Court Fees Explained: What It Costs to Go to Court in England & Wales

In short: Court fees in England and Wales are payable to HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) at set points in civil proceedings — issuing a claim, making an application, listing a hearing, and enforcing a judgment — and are set by the Civil Proceedings Fees Order. If you cannot afford them you may apply for Help with Fees online (paper form EX160 is the alternative). eLitigant prepares the professional documents that trigger these fees, or checks the draft you’ve written.

Understanding Court Fees in England and Wales

Court fees are a reality of civil litigation. Every claim issued, every application filed, and every hearing listed comes with a fee payable to HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). Understanding what these court fees England Wales proceedings require — and when they are due — is essential for budgeting your case and avoiding costly surprises. This guide sets out the current fee structure for civil proceedings in the county court, explains what each fee covers, and shows you how to apply for Help with Fees if you cannot afford them.

How Court Fees Work

Court fees are set by statutory instrument and published in the Civil Proceedings Fees Order (currently the Civil Proceedings Fees (Amendment) Order 2025). They are payable at specific points during proceedings:

• When you issue a claim (the issue fee)
• When you make an application (the application fee)
• When your case is listed for a hearing (the hearing fee)
• When you apply for enforcement (enforcement fees)

Fees are generally non-refundable once proceedings are underway, although the issue fee and hearing fee may be recoverable as costs if you win your case.

Money Claim Issue Fees

The fee for issuing a money claim depends on the value of the claim. The fee is the same whether you issue online or on paper — EX50 sets one scale of issue fees and no longer distinguishes between the two routes. If you have read elsewhere that filing online is cheaper, that is out of date.

Money Claim Issue Fees (all routes)

Claim Value	Court Fee
Up to £300	£35
£300.01 to £500	£50
£500.01 to £1,000	£70
£1,000.01 to £1,500	£80
£1,500.01 to £3,000	£115
£3,000.01 to £5,000	£205
£5,000.01 to £10,000	£455
More than £10,000 but no more than £200,000	5% of the value of the claim
More than £200,000	£10,000

Source: Civil court fees (EX50), HM Courts & Tribunals Service. Checked against the official GOV.UK source on 29 July 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Note: There is no upper limit on the value of a specified money claim you can issue through OCMC — Practice Direction 51R paragraph 2.1(3) requires only that the claim is for “a specified amount of money only”. (The older Money Claim Online service does cap claims at £99,999.99, but that is MCOL, not OCMC.) Claims that are unspecified, or that seek non-monetary remedies such as an injunction, fall outside OCMC and must be issued on Form N1 — and where the claim is for money only under Part 7, Practice Direction 7A paragraph 5.1(1) requires that form to be sent to the Civil National Business Centre in Northampton.

Application Fees

Applications made during proceedings (using Form N244 or other application notices) attract separate fees.

Application Type	Court Fee
Application on notice (with a hearing)	£321
Application without notice	£126
Application by consent	£126
Application for a default judgment (Form N225)	£0 (no fee for standard request)
Application to set aside default judgment	£321 (with hearing)

The distinction between “with hearing” and “without hearing” is significant. A consent order — where both parties agree to the terms — costs £126. The same application contested and requiring a hearing on notice costs £321. Where possible, agreeing terms with the other party before applying to the court saves both time and money.

Hearing Fees

When your case proceeds to a final hearing or trial, a hearing fee becomes payable. This fee is triggered when the court lists the case and sends a hearing notice. The amount depends on the track and claim value.

Track / Claim Value	Hearing Fee
Small claims (up to £300)	£27
Small claims (£300.01 to £500)	£59
Small claims (£500.01 to £1,000)	£85
Small claims (£1,000.01 to £1,500)	£123
Small claims (£1,500.01 to £3,000)	£181
Small claims (£3,000.01 to £10,000)	£346
Fast track	£619
Multi-track (up to £50,000)	£1,334
Multi-track (£50,000.01 to £100,000)	£1,334
Multi-track (over £100,000)	£1,334

Important: The hearing fee must be paid by the deadline stated in the court’s notice. If the fee is not paid on time, the claim may be struck out without further order (CPR 3.7AA).

Enforcement Fees

Winning a judgment is only part of the process. If the losing party does not pay voluntarily, enforcement proceedings attract additional fees.

Enforcement Method	Court Fee
Warrant of control (Form N323)	£96
Third party debt order (Form N349)	£139
Attachment of earnings (Form N337)	£139
Charging order (Form N379)	£139
Order to obtain information (Form N316)	£69

Enforcement fees are generally added to the judgment debt, meaning the losing party ultimately pays them. However, the claimant must fund the fee upfront.

Total Cost: A Worked Example

To illustrate how court fees England Wales proceedings accumulate, consider a straightforward money claim for £5,000:

Stage	Fee
Issue fee (OCMC)	£205
Hearing fee (small claims)	£346
Total if case goes to trial	£551

If the defendant does not pay after judgment:

Additional Enforcement	Fee
Warrant of control	£96
Order to obtain information	£69
Total with enforcement	£716

These fees are recoverable if you succeed, but they must be paid in advance. Planning for these costs at the outset of your case is essential.

Help with Fees (apply online)

If you cannot afford court fees, you may be eligible for fee remission through the Help with Fees scheme. This is administered by HMCTS and can reduce or eliminate court fees entirely.

Who Qualifies?

You may qualify for Help with Fees if:

• You receive a qualifying benefit — Universal Credit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit), or Scottish Civil Legal Aid
• Your income is below certain thresholds — even if you do not receive benefits, you may qualify based on gross monthly income
• Your savings are below the threshold — as of August 2026, £4,250 for those aged under 66 (or £16,000 for those aged 66 or over)

How to Apply

1. Apply online — at the Help with Fees service, or on paper form EX160 from the HMCTS forms page
2. Provide evidence — payslips, benefit statements, bank statements as required
3. Submit with your court form — enter your Help with Fees reference on the court form that triggers the fee (claim form, N244, etc.), or attach the paper EX160
4. Await the decision — HMCTS will process the application and notify you of full remission, partial remission, or refusal

For a detailed walkthrough, see our Help with Fees guide.

Online Applications

You can also apply online at gov.uk/get-help-with-court-fees. The online system generates a reference number (HWF-XXX-XXX) which you enter on your court form in place of payment. This is often faster than submitting a paper EX160.

Costs Recovery: Getting Your Fees Back

Whether you can recover court fees from the losing party depends on the track your case is allocated to.

Track	Costs Recovery
Small claims	Court fees recoverable. Legal costs generally NOT recoverable (except in limited circumstances)
Fast track	Court fees + fixed trial costs + reasonable legal costs recoverable
Multi-track	Court fees + assessed legal costs recoverable (subject to detailed assessment)

On the small claims track, the most you can typically recover is the court fees you have paid, plus limited witness expenses and loss of earnings. This is by design — the small claims track is intended to be accessible without legal representation, and the restricted costs regime protects parties from exposure to large legal bills.

VAT on Court Fees

Court fees are exempt from VAT. The amounts shown in the fee tables are the full amounts payable.

Planning Your Litigation Budget

Before issuing proceedings, calculate the total potential court fees England Wales rules may require at each stage:

• Issue fee — payable immediately
• Application fees — budget for at least one interim application
• Hearing fee — payable before trial
• Enforcement fees — budget in case the defendant does not pay voluntarily

Add these together to understand the financial commitment required. If the total fees approach or exceed the value of your claim, consider whether alternative dispute resolution — such as mediation — might achieve a better outcome at lower cost. A well-prepared witness statement, clear evidence, and organised court documents all increase the likelihood of resolving your case efficiently. For guidance on preparing your witness statement, see the previous article in this series.

Frequently asked questions

When are court fees payable?

Court fees are payable at specific points in proceedings: when you issue a claim (the issue fee), when you make an application (the application fee), when your case is listed for a hearing (the hearing fee), and when you apply to enforce a judgment (enforcement fees). Always check the current HMCTS figure for your situation.

Are court fees refundable, and can I get them back?

Fees are generally non-refundable once proceedings are underway, but the issue fee and hearing fee may be recoverable as costs if you win. On the small claims track you can typically recover the court fees you paid plus limited witness expenses and loss of earnings; on the fast track and multi-track wider costs may be recoverable.

What happens if I don’t pay the hearing fee on time?

The hearing fee must be paid by the deadline stated in the court’s notice. If it is not paid on time, the claim may be struck out without further order. Check the deadline on your own notice carefully.

Why does an application “with a hearing” cost more than one “by consent”?

The cost depends on how the application is dealt with. An application requiring a hearing attracts a higher fee than the same application made on paper or agreed by consent. Where you can agree terms with the other party before applying to the court, a consent order saves both time and money.

What is Help with Fees and how do I apply?

Help with Fees is a remission scheme administered by HMCTS that can reduce or eliminate court fees if you receive a qualifying benefit, your income is below the relevant threshold, or your savings are below the limit. You apply online — the system generates a reference number you enter on your court form in place of payment — or on paper form EX160 with supporting evidence. Check the current eligibility figures before applying.

Is VAT charged on court fees?

No. Court fees are exempt from VAT, so the amount shown for a given fee is the full amount payable. Related guides: Help with Fees (apply online) guide · Form N244 application notice guide · How to start a money claim · All civil court forms