Legal Hub Group, Los Angeles civil and Madera filings carry a $3.50 e-filing system fee and a card processing fee, in addition to the court fees and our filing fee. Each one is a separate line you see before you pay.

Our list of California courts by county shows the courts you can e-file in through Legal Hub Group and, for each county, the kinds of case and whether new cases, existing cases or both can be filed.

Piece three: the e-filing service fee

When you e-file through an electronic filing service provider, the provider charges for its own service, separately from the court's fees. Look at what that fee is and when you will see the full total.

Legal Hub Group is a certified e-filing service provider for California courts. E-filing through Legal Hub Group is $14.99 per filing plus court fees, and every fee is shown before you pay.

Putting it together: an example

Say a fictional plaintiff, Rivera Supply, is filing a complaint for $50,000 in a court where the 2026 schedule's standard amount applies. The court's first-paper fee from line 1 of the schedule is $435. Add the e-filing service's fee — $14.99 through Legal Hub Group — and, if the case is in Los Angeles civil or Madera, the $3.50 e-filing system fee and the card processing fee. If the same party later files a motion that requires a hearing, that filing has its own court fee ($60 under line 46) plus the per-filing service fee.

The point of the example is the structure, not the total: the court's fee is set by the court and the schedule, and the other pieces are added on top.

If you cannot afford the court's fees: fee waivers

The courts' self-help page, Ask for a fee waiver if you can't afford court fees, explains that a fee waiver lets you file your papers for free and may cover some other court costs. According to that page:

What it can cover if the court grants it: filing fees, fees to respond to a case, copies of court papers including certified copies, fees for the sheriff to serve your papers, court reporter fees to attend trial, and other fees listed on form FW-003, item 4.
What it does not cover: written transcripts from a court reporter, lawyer fees, private mediation, or fines or penalties ordered by the court. The court may also later decide you must pay some or all of the fees if your money situation gets better or you get money because of your case — after telling you first and giving you a chance to ask for a hearing.
Who qualifies: you need to meet only one of three options — you receive certain public benefits, your household income is below the limits listed on form FW-001, item 5b, or you cannot pay for your household's basic needs and court fees.
When to ask: usually when you first file papers and have to pay a filing fee, though you can also ask later in your case.
How long it lasts: a fee waiver expires 60 days after judgment is entered, your case is dismissed, or the judge makes a final decision, and it can end if the court decides you no longer qualify.

The same page says its instructions are not for guardianship or conservatorship cases, or for an appeal or writ in a civil case, because those have different rules. Read form FW-001-INFO, linked from that page, before you fill out the request.

A quick checklist before you pay

Find the exact line for your filing in the current Statewide Civil Fee Schedule, or on your court's own fee page.
Check whether your county is one of the counties in the schedule's appendix with a different amount.
Check whether your court's e-filing system adds its own fee.
Know the e-filing service's fee and when you will see the full total.
If you cannot afford the court's fees, read the courts' fee waiver page before you file.

Where Legal Hub Group fits

Through our e-filing service you choose the court, pick your filing and submit your documents yourself, at $14.99 per filing plus court fees, with every fee shown before you pay. Before you file, Lexary by Legal Hub Group, free with every filing, reads your papers and flags missing signatures, dates, addresses and case details, and fixes file formats.

This is general information, not legal advice.