Federal law dictates the filing fees for bankruptcy proceedings nationwide. It costs $299.00 to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and $274.00 to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy. It is possible to have the fee completely waived in Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings, provided that your household size and income falls within certain federal guidelines. Additionally, even if you do not qualify for a fee waiver, you can still arrange to pay the Chapter 7 filing fee in installments.