Ontario Family Court Fees for Grandparent Applications: What You Actually Pay

Court Filing Fees: The Short Answer

If you are a grandparent filing a standalone application for decision-making responsibility under the Children's Law Reform Act, the court filing fee is $0 — in both the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice.

That surprises most people. Ontario's fee schedule exempts CLRA parenting claims from the standard application and listing fees. This exemption applies whether you file in the OCJ (which charges no family court fees at all) or the SCJ (where standalone CLRA claims are specifically exempt under O. Reg. 417/95, section 2, and O. Reg. 293/92, section 1.2).

The $0 amount is for the CLRA claim. Fees for a divorce or property claim are separate. A new SCJ divorce application costs $224, with a $445 trial listing fee and a $10 federal Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings fee, for $679 total.

Fee Breakdown by Court

Ontario Court of Justice (OCJ): $0 for all filings and hearing steps. Every family law proceeding in the OCJ is fee-free.

Superior Court of Justice (SCJ) — standalone CLRA claim: $0. The fee exemption covers the application, answer, and listing fees.

SCJ — divorce application: $679 total ($224 application + $445 trial listing + $10 federal registry). If you are answering someone else's divorce application and requesting a divorce, the answer fee is $214.

Other potential costs: Summons to witness ($33), court document copies ($1/page uncertified, $4/page certified). These are small but worth knowing about if you need certified copies of your order later — and you will, because schools, hospitals, and government agencies require them.

Fee Waivers for Low-Income Applicants

If your case does land in the SCJ fee zone (because of a connected divorce) and you cannot afford the fees, Ontario offers a Fee Waiver Certificate under the Administration of Justice Act.

You apply using Form FW-A 3, which asks for proof of your financial situation. Eligibility is generally based on household income and liquid assets. If you receive Ontario Works, ODSP, or have gross income below the published thresholds, you likely qualify.

A granted fee waiver covers all provincial filing fees, motion fees, listing charges, and court transcript copy fees incurred after the certificate is issued. It does not cover the $10 federal divorce registry fee, private transcript costs, or legal representation.

Fee waivers do not apply retroactively. If you paid a fee before receiving the certificate, you cannot get it refunded.

Costs Outside the Court Fee Schedule

The court may charge $0, but the filing process has other costs that come from external providers:

Police record check: $40–$75 depending on your municipal police service. This is mandatory under Rule 35.1.

Affidavit commissioning: If you cannot get to a courthouse commissioner, online video commissioning services charge roughly $25–$35 per signature seal (plus HST). Under O. Reg. 431/20, remote commissioning is legally valid.

Process server: You cannot serve your own application — an adult other than you must deliver it to the respondents. A professional process server typically charges $75–$150 per person served, though a friend or family member over 18 can do it for free.

Certified copies of the final order: Once you have a decision-making order, you need certified copies to present to schools, doctors, ServiceOntario, and the passport office. These cost $4 per page at the courthouse.

None of these costs are court filing fees, so they are not covered by a fee waiver. Budget for them separately.

The Bottom Line for Grandparents

A standalone grandparent application for decision-making responsibility in Ontario has zero court filing fees. The actual out-of-pocket costs come from the police check, commissioning, service, and certified copies — typically under $300 total for a self-represented applicant.

Compare that to hiring a lawyer: family law retainers in Ontario start at $2,500 for uncontested matters and climb quickly for contested cases, with hourly rates of $300–$500.

For a complete guide to the filing process — including how to keep costs down at each step — the Ontario Decision-Making Order toolkit covers the forms, deadlines, and practical steps from application to final order.

See more Ontario guides →