Civil Fee Schedule

Statewide Civil Fee Schedule 2024 - Effective January 1, 2024

About

The Uniform Civil Fees and Standard Fee Schedule Act of 2005 (UCF), enacted as part of the 2005–2006 Budget Act, took effect on January 1, 2006. This legislation streamlined and simplified the civil fee structure, ensuring that for most services, the same fees are charged uniformly across all 58 California counties.

In December 2003, Chief Justice Ronald M. George established the Court Fees Working Group (CFWG) to conduct a comprehensive review of civil fees and develop policy recommendations. The goals of this initiative were to:

• Create a uniform civil fee structure by consolidating surcharges and add-on fees, achieving consistency across the state;
• Address the funding shortfalls present under the previous fee system;
• Enhance financial stability, accountability, and predictability in court operations.

Following the CFWG’s recommendations, the Judicial Council approved the sponsorship of legislation in December 2004 to establish the uniform fee structure.

In 2007, Assembly Bill 1248 (Stats. 2007, ch. 738) introduced technical and clarifying amendments to the UCF. These changes included:

• Clarifying when fees apply or do not apply, particularly in probate proceedings;
• Removing the requirement to estimate the value of an estate in probate filings;
• Establishing several new fees to address specific needs.

The UCF remains a critical reform, ensuring fairness, transparency, and uniformity in civil court fees statewide.