Kentucky Filing Fees and Fee Waivers

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Filing a family case in Kentucky normally carries a fee. Dissolution filing fee: ~$163. 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 Kentucky documents for that request are below.

Official Kentucky fee resources

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Kentucky family law forms (official index) (Kentucky judicial branch): The official statewide collection of Kentucky family law forms. When a direct document link stops working, this index is where the current version lives. https://courts.ky.gov/forms

Kentucky court self-help resources (Kentucky courts self-help): Official self-help information for people handling their own Kentucky family case, including instructions and plain-language guides. https://kyjustice.org

Kentucky court and clerk directory (search by county) (Kentucky judicial branch): Find the courthouse or clerk that serves your area, with locations and contact details. https://kcoj.kycourts.net/ContactList/Search

Kentucky official filing information (Kentucky judicial branch): The court's own page explaining how documents are filed in Kentucky and what a parent without a lawyer is allowed to do. https://www.kycourts.gov/AOC/Information-and-Technology/Pages/File_Serve(eFiling).aspx

Verified official Kentucky fee waiver documents

These official documents are how you ask a Kentucky court to waive or defer a filing fee.

Motion to Proceed In Forma Pauperis; Affidavit; and Order (AOC-026), form AOC-026 (Fee Waiver), official document: https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Forms/Legal%20Forms/026.pdf

Official link data for Kentucky 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 Report anything outdated through our contact page and we will re-check the official source.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 Kentucky?

Dissolution filing fee: ~$163. 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.