Court Fees
Looking for a particular court? - use HMCS Courtfinder
Do I have to pay court fees ?
You will not have to pay a court fee if:
a) You are on Income Support, or
b) Working Tax Credit, (but not in receipt of Child Tax Credit), or
c) Income based Jobseekers Allowance, or
d) Pension Credit Guarantee credit under the State Pension Credit Act 2002, or
e) Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or
f) Your annual income is below certain limits based on a sliding scale of £13,000 (single person without children) or £18,000 (couple without children) to £24,720 (single person with 4 children) or £29,720 (couple with 4 children). Thereafter add £2,930 for each additional child.
g) You are in receipt of "Legal Help" from a solicitor, or
h) You are in receipt of a "funding certificate" from the Legal Services Commission.
You may have to pay only part of the court fees if your monthly disposable income, (your salary less bills) is below a certain level. The court will calculate the amount of the contribution you will have to pay.
You must complete court form "Ex160", (application for a fee exemption or remission) for each court fee you cannot pay for one of the above reasons.
High Court and County Court Fees: Includes Small Claims Court
As From April 2011
Applications
| Claim | Fee | Money Claim Online |
| High Court and County Court | ||
| Amount claimed is up to £300 | £35 | £25 |
| Amount claimed is between £300 and £500 | £50 | £35 |
| Amount claimed is over £500 but not over £1,000 | £70 | £60 |
| Amount claimed is over £1,000 but not over £1,500 | £80 | £70 |
| Amount claimed is over £1,500 but not over £3,000 | £95 | £80 |
| Amount claimed is over £3,000 but not over £5,000 | £120 | £100 |
| Amount claimed is over £5,000 but not over £15,000 | £245 | £210 |
| Amount claimed is over £15,000 but not over £50,000 | £395 | £340 |
| Amount claimed is over £50,000 but not over £100,000 | £685 | £595 |
| Amount claimed is over £100,000 but not over £150,000 | £885 | n/a |
| Amount claimed is over £150,000 but not over £200,000 | £1,080 | n/a |
| Amount claimed is over £200,000 but not over £250,000 | £1,275 | n/a |
| Amount claimed is over £250,000 but not over £300,000 | £1,475 | n/a |
| Amount claimed is over £300,000 or an unlimited amount | £1,670 | n/a |
Application for Summary Judgment | £80 | |
Applications | £80 | |
Setting aside county court judgment on notice | £80 | |
By consent or without notice | £45 | |
Costs only proceedings | £45 | |
| Claim other than money | £150 county | £400 high |
| Possession Claims Online | £100 | |
| Claim for recovery of land through Possession Claim Online | £100 | |
Allocation Questionnaire Fee (other than small claims) | £220 county | £220 high |
| Allocation Questionnaire Fee (small claims, where claim exceeds £1,500, but under £5,000) | £40 |
Trial Fee
| Listing Questionnaire (Pre-Trial Checklist) Fast-track | £110 county & high |
| Listing Questionnaire (Pre-Trial Checklist) Multi-track | £110 county & high |
| Hearing Fee | £1,090 Multi-track |
| Hearing Fee | £545 Fast-track |
| Hearing Fee (small claims track) | |
| Claim does not exceed £300 | £25 |
| Claim exceeds £300 but under £500 | £55 |
| Claim exceeds £500 but under £1,000 | £80 |
| Claim exceeds £1,000 but under £1,500 | £110 |
| Claim exceeds £1,500 but under £3,000 | £165 |
| Claim exceeds £3,000 | £325 |
| County Court Application for permission to appeal | £100 county £200 high |
| Small Claims Track | £100 county |
| Appeal Notice | £120 county £200 high £100 (Family proceedings/District Judge) |
| Appeal Notice (small claims track) | £100 county |
| Appeal Questionnaire (Appellant) | £400 |
| Witness Summons | £35 county & high |
Enforcement
| Attachment of Earnings | £100 county only |
| Application for Charging Order | £100 county & high |
| Warrant of Possession / Warrant of Delivery | £110 county only |
| Warrant of Execution | £100 county only |
| Sealing a Writ of Execution / Possession / Delivery | £60 high |
| Application for 3rd party debt order | £100 county & high |
| Application for order that debtor attend court for questioning | £50 county & high |
| Warrant of Delivery (goods) | £110 |
| Reissue Warrants of Execution, Delivery or Possession | £30 |
| Vary a judgment or suspend enforcement | £40 |
| Judgment Summons | £100 county & high |
| Request bailiff service of order / judgment | £100 county & high |
| Debtors Bankruptcy Petition | £175 |
| Creditors Bankruptcy Petition | £220 |
| Petition to wind up a company | £220 |
| Application to convert a voluntary arrangement into a bankruptcy or winding up | £155 |
| Certificate of discharge from bankruptcy | £70 |
| Further copies of discharge cost per copy | £5 |
| Bankruptcy searches | £7 high court for each 15 minutes |
| Bankruptcy searches | £45 county court for each 15 minutes |
| Appeals | £115 (small claim) £135 (fast or multi-track) £235 (high court) |
| Application to register a judgment or summons | £40 county £60 high |
| Certificate of Satisfaction | £15 |
Family Proceedings Fees
High Court & County Court
| Divorce/Judicial Separation/Nullity Petition | £340 |
| Amending Petition | £90 |
| Filing Answer or Cross-Petition | £230 |
| Filing a second petition with permission of the court | £90 |
| Application for Decree Nisi or Absolute or Conditional or Final Order | £45 |
| Children Act Applications (s.8 orders) care & supervision orders etc. | £200 (private law) £160 (public law) |
| Applications for contact with a child in care | £170 (public law) |
| Application to attach a warning notice to contact order | £45 |
| Emergency Protection orders | £170 |
| To Register Maintenance (including abroad) | £40 |
| Financial Application | £240 |
| Injunctions | £70 |
| Injunctions (Magistrates Court) | no fee |
| Application Notice | £90 |
| Application by consent | £45 |
| Application for forced marriage protection | £70 |
| Search of index of parental responsibility agreements | £40 county |
| Search of index of decree absolutes | £40 county £60 high |
| Adoption | £160 |
| Appeal from a district judge | £115 |
| Appeal against a care/supervision order in magistrates court | £170 |
| Appeal against a contribution order | £170 |
Detailed Assessment
| Request for detailed assessment hearing (legally-aided) | £145 county & high |
| Request for detailed assessment hearing (non legally-aided) | |
| Does not exceed £15,000 | £325 |
| Exceeds £15,000 but less than £50,000 | £655 |
| Exceeds £50,000 but less than £100,000 | £980 |
| Exceeds £100,000 but less than £150,000 | £1,310 |
| Exceeds £150,000 but less than £200,000 | £1,635 |
| Exceeds £200,000 but less than £300,000 | £2,455 |
| Exceeds £300,000 but less than £500,000 | £4,090 |
| Exceeds £500,000 | £5,455 |
| Application for an order under Part 3 Solicitors Act 1974 | £45 |
| Appeal against detailed assessment | £205 county & high |
| Request for issue of default costs certificate | £60 county & high |
| Request for application to set aside default costs certificate | £105 county & high |
| Application for costs certificate payable from community legal service fund | £50 county & high |
Judges' Fees (High Court only)
For every day or part of a day (after the first day) of the hearing before:
a) A judge of the commercial court, sitting as an arbitrator or umpire - £2,390
b) A judge of the technology and construction court appointed as an arbitrator or umpire - £1,860

Press comments