Delaware Filing Fees and Fee Waivers: Know What You Will Pay
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Filing a family case in Delaware normally carries a fee. Divorce filing fee: ~$155. Fees are set locally and change, so treat any figure as a starting point and confirm the current amount with your clerk.
Not being able to pay does not close the courthouse door. Every state has a way to ask a judge to waive or defer the fee, usually by filing a short sworn statement about your income and expenses. The official Delaware documents for that request are below.
Official Delaware fee resources
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Delaware family law forms (official index) (Delaware judicial branch): The official statewide collection of Delaware family law forms. When a direct document link stops working, this index is where the current version lives. https://courts.delaware.gov/family/support/forms.aspx
Delaware court self-help resources (Delaware courts self-help): Official self-help information for people handling their own Delaware family case, including instructions and plain-language guides. https://courts.delaware.gov/help
Delaware court locations (Delaware judicial branch): Find the courthouse or clerk that serves your area, with locations and contact details. https://courts.delaware.gov/locations/
Delaware official filing information (Delaware judicial branch): The court's own page explaining how documents are filed in Delaware and what a parent without a lawyer is allowed to do. https://courts.delaware.gov/efiling/
Verified official Delaware fee waiver documents
These official documents are how you ask a Delaware court to waive or defer a filing fee.
Affidavit in Support of Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (Fee Waiver), official document: https://courts.delaware.gov/forms/download.aspx?id=15748
Application and Affidavit to Proceed in Forma Pauperis (Fill in) (Fee Waiver), official document: https://courts.delaware.gov/forms/download.aspx?id=183398
In Forma Pauperis - Affidavit in Support of Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (Fee Waiver), official document: https://courts.delaware.gov/forms/download.aspx?id=6088
Official link data for Delaware was last verified June 2026. Report anything outdated through our contact page and we will re-check the official source.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to file a family case in Delaware?
Divorce filing fee: ~$155. If you cannot afford the fee, ask the clerk about a fee waiver or indigency application; every state has a process for requesting one.
Will asking for a fee waiver hurt my case?
No. The fee waiver request goes to the question of what you can afford, not to the merits of your case. Courts handle these routinely.
What if my waiver is denied?
Ask the clerk about paying in installments or deferring the fee. Practice varies by court, so ask before you assume the case cannot be filed.
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