Updated civil court fees took effect on 13 July 2026, with HM Courts & Tribunals Service publishing a revised EX50 schedule.
The changes affect a wide range of civil, family, tribunal, probate and Court of Protection proceedings. For costs practitioners and litigation teams, the most immediately relevant increases concern:
- Part 8 costs-only proceedings;
- general applications;
- Default Costs Certificates;
- detailed assessment;
- appeals against detailed-assessment decisions;
- and Fixed Costs Determinations.
Firms should update internal precedents, client-account requests and court-fee schedules immediately.
Key points
- Updated fees apply from 13 July 2026.
- A Part 8 costs-only claim now attracts a £69 issue fee.
- An application on notice now costs £321.
- An application by consent or without notice now costs £126.
- A Default Costs Certificate now costs £82.
- An application to set aside a Default Costs Certificate costs £152.
- An appeal in detailed-assessment proceedings costs £290.
- A Fixed Costs Determination request costs £408.
- Detailed-assessment fees continue to depend on the amount of costs claimed.
- The latest EX50 should always be checked before payment.
Why the correct fee matters
Paying an incorrect court fee may result in:
- the application being rejected;
- issue being delayed;
- a deadline being placed at risk;
- additional correspondence with the court;
- further administrative time;
- and avoidable client dissatisfaction.
This is particularly important where firms rely on saved application forms, template letters, precedent schedules, old attendance notes or internal fee tables. A form may be technically correct while the payment request attached to it is out of date.
Part 8 costs-only proceedings
The current fee for starting costs-only proceedings is £69.
Costs-only proceedings may be issued where the substantive dispute has concluded without proceedings but the parties have not agreed the costs. They are commonly used where:
- damages and works have been resolved;
- the paying party has agreed to pay reasonable costs;
- but the amount of those costs cannot be agreed.
The issue fee should be checked against the current EX50 before the claim is lodged.
General applications
Application on notice
The current fee for an application on notice where no other fee is specified is £321. This may apply where the opposing party has been notified of the application, whether or not the court ultimately directs an oral hearing.
Application by consent or without notice
The current fee for an application by consent or without notice is £126. If an application submitted without notice is later ordered to proceed on notice, the court may require the balance of the higher fee.
Practitioners should therefore identify correctly whether the application is on notice, without notice, or made by consent. The wording used by the parties does not necessarily determine the applicable category. The procedural substance of the application matters.
Default Costs Certificates
The current fee for requesting a Default Costs Certificate is £82.
A receiving party may request a Default Costs Certificate where the paying party has failed to serve Points of Dispute within the relevant period and the procedural requirements have been met. Before applying, check:
- proper service of the Notice of Commencement;
- the deadline for Points of Dispute;
- any agreed extension;
- any court order affecting time;
- and whether the paying party has already served a response.
The current fee for an application to set aside a Default Costs Certificate is £152. The application fee should be included accurately in any client funding or payment request. The decision in Duffy v Birmingham City Council illustrates why deadline management matters where a paying party fails to engage.
Detailed-assessment proceedings
The fee for requesting detailed assessment depends on the amount of costs claimed. The current HMCTS fee bands are:
| Amount of costs claimed | Current fee |
|---|---|
| Up to £15,000 | £398 |
| £15,000.01 to £50,000 | £801 |
| £50,000.01 to £100,000 | £1,192 |
| £100,000.01 to £150,000 | £1,595 |
| £150,000.01 to £200,000 | £1,992 |
| £200,000.01 to £300,000 | £2,988 |
| £300,000.01 to £500,000 | £4,980 |
| More than £500,000 | £6,640 |
Firms should exercise particular care where the sum claimed sits close to a fee-band boundary. The relevant figure is the amount of costs claimed for the purpose of the request, applying the applicable rules and guidance. Do not rely on an informal social-media summary where it conflicts with the current HMCTS schedule.
Appeal against a detailed-assessment decision
The fee for an appeal against a decision made in detailed-assessment proceedings is £290. This is distinct from the ordinary civil appeal fees applying to other County Court or High Court appeals.
Before lodging an appeal, practitioners should also consider the appeal route, permission requirements, applicable time limits, the order or decision being challenged, the transcript or reasons, and whether a stay is required.
Fixed Costs Determination
The current fee for requesting a Fixed Costs Determination is £408. The request must be accompanied by the required form and documentation. The fee should not be confused with the detailed-assessment fee bands applicable to standard costs claims.
Other costs-assessment fees
The current fee for applying for costs-assessment proceedings under the Solicitors Act 1974 is £69.
The current fee for a detailed-assessment request where the filing party is legally aided or funded by the Legal Aid Agency is £296.
Practitioners should identify the correct procedural basis before selecting the fee.
Are court fees subject to VAT?
Court fees are generally treated as statutory fees rather than a supply by the solicitor. They are normally recorded as disbursements without VAT being added to the fee itself. However, the treatment within a bill, invoice or client account should be checked against:
- the nature of the payment;
- the identity of the person liable;
- the solicitor’s VAT treatment;
- and the relevant costs-drafting practice.
The court fee should be distinguished from professional time spent preparing and lodging the application.
Can the court fee be recovered from the paying party?
Where proceedings or an application are successful, the court fee may form part of the costs sought from the opposing party, subject to the order made, the applicable costs regime, reasonableness, proportionality and any fixed-cost provisions. Payment of the fee does not guarantee that it will be recoverable.
The bill or statement should identify the fee, the date paid, the proceeding or application to which it relates, and the relevant receipt or court record.
What firms should update now
Court-fee schedules. Replace old fee tables in internal manuals, costs checklists, client-care documents, disbursement schedules and finance-team guidance.
Application precedents. Review saved versions of N244 covering letters, Part 8 issue letters, Default Costs Certificate applications, detailed-assessment requests and appeal bundles.
Client-account requests. Ensure fee requests sent to clients or accounts departments use the correct figure.
Case-management workflows. Update automated tasks, document templates and workflow prompts containing the previous fees.
Website and blog content. Any public article quoting court fees should show an accurate review date, a warning that fees may change, and a link to the current official schedule.
Bills of Costs. Where the new fee has been incurred, ensure the correct amount is claimed and supported.
Common mistakes
- Using an old EX50 download. Staff may retain a previously downloaded PDF or printed schedule. Always confirm the update date before relying upon it.
- Copying the fee from an earlier file. A previous matter may have been issued before 13 July 2026, and the historical fee on that file may no longer be correct.
- Selecting the wrong application category. An on-notice application and a consent or without-notice application attract different fees.
- Using the wrong detailed-assessment band. The fee changes according to the total costs claimed.
- Omitting the fee from the costs claim. Where recoverable, the court fee should be recorded and presented clearly.
How DMD Costs can help
DMD Costs assists claimant solicitor firms with:
- Part 8 costs-only proceedings;
- Bills of Costs;
- Precedent S e-bills;
- Notices of Commencement;
- Default Costs Certificates;
- Points of Dispute and Replies;
- negotiation to settlement;
- and detailed-assessment preparation.
We ensure that the applicable costs procedure, documentation and court fees are checked before papers are finalised. Send us your costs file and we will review the position.
Note: court fees can change. The current HMCTS Civil Court Fees (EX50) schedule should be checked before every issue or application.