Maryland Court Fee Waiver for Custody and Guardianship: Form CC-DC-089

How Much Does It Cost to File?

Filing a custody complaint or guardianship petition in Maryland Circuit Court costs $165.00. On top of that, you will pay for service of process — Sheriff fees run about $60 per paper served, and private process servers charge comparable rates.

For a grandparent on a fixed income who is already absorbing the costs of raising a grandchild, those fees can be a real barrier. Maryland provides a fee waiver process for exactly this situation.

Form CC-DC-089: Request for Waiver of Prepaid Costs

The fee waiver form is CC-DC-089, officially titled "Request for Waiver of Prepaid Costs." It is available free from the Maryland Judiciary website (mdcourts.gov) and is the same form for both custody and guardianship cases.

File CC-DC-089 at the same time as your custody complaint (CC-DR-004) or guardianship petition (CC-GN-001). Do not wait to see if the court will let you file without paying — submit the waiver request simultaneously so the clerk can process your case while the waiver is pending.

What You Need to Show

The form asks for your household income, expenses, and assets. Qualifying generally means demonstrating that paying the filing fee would create a financial hardship. The court considers:

• Income sources: wages, Social Security, disability, pension, child support received, public assistance
• Household expenses: rent or mortgage, utilities, food, medical costs, transportation
• Assets: bank balances, real estate equity, vehicle values
• Public assistance: receiving SNAP, TCA, Medicaid, or SSI can strengthen your case

Attach supporting documentation: recent pay stubs, Social Security benefit letters, bank statements, and proof of any public assistance you receive. The more documentation you provide, the faster the court can rule on the waiver.

What the Waiver Covers

A granted CC-DC-089 waiver covers:

• Circuit Court filing fee ($165.00)
• Sheriff service fees for serving the other parties

It does not automatically cover:

• Final court costs assessed at the conclusion of the case
• Court-appointed attorney fees (if the court appoints a Best Interest Attorney for the child)
• Home study costs
• Mediation fees
• Orphans' Court probate fee schedules (those follow separate rules)

If additional costs arise during the case, you may need to file a separate motion requesting the court to waive or reduce those specific costs.

If the Waiver Is Denied

The court notifies you in writing if the waiver is denied. You then have 10 days to pay the required filing fee. If you do not pay within that window, the court treats your filing as withdrawn — your complaint or petition is not processed.

A denial is not the end. You can refile the waiver request with additional documentation showing financial hardship, or you can pay the fee and proceed with the case.

Orphans' Court Fee Waivers

Orphans' Court proceedings follow their own fee schedules, which vary by county and are often lower than Circuit Court. The CC-DC-089 form is designed for Circuit Court filings. If you are filing a guardianship petition in Orphans' Court, ask the clerk whether the court has its own waiver process or accepts CC-DC-089.

Annual Report Filing Fees

Guardians of the property who file annual fiduciary accounts (Form CC-GN-012) pay a $10 filing fee plus a review fee based on the estate's value. These fees are separate from the initial filing fee and are not covered by the original CC-DC-089 waiver. Guardians of the person filing the annual report (Form CC-GN-014) do not pay a fee for that filing.

For a complete walkthrough of filing fees, fee waivers, and every form involved in the guardianship and custody process, the Maryland Guardianship and Custody Guide covers costs at each stage from filing through post-order compliance.

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