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PACER Pricing: How fees work

Access federal court records electronically via the PACER service. Registered users may be charged a fee based on the amount and type of information accessed in a calendar quarter.

Cost for Accessing PACER

$0.10 per page:

The Different Types of Pages
  •  

    Document, such as a docket, motion, order, judgement or brief in a case. 

You won't be charged more than $3 per document.

  •  

    PACER Search Results – Anytime a search is performed you are charged a fee based on the number of pages generated in the search, even if the search displays “no matches found.” There is no maximum fee for these searches.

  •  

    Reports that are not case-specific, such as the cases report. There is no maximum fee for these reports.

  •  

    Transcript of court proceedings are added to PACER 90 days after they are produced. There is no maximum fee for transcripts in PACER. Learn more.


$2.40 per audio file:

  •  

    Audio Files are provided as .mp3 files for some hearings as part of the court record.

 

Billing: Users are billed on a quarterly basis if they accrue more than $30 in the previous quarter. You will receive an invoice via mail or email.

 Tips for limiting fees

Spend $30 or less on court records in 
a quarter and fees are WAIVED…

 
 

When is PACER Free?

  1. You are a party in a case
 and receive a Notice of
 Electronic or Notice of
 Docket Activity (one
 free copy) from a court.
  2. You view case
 information at any
 federal courthouse.
  3. You are an individual or group who was granted a fee exemption.
  4. Court opinions are
 always free.

Fee Exemptions

Courts may exempt individuals or groups, such as indigents, pro bono attorneys, academic researchers, and non-profit organizations from paying a fee, upon request to the court. Learn more about fee exemptions for academic researchers. Learn more about fee exemptions for other eligible parties.

The PACER Service Center can find your court records

Delivered Electronically

$30.00 per name or item searched plus $0.10 per page per document delivered electronically, up to five documents. The $3 maximum for any document applies.

Delivered by U.S. Mail

$30.00 per name or item searched plus $0.50 per page for paper copies of documents.

Get started with a request. (pdf)

Need Help

The PACER Service Center can answer your questions about the best ways to search for a case for free.  

Phone: 1-800-676-6856

Email: pacer@psc.uscourts.gov