If you cannot afford NJ court filing fees, Form CN-10806 lets you ask the court to waive them. Most people on public assistance qualify automatically — and you can file the waiver the same day you file your case.
Quick Answer
Form CN-10806 is the official New Jersey "Application to Proceed Without Payment of Fees" (indigency application). When approved, the court waives filing fees, copy fees, and related court costs. You file it at the same time as your main filing. There is no separate hearing in most cases — the clerk reviews it and approves or denies it on the spot.
CN-10806 is the standardized NJ court form for requesting fee waivers based on financial hardship. It applies to virtually all Superior Court filings — civil, family, landlord-tenant, and appellate.
Automatic qualification (no proof required beyond your certification):
You receive Medicaid
You receive SNAP (food stamps)
You receive SSI
You receive TANF
You receive General Assistance
Your household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level
Income-based qualification:
Even if you do not receive public benefits, you may qualify if you can demonstrate that paying filing fees would cause you genuine financial hardship. Courts look at income, household size, and monthly obligations.
What it covers: motion filing fees, complaint filing fees, notice of appeal fees, copy fees, and other standard court costs. It does not cover attorney fees or costs imposed by court order as sanctions.
FormaPauper automatically includes CN-10806 in your filing packet when you indicate you are seeking a fee waiver. This means:
The form is pre-formatted with your case caption and docket information
You fill in your income and household information
It is packaged with the rest of your filing for simultaneous submission
You never have to find and download the form separately
FormaPauper does not determine whether you qualify — that is the court's decision. We help you prepare and package the application correctly.
Determine if you likely qualify
Check whether you receive Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, TANF, or General Assistance. If so, you qualify automatically. If not, calculate your household's monthly income and compare it to 150% of the current Federal Poverty Level for your household size.
Gather your documentation
You may need: proof of public assistance enrollment (benefit card, award letter), recent pay stubs or bank statements if income-based, a list of monthly household expenses if claiming hardship.
Complete Form CN-10806
Fill in your name, address, case caption, docket number if already assigned, the type of fee you are requesting be waived, and your income/benefit information.
Sign the certification
The form includes a certification under penalty of perjury. Sign it — you are affirming the financial information is accurate.
Submit simultaneously with your main filing
Bring CN-10806 to the clerk's window at the same time you file your complaint, motion, or notice of appeal. Do not file them separately if you can avoid it.
Receive the clerk's determination
In most cases, the clerk approves or denies the waiver at the window. If denied, you have the right to request judicial review.
Filing CN-10806 without any supporting documentation when you do not receive public benefits — bring proof.
Forgetting to include it — some people show up to file and discover they cannot afford the fee without a prepared waiver.
Leaving fields blank — incomplete applications are almost always denied at the clerk's window.
Filing it after you already paid — you cannot retroactively waive fees you voluntarily paid.
Not including the case caption — if you already have a docket number, include it on the form.
Confusing income levels — read the current Federal Poverty Guidelines; they change annually.
Yes. CN-10806 is the official NJ form for the indigency/fee waiver application. Some clerks and attorneys use the terms interchangeably.
Yes. CN-10806 applies to Appellate Division filing fees as well. You would file it along with your Notice of Appeal at the Appellate Division clerk's office.
If the clerk denies your application, you have the right to request review by a judge. Ask the clerk for the procedure at your courthouse.
Sometimes. The waiver covers standard court filing fees and, in some cases, transcript fees — but you would need to specifically request transcript cost waiver as part of the application or in a separate motion.
Technically yes — the waiver is specific to a particular filing or case. If you file a new case or a new major filing in the same case, you should submit CN-10806 again.
From the NJ judiciary website (njcourts.gov/forms), from any NJ courthouse clerk's office, or pre-formatted within your FormaPauper filing packet.
FormaPauper's Document Wizard helps you build a complete, properly formatted filing packet — step by step, in plain English.
Important: Not Legal Advice
FormaPauper is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. The information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only and applies specifically to New Jersey courts. Nothing here creates an attorney-client relationship. Court procedures, fees, and rules change — always verify current requirements with your county courthouse or on njcourts.gov before filing. For complex matters, particularly those involving permanent consequences, we strongly recommend consulting a licensed New Jersey attorney. Many counties have free legal aid services available.