Magistrates 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.

Below is a list of fees in the Magistrates Court for criminal and civil proceedings under the:

Magistrates Court fees in a criminal proceeding

See the Justices Regulation 2014 for details of the fee units and rounding rules.

Task

Fee ($)

Filing a complaint and summons under section54(2) of the Justices Act 1886

115.50

Filing a copy of a summons to a witness issued under section 78 or 83 of the Act.

22.10

Filing a copy of the written evidence on oath relied on to obtain a warrant under section 81 of the Act.

22.10

Inspection of a record for a matter under the Act heard and decided:

 

Up to four years ago—for each record

17.75

More than four years ago—for each record

30.65

Supply of a copy of a record of a decision under section 154 of the Act, including an order or a record of conviction

17.75

Supply of a copy of a record for a matter, under section 154 of the Act, to which the Recording of Evidence Act 1962 doesn’t apply, other than a copy of a record mentioned above:

 

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

See the Criminal Practice (Fees and Allowances) Regulation 2021 for details of the fee units and rounding rules.

Any rule mentioned in the table below 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

Searching for, or inspecting, a document on a court file under rule 57(3)

21.35

Obtaining a certified copy of a document under rule 57(3) or (5)

78.55

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

Filing an application to the Magistrates Court under rule 56A(1):

125.40

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

Opening or keeping the registry open between 4.30pm and 8.30am, or on a Saturday, Sunday or court holiday for the purpose of making an application or copying an exhibit under rule 56A

206.70

Magistrates Court fees in a civil proceeding

See the Uniform Civil Procedure (Fees) Regulation 2019 for details of the fee units and rounding rules.

Also see our online tool to find fees for serving or executing civil documents in the Magistrates Court.

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.

Task

Fee ($)

Originating process—filing a claim

The amount claimed is $2,500 or less

204.20

The amount claimed is more than $2,500 but less than $10,000

282.60

The amount claimed is $10,000 or more but less than $50,000

303.30

The amount claimed is $50,000 or more but less than $100,000

 

If the plaintiff, or each plaintiff, is an individual

388.90

Otherwise

610.70

The amount claimed is $100,000 or more

 

If the plaintiff, or each plaintiff, is an individual

460.60

Otherwise

762.20

Registering a judgment or order issued out of a court other than a State court or tribunal (including enforcement action taken on the judgment)

The amount claimed is less than $10,000

125.40

The amount claimed is $10,000 or more

135.00

Filing documents

Filing a document, other than a claim, to start a proceeding

129.70

Filing an employment claim mentioned in the Magistrates Courts Act 1921section 42B

71.95

Inspecting records in a proceeding

within 4 years after filing of claim—by a person other than a party to the proceeding

17.75

more than 4 years after filing of claim—by any person, including a party to the proceeding

30.65

Copy of records in a proceeding not subject to the Recording of Evidence Act 1962

 

First copy — each page

3.25 per page

Maximum fee for first copy

84.10

Additional copy — each page

0.70

Maximum fee for additional copy

33.55

Additional fee for certifying copy

32.75

Poundage

Poundage if an enforcement officer enforces an enforcement warrant or other process under or because of which money is received by the bailiff or the enforcement creditor—the greater amount of

 

(a)  5% on the first $200 and 2.5% on the balance; or

 

(b)  the minimum amount

79.95

Opening registry

Opening, or keeping open, the registry between 8a.m. and 8.30a.m. or between 4.30p.m. and 6p.m. on a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or court holiday

206.70

Assessment of costs

Making an appointment for directions or for assessment of a costs statement by an assessing registrar

59.05

Assessment by an assessing registrar of a costs statement, or part of a costs statement, under the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999rule 708—for each hour or part of an hour

131.00

Assessment by an assessing registrar of a costs statement other than under the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999rule 708—for each $100 or part of $100 allowed

16.40

For an order for the amount assessed

81.30

Fees payable for service and enforcement by enforcement officer etc.

 

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:

  • 2 or more warrants, processes or documents lodged at the same time   against the same person or ship are served or enforced at the same time; or
  • 2 or more persons or ships are served with the same warrant,   process or document, the same proceedings are enforced against them, or   proceedings are enforced at the same time and at the same address

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

 

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