District Court fees
Our fees and charges typically increase on 1 July each year. On 1 July 2025, our fees and charges were increased to 3.4 per cent in line with the Government’s indexation policy. You can contact us to find out details about specific fees, charges or prices.
From 1 July 2022 fees are stated in fee regulations as fee units and not in dollars.
The current value of a fee unit for court fees is $1.096 (see s2 of the Acts Interpretation (Fee Unit) Regulation 2022 and s48B of the Acts Interpretation Act 1954). Please note the rounding rules that apply under s48C of the Acts Interpretation Act 1954.
District Court fees in a criminal proceeding
See the Criminal Practice (Fees and Allowances) Regulation 2021 for details of the fee units and rounding rules.
Any rule mentioned in the below table refers to a rule from the Criminal Practice Rules 1999.
| Task | Fee ($) |
Inspecting an exhibit other than a document under rule 56(2) | 21.35 |
| Inspecting a document or thing under rule 29(8A)(a) | 21.35 |
Searching or inspecting a court file or document under rule 57(3) | 21.35 |
Obtaining a certified copy under rule 57(3) or (5) | 78.55 |
| Task | Fee ($) |
Preparing and copying appeal record book: | |
First copy—each page | 3.25 per page |
Additional copy—each page | 0.70 per page |
Binding appeal record book—each book | 12.45 per book |
| Task | Fee ($) |
Preparing and copying a subsequent appeal record book: | |
First copy—each page | 3.25 per page |
Additional copy—each page | 0.70 per page |
Binding subsequent appeal record book—each book | 12.45 per book |
Task | Fee ($) |
|---|---|
Copying all or part of a document, other than an appeal record book or subsequent appeal record book: | |
First copy—each page | 3.25 per page |
| Maximum fee for first copy | 84.10 |
| Additional copy—each page | 0.70 per page |
| Maximum fee for additional copy | 33.55 |
Task | Fee ($) |
Filing an application to the District Court under rule 56A(1): | |
If at least one applicant is a corporation | 1,990.00 |
Otherwise | 998.50 |
| Task | Fee ($) |
|---|---|
Copying an exhibit under an order made under rule 56A(3) | |
First copy—each page | 3.25 per page |
Maximum fee for first copy | 84.10 |
Additional copy—each page | 0.70 per page |
Maximum fee for additional copy | 33.55 |
Task | Fee ($) |
|---|---|
Opening, or keeping open, the District Court registry open between 4.30pm and 8.30am Monday to Friday, or on a Saturday, Sunday or court holiday, for the purpose of making an application or copying an exhibit under rule 56A | 613.30 |
District Court fees in a civil proceeding
See the Uniform Civil Procedure (Fees) Regulation 2019 for details of the fee units and rounding rules.
The additional fee payable under the Appeal Costs Fund Act 1973 no longer applies. The Uniform Civil Procedure (Fees) Regulation 2019 has been amended to combine the additional fee with the originating process fee.
The Uniform Civil Procedure (Fees) Amendment Regulation 2025 has changed how fees payable to enforcement officers are calculated. Changes align the fees paid to bailiffs when performing the same service and enforcement functions regardless of jurisdiction.
Originating process | Fee ($) |
Filing any claim, including a counterclaim: | |
If at least one plaintiff is a corporation | 2,015.00 |
Otherwise | 1,023.00 |
If the fee is reduced under regulation 8, 9 or 10: | |
If at least 1 plaintiff is a corporation | 1,023.00 |
Otherwise | 149.60 |
Filing any application that is an originating process: | |
If at least one applicant is a corporation | 2,015.00 |
Otherwise | 1,023.00 |
If the fee is reduced under regulation 8, 9 or 10: | |
If at least one applicant is a corporation | 1,023.00 |
Otherwise | 149.60 |
Filing any document initiating any appeal, including a case stated, an application for leave to appeal or a cross appeal: | |
If at least one party initiating the appeal is a corporation | 2,988.00 |
Otherwise | 1,492.00 |
If the fee is reduced under regulation 8, 9 or 10: | |
If at least one plaintiff is a corporation | 1,492.00 |
Otherwise | 149.60 |
| Any other documents | Fee ($) |
Filing or receiving any document not connected with a matter on record and not otherwise provided for, including filing or receiving any document into the sheriff’s office or marshal’s office | 114.10 |
Issuing subpoena | Fee ($) |
Issuing a subpoena under the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999, rule 414 at the request of a party | 108.20 |
Setting down | Fee ($) |
Setting down for hearing or trial of a proceeding: | |
If at least one plaintiff or appellant is a corporation | 3,323.00 |
Otherwise | 1,660.00 |
If the fee is reduced under regulation 8, 9 or 10: | |
If at least one plaintiff or appellant is a corporation | 1,660.00 |
Otherwise | 149.60 |
For the hearing or trial of a proceeding | Fee ($) |
For each day or part of a day after the first day and up to the fourth day | |
If at least one plaintiff or appellant is a corporation | 1,326.00 |
Otherwise | 663.30 |
If the fee is reduced under regulation 8, 9 or 10: | |
| If at least one plaintiff or appellant is a corporation | 663.30 |
| Otherwise | 149.60 |
For each day or part of a day after the fourth day and up to the ninth day | |
If at least one plaintiff or appellant is a corporation | 2,389.00 |
| Otherwise | 1,198.00 |
If the fee is reduced under regulation 8, 9, or 10: | |
| If at least one plaintiff or appellant is a corporation | 1,198.00 |
| Otherwise | 149.60 |
For each day or part of a day after the ninth day | |
If at least one plaintiff or appellant is a corporation | 4,651.00 |
Otherwise | 2,321.00 |
If the fee is reduced under regulation 8, 9 or 10: | |
If at least one plaintiff or appellant is a corporation | 2,321.00 |
Otherwise | 149.60 |
Opening office | Fee ($) |
Opening, or keeping open, the registry, sheriff’s office or marshal’s office between 4.30pm. and 8.30am Monday to Friday, or on a Saturday, Sunday or court holiday | 613.30 |
Copies | Fee ($) |
Copy of a record of the court or a document or exhibit filed in the registry, sheriff’s office or marshal’s office, including reasons for judgment | |
First copy—each page | 3.25 per page |
Maximum fee for first copy | 84.10 |
Additional copy—each page | 0.70 per page |
Maximum fee for additional copy | 33.55 |
Certifying a copy of a record, document or exhibit filed in the registry. See the Regulation for details of this fee | 79.95 |
Attendance of officer pursuant to order, direction of the court or warrant | Fee ($) |
For an officer to attend:
| 131.00 per hour or part-hour 656.00 maximum per day |
Public searches | Fee ($) |
Searching the records | 29.15 per name or file |
Retrieval from archives | 29.15 per file |
Accounts and assessment of costs | Fee ($) |
Taking an account before the registrar | 131.00 per hour or part-hour |
Assessment of a costs statement, or part of a costs statement by an assessing registrar: | |
Under the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999, rule 708—for each hour or part of an hour | 131.00 |
Other than under the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999, rule 708—for each $100 or part of $100 allowed | 16.40 |
Miscellaneous | Fee ($) |
Settling and executing a deed of transfer | 177.80 |
Certificate of registrar | 79.95 |
Poundage | Fee ($) |
Poundage if an enforcement officer enforces an enforcement warrant or other process under or because of which an amount is received by a registrar, sheriff or the enforcement creditor | 2.5% of the amount received, but not less than 177.80 |
Poundage on enforcing an enforcement warrant for possession under the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999, rule 915 | 2.5% of annual rent or, if the property is not tenanted, the market value of annual rent, but not less than 177.80 |
Fees payable to enforcement officer | Fee ($) |
Service or attempted service, or enforcement or attempted enforcement, of a warrant, process or document by an enforcement officer, marshal, marshal’s officer or registrar— | |
On each person or ship served or enforced | 136.10 |
For each additional warrant, process or document served or enforced, if:
| 24.50 |
Time necessarily spent after the first hour on the service or attempted service, or enforcement or attempted enforcement, of a warrant, process or document, or arranging an auction, apprehending or attempting to apprehend a person – for each 15-minute period or part of a 15-minute period. See the Regulation for details | 10.65 |
Travelling fees for service or attempted service, or enforcement or attempted enforcement, per kilometre or part of a kilometre necessarily travelled from the registry to the place of service or enforcement, one way in excess of 8km from the registry. See the Regulation for details | 4.30 per km |
Taking a person to prison or a place of detention from the place of arrest — for each kilometre | 4.30 per km |
| Retaining possession of a ship, with or without cargo, or of a ship’s cargo without a ship — for each day | 20.55 |
Expenses of enforcement officer etc. in relation to service and enforcement | Fee ($) |
|---|---|
An amount for the reasonable cost, as reasonably incurred by an enforcement officer, marshal, marshal’s officer or registrar, of expenses for— (a) each person left in possession of property; or (b) the securing and safe custody of property under seizure; or (c) any of the following— (i) board and lodging; (ii) travelling expenses; (iii) clerical assistance at sales; (iv) advertising; (v) feeding livestock or removing livestock to a place of safekeeping; (vi) hire of transport, warehouses or yards; (vii) out-of-pocket expenses | At the discretion of the registrar |
Miscellaneous | Fee ($) |
|---|---|
| Drawing an advertisement of sale, if the sale is under an enforcement warrant for the seizure and sale of property | 197.10 |