Page 1 · Identification and granted fees
- Court and case information
The court, case, person requesting the waiver and any lawyer.
- Decision area
The court identifies the request and the fees covered by an order granting relief.
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California Court Forms · Fee Waiver
FW-003: Order on Court Fee Waiver
The court’s decision on a superior court fee-waiver request. Learn how the order differs from FW-001 and where its decision and deadlines appear.
Revised September 1, 2019 · 3 pages · FW-001 · the request
Not legal advice. This page explains what the form asks; it does not tell you what to put in your case.
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What it is
The court’s order, not your request
FW-003 states the court’s decision about a request for court fees and costs to be waived. The official self-help instructions call for item 1 on FW-003 along with FW-001. The clerk or judge completes the decision.
When it is used
Read every checked box
A fee-waiver request may be granted, found incomplete, denied, or set for a hearing. The official guide warns readers to review pages 2 and 3 carefully when the waiver is not granted because deadlines and instructions appear there.
Section by section
What each part asks
Use the current official form and its instructions. The descriptions below identify the questions without choosing answers for your situation.
Pages 2–3 · Other decisions and notice
- Incomplete or denied request
The court’s reasons and instructions to pay, revise a request or ask for a hearing.
- Hearing information
Questions for the hearing, requested proof, date, time and location.
- Court signature and service
The court’s signature and the clerk’s certificate of service.
Before you file
Common filing problems to check
These checks come from the official form and instructions. They are not a ranking of rejection reasons; the court decides whether a filing meets its requirements.
- The identifying information requested for the proposed order is missing.
- The order belongs to a different case or fee-waiver applicant.
- A returned order’s correction, payment or hearing instruction is overlooked.
- A court-completed decision or signature area is mistaken for a box the filer must fill.
E-file it
Submit a fee-waiver packet with Legal Hub Group
Legal Hub Group is a certified e-filing service provider for California courts. Availability depends on the live court, case type, document type and whether the case is new or existing.
1
Confirm the court
Check the current court and case-type list. A court must support the particular filing; this guide does not make every form available in every county.
2
Upload and check
Upload the finished papers and their attachments. Lexary checks them for common filing problems. Review the documents and the results before continuing.
3
Review the filing and fees
Confirm the case, document types and payment choice. Review every fee shown before submitting. A fee-waiver request is subject to the court’s decision.
4
Submit and track the answer
The court reviews the filing. Keep the court’s acceptance and returned copy, or read its rejection notice before deciding what to do next.
Fee-waiver filings carry a $0 Legal Hub Group fee. The court decides whether to grant the waiver; fees owed by another party can still apply.
E-service is included free where available. No subscription. E-filing and service of opening papers are separate requirements.
Live counties with a relevant case type: Butte · Calaveras · Colusa · Contra Costa · Glenn · Los Angeles · Madera · Mariposa · Mendocino · Merced · Napa · Orange · San Bernardino · San Diego · San Luis Obispo · San Mateo · Santa Barbara · Santa Clara · Santa Cruz · Sonoma · Stanislaus · Sutter · Tehama · Yolo · Yuba. Check each listing’s new-case or existing-case status and document restrictions.
Questions
FW-003 questions
Who decides the request on FW-003?
The court does. This is the order, while FW-001 is the applicant’s request.
What if FW-003 says the request is incomplete?
Read the checked instructions and deadline on the returned order. California Courts explains the options in its guide for requests that are not granted.
Does a blank FW-003 prove I have a fee waiver?
No. A blank or proposed order is not the court’s granted order. Read the actual decision and its covered fees.
Related forms
Not legal advice. This page explains public filing information. It does not tell you what to put in your own case. Legal Hub Group is a certified e-filing service provider for California courts, not a law firm.
Information checked as of October 2026. Rules, form revisions and provider prices can change. The court decides whether to accept a filing.
FW-003 form revision: September 1, 2019.