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Filing Fees for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13

Filing Fees are addressed in 28 USC § 1930 and the Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule. For a full list of fees, you can access the filing fee schedule on the court's website here.

Fees are required to file a chapter 7 or chapter 13 with the Court.
 

What are the fees?

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Filing Fee: The current filing fee for chapter 7 cases is $338 (which includes a $245 filing fee, a $78 administrative fee, and a $15 surcharge).
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Filing Fee: The current filing fee for chapter 13 cases is $313 (which includes a $236 filing fee and a $78 administrative fee).
 

What forms of payment are accepted?

Fees paid by an individual person can be paid as follows:
 
Shreveport Divisional Office: Cash, money order, or cashier’s check only
Alexandria Divisional Office: Money order or cashier’s check only
Lafayette Divisional Office: Money order or cashier’s check only
 
Attorneys may pay by check or by credit card through Pay.gov.

What if I cannot pay the entire filing fee?

If you have trouble paying the filing fee for a chapter 7 or chapter 13 bankruptcy case, the court may grant you permission to pay in installments. You must complete and file the Application for Individuals to Pay the Filing Fee in Installments (Official Form 103A). You can access Official Form 103A here.
 
If you have trouble paying the filing fee for a chapter 7 bankruptcy case and your income is less than 150% above the federal H.H.S Poverty Guidelines, available here as a PDF or here, the court may waive the filing fee completely. You must complete and file the Application to Have the Chapter 7 Filing Fee Waived (Official Form 103B). You can access Official Form 103B here.