In short
Act 81 of June 26, 1964 provides that, in everything pertinent to the performance of their functions and the achievement of their objectives, or necessary for processing the cases or matters in which the clinics are intervening for the benefit of persons to whom, because of their limited economic condition, they are providing free legal services, those persons are exempt from paying every class of fees, stamps or taxes of any nature prescribed by law for processing judicial proceedings and for issuing certifications in all State Government centers. The exemption does not apply to the fees required for the granting and recording in the Property Registry of deeds executed before a notary public. Persons for whom the Legal Aid Clinics of Puerto Rico’s Law Schools process judicial actions are entitled to the services of court officials and employees and to all their writs and orders, as if the fees required by law had been satisfied, and every document issued under this law has the same legal value as if they had been paid. Judicial filings and requests for certifications processed under this law must be signed by a clinic lawyer and bear the clinic’s seal.
What is it?
It is the fee exemption tied to being served by a Puerto Rico law school legal aid clinic. It differs from the indigency exemption we cover separately: that one is requested by sworn declaration before the court Clerk; this one comes with the fact that the clinic is providing you free legal services because of your limited economic condition, and the vehicle is the clinic lawyer’s signature and the clinic’s seal on the filing.
Who can do it?
Persons to whom, because of their limited economic condition, the Legal Aid Clinics of Puerto Rico’s Law Schools are providing free legal services, in matters pertinent to the clinic’s functions and to processing the cases or matters in which they are intervening.
Requirements
- That a Legal Aid Clinic of a Puerto Rico Law School be providing you free legal services because of your limited economic condition.Verified against the official source
- That the filing be pertinent to the clinic’s performance of its functions and achievement of its objectives, or necessary for processing the case or matter in which it is intervening.Verified against the official source
Documents you need
Cost
Step by step
Step 1: The exemption is tied to the clinic, not a separate filing
The text is direct: persons to whom the clinics, because of their limited economic condition, are providing free legal services “are hereby exempt” from payment. It describes no separate exemption application: it describes a condition and its consequence.
Step 2: What it covers: judicial proceedings and certifications
The exemption reaches “every class of fees, stamps or taxes of any nature prescribed by law for processing judicial proceedings, issuing certifications in all State Government centers.” Note the reach: not only the court, but also certifications at state government centers.
Step 3: The Property Registry exception
It is the only one the text carries and it is worth being clear about: the exemption “shall not apply to the fees required for the granting and recording in the Property Registry of deeds executed before a notary public.” If your matter runs through a notarial deed and registry recording, those fees are not exempt under this law.
Step 4: The court serves you as if you had paid
The law says it in those words: they are entitled to the services of those courts’ officials and employees and to all their writs and orders, “as if the fees required by law had been satisfied.” And every document issued under this law has the same legal value as if the fees, stamps, contributions or taxes required by law had been paid.
Step 5: The form: the clinic lawyer’s signature and seal
This is the mechanism, and it is what you should expect to see on your papers: judicial filings and requests for certifications of public documents processed under this law must be signed by a lawyer of the legal aid clinics of Puerto Rico’s law schools and bear their stamped seal.
Where to do it
This exemption is exercised through the legal aid clinic handling your case: its lawyer signs and its seal is stamped. If no clinic is serving you and you still cannot pay the stamps, the route is the indigency fee exemption before the court Clerk, which we cover in its own guide, and court fees are explained in the corresponding guide.
How long it takes
What to do if something goes wrong
What this law does not resolve. It does not say how one gets into a legal aid clinic, what economic criteria each law school uses to accept a case, or which matters each clinic handles: each institution sets that and we did not read it, so we publish no intake requirements, forms or timelines. Nor does the law list the specific fees or their amounts. And its only express exception is the Property Registry one for deeds executed before a notary public. Note the relationship between this guide and the indigency exemption guide: they are two distinct routes to a similar result, and this one does not replace that one if no clinic is representing you. What we did not read: the Judicial Branch’s fee regulations, or the clinics’ internal rules.
Common mistakes
- Looking for an exemption form: the law ties the exemption to being served by the clinic.
- Expecting it to cover the Property Registry: the law excludes those fees for notarial deeds.
- Thinking it only covers the court: it also covers issuing certifications at State Government centers.
- Filing without the clinic lawyer’s signature and the clinic’s seal: the law requires both.
- Confusing it with the indigency exemption: they are distinct routes, and that one applies when there is no clinic.
- Assuming the clinic takes any case: each law school sets the criteria.
Frequently asked questions
Must I request the exemption separately?
The text describes no separate application. It says persons to whom the clinics, because of their limited economic condition, are providing free legal services “are hereby exempt” from payment, and sets as the form that the filing be signed by a clinic lawyer and bear its seal.
What is outside the exemption?
The fees required for the granting and recording in the Property Registry of deeds executed before a notary public. It is the text’s only express exception.
Does the court serve me the same without paying the stamps?
Yes: they are entitled to the services of court officials and employees and to all their writs and orders, as if the fees required by law had been satisfied.
And if no clinic is handling my case?
This law does not reach you, because it ties the exemption to receiving free legal services from a clinic. The other route is the indigency fee exemption by sworn declaration before the court Clerk, which we treat in a separate guide.
Official sources
These are the government pages this guide is based on.
- Poder Judicial de Puerto Rico
Poder Judicial
bvirtualogp.pr.gov
- Judicial Branch of Puerto Rico
Poder Judicial
poderjudicial.pr
Last verified
August 24, 2026
MiPRFácil is an independent informational website and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the Government of Puerto Rico or any government agency.
MiPRFácil does not submit applications on your behalf.
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