Florida · Court-readiness

Asking the court to waive filing fees (Florida)

If you cannot afford court filing fees, Florida lets you apply for a determination of civil indigent status so fees are waived or deferred. This explains what the application asks for and points you to the clerk, who decides it.

This is self-help legal information to help you get organized and meet deadlines — not legal advice, and not a filing service. LegalDraft does not file anything for you and is not your lawyer. Confirm every deadline and requirement with the court, and speak with a licensed attorney or legal-aid office before you rely on any of it.

Which court

The clerk of court in the county where you are filing your case.

Official forms & resources

Application for Determination of Civil Indigent StatusFiled with the clerk of court to ask the court to waive or defer filing fees based on income. Determined by the clerk under the statutory indigency standard.
Florida Courts Self-Help CenterThe statewide starting point for court forms and self-represented-litigant resources.

Always download the current version from the official source — forms change over time.

Deadlines to verify — do this today

⚠ File the indigency application together with (or before) the case it applies to, so a fee deadline does not lapse — confirm timing with the clerk.

Your checklist

6 items

Filing checklist

Serving the other side

Documents to gather

Free and low-cost legal help

You do not have to do this alone. These are real, free starting points — many people qualify for legal aid.

Florida Courts Self-Help Centeryour stateThe statewide starting point for court forms and self-represented-litigant help.
Florida Law Helpyour stateFind your local Florida legal-aid organization and free resources by county.
The Florida Bar — Lawyer Referral Serviceyour stateReferral to a lawyer for an initial consultation, and pointers to legal-aid programs.
LawHelp.orgFind free legal aid programs and self-help resources in your state and county.
Legal Services Corporation — Find Legal AidThe national directory of LSC-funded legal-aid organizations by location.
American Bar Association — Free Legal HelpABA directory of free and low-cost legal help and pro-bono programs.