Pay Chapter 13 Filing Fees in Installments

Yes, you can typically pay the Chapter 13 filing fee in installments, but you must apply to the court for permission by filing a formal request. This is not automatic, and the court strictly limits the number of payments. You are generally allowed to make up to four installment payments, with the final payment due within 120 days of filing your petition.

One critical detail is that your installment payments for the filing fee are completely separate from your ongoing Chapter 13 plan payment to the trustee. The filing fee is paid directly to the court clerk, not through your reorganization plan, so missing a fee installment risks immediate case dismissal regardless of how faithfully you make your plan payments. Check your local court's specific rules, as procedures and exact deadlines vary by jurisdiction.

You file your installment request using the official court application form, typically submitted alongside your Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition. Getting this right at the start avoids an automatic rejection that could stall your case.

1. Get the right form

The request is made on Official Form B 103A, the Application for Individuals to Pay the Filing Fee in Installments. Download the current version directly from the U.S. Courts website. Never use a photocopied or outdated form from a third-party site, as clerks reject them immediately.

2. Fill it out completely

The form asks for basic details about your income, expenses, and cash on hand. You must sign under penalty of perjury that you cannot pay the full amount in one lump sum. Leave no blank fields; write "N/A" for anything that doesn't apply to you.

3. File with your petition

Attach the completed application to your Chapter 13 petition and proposed plan payment. Some local courts also require a proposed order. Check your local rules, because filing the application alone doesn't guarantee approval. A judge must sign off before the fee schedule becomes binding.

Until the court approves your request, keep a copy of the application for your records. You will need it to confirm the exact payment deadlines once the order is entered.

Your first installment payment is typically due when you file your petition, meaning you must pay it immediately to the clerk. Missing this deadline means your case was never properly commenced, and the court does not treat it as a late payment - it treats it as a failure to file.

The deadline is rigid because the initial payment proves your good-faith intent to proceed. If you cannot make the first payment on the spot, you should delay filing until the funds are ready. Filing without the required minimum often results in an immediate deficiency notice or dismissal without further warning, and you may lose the chance to use the installment option in a future refiling.

Most courts follow a standard 4-payment schedule set by the federal rules.

The total Chapter 13 filing fee is $313, and you typically pay it in four equal or nearly equal installments.

Here is the typical breakdown, but always check your local court rules:

• Payment 1 (with petition): $78.25. Due when you file.
• Payment 2 (15 days after filing): Another $78.25.
• Payment 3 (30 days after filing): Another $78.25.
• Payment 4 (45 days after filing): The final $78.25.

The specific dates will be set in the order the judge signs after you file your request. Missing even one payment can get your case dismissed, so it is critical to pay on time. Your court's order will list your exact due dates.

Your Chapter 13 filing fee is a one-time court cost, while your plan payment is the ongoing monthly amount that repays your debts. These are two completely separate obligations, and confusing them can derail your case early.

Think of the filing fee as the price of admission to court. It is a fixed amount you pay directly to the court to start your case, and you are typically allowed to break it into installments over a few months. The court will not use your installment payments to credit your debts.

Your plan payment is entirely different. This is the monthly sum you send to your Chapter 13 trustee to pay your car loan, mortgage arrears, tax debts, or other creditors over three to five years. Your first plan payment is usually due 30 days after you file, regardless of whether you are still paying your filing fee in installments. Missing either payment can get your case dismissed, so budget for both from day one.

Missing an installment on your Chapter 13 filing fee is serious, but you can often avoid having your case dismissed if you act immediately. The court typically does not automatically dismiss your case the day after a missed deadline, which means you have a short window to fix the problem.

The moment you realize you missed a payment, contact your attorney or the trustee's office directly. Explain what happened and arrange to pay the missed amount as soon as possible. Courts are more willing to give you a second chance when you come forward voluntarily rather than waiting for a dismissal notice.

Your next steps should focus on damage control:

• Check your local court's docket or contact the clerk to confirm a dismissal order has not already been entered.
• Pay the full past-due installment within a few days, if you can, to show good faith.
• File a motion asking the court to extend the deadline or waive the delinquency, which is especially important if you need more than a few days to catch up.

Even if a dismissal order is entered, some courts allow you to file a motion to vacate the dismissal if you can show the missed payment was an honest mistake or due to circumstances beyond your control. You will generally need to pay the outstanding fee at the same time you request reinstatement.

One caution: habitually missing installments damages your credibility with the court and the trustee. That pattern can lead to a permanent dismissal that forces you to refile and pay a new filing fee.

A denied installment request isn't the end of your case, but it demands immediate attention because you typically must pay the full filing fee on the original deadline. When the court denies your fee installment application, contact the clerk's office right away to understand exactly what was missing or insufficient. Common reasons are an incomplete application, income that exceeds local guidelines, or a filing fee already paid in part from a previous dismissed case that changes how the court views your request.

Once you know the reason, your options are practical but time-sensitive:

• Fix a paperwork error: If you simply omitted a required form or schedule, submit the corrected application on the same day if the court permits a quick refiling.
• Request a hearing: Some courts let you ask a judge to review the denial, especially if you can show a change in circumstances or that the clerk misapplied the local rule.
• Pay the full fee immediately: If the denial is firm, borrowing from family, using a tax refund, or adjusting your Chapter 13 plan payment to free up cash are the most direct ways to meet the deadline and avoid case dismissal.

If you cannot pay the full fee in time, the court may dismiss your case, which triggers a 180-day waiting period for automatic stay protections if you refile. That outcome makes it far harder to keep your case alive, so treating the denial as a final deadline to find the total amount is the safest approach.

Filing pro se does not block you from paying the filing fee in installments, but you get no procedural slack. The same form, the same deadlines, and the same risk of dismissal apply. The court treats your paperwork the same as a lawyer's, and you must track every deadline yourself.

Think of it this way: a bankruptcy attorney's office uses a calendaring system to avoid missed dates. When you file pro se, you are that system. If you miss the first installment deadline, the clerk does not mail a friendly reminder. The court typically issues a notice of deficiency, and if you fail to cure it, the case gets dismissed. Before you file, write your four payment dates on a physical calendar and confirm the first due date with the clerk's office when you hand over the application. For many pro se filers, the simplest route is to attend the meeting of creditors with a plan payment already set up through a payroll deduction order, so you have one less manual payment to track.

While the federal courts offer a standard installment schedule, your local court can override it entirely. Even if you qualify under national guidelines, a local judge or clerk's office may require a different number of payments, earlier deadlines, or in rare districts, deny installments altogether for Chapter 13 cases.

Before you assume you can use the standard four-payment plan, call the clerk's office or review the local rules posted on your district's website. Mention you're filing Chapter 13 and ask if there are any local orders or standing procedures that change the installment terms, then follow whatever the clerk tells you over any general advice you read online.

Refiling after a dismissal means paying the full filing fee upfront unless the court lets you restart the old installment schedule.

Some courts treat a refiled case as brand new, meaning you can request a fresh installment schedule, but others may require you to pay any unpaid balance from the previous case first.

If your earlier case was dismissed within the last year, the automatic stay that stops creditors typically lasts only 30 days unless you ask the court to extend it. You will need to file a motion to extend the stay and show the judge that your refiled case is in good faith, not just a delay tactic.

Before you refile, fix whatever caused the dismissal, whether it was a missed plan payment or an incomplete form. Refiling without solving the original problem often leads to a second quick dismissal, and some courts get stricter about installment requests in repeat filings.