⚖️ Punjab Court Fee Calculator

Q: Are court fees the same across all courts in a state?

Generally yes — the state's Court Fees Act schedule applies uniformly across all civil courts within the state. However, High Court original jurisdiction suits may have separate fee schedules. Tribunals and consumer forums also have their own fee structures.

Q: Can court fees be waived?

Yes — indigent persons can file suits without court fees under Order XXXIII of the Code of Civil Procedure. The court examines the financial position of the plaintiff. If declared indigent, the fee is recoverable from the defendant if the suit succeeds. Some states also provide exemptions for women litigants, SC/ST parties, or government bodies.

Q: Are court fees refundable if the case is settled?

Generally no. Court fees are non-refundable once paid. However, some state Acts provide partial refund if a suit is settled by compromise before the first hearing. Check the specific provision in your state's Court Fees Act. Consumer forum fees may also be refundable in certain circumstances.

⚠️ Court Fees (Punjab Second Amendment) Act, 2009 is STAYED by P&H HC (RSA No. 3311/2013). Rates shown are based on the un-amended 1870 Act. Subject to change on final disposal of stay.

State Punjab ✓ Verified Mar 2026 ⇄ Change state

Calculate Court Fee — Punjab

All Property & Recovery Declaratory & Injunction Family & Estate High Court

💰 Suit for Money / Damages / Compensation Property & Recovery 🏠 Suit for Partition of Joint Family / Property Property & Recovery 🚫 Suit for Injunction Declaratory & Injunction 📝 Suit for Specific Performance of Contract Declaratory & Injunction 💍 Matrimonial Suit / Appeal (Divorce / Nullity) Family & Estate ⚰️ Probate of Will / Letters of Administration Family & Estate 📋 Succession Certificate Family & Estate ⚖️ Civil Writ Petition / HC Application High Court

Suit Value / Claim Amount (₹) * Enter the amount as specified by the applicable rule above

Court Fee Payable

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⚠️ Always verify before filing. Court fees change via Government Orders (G.O.s). Rates above are last verified Mar 2026. Cross-check with the court registry or the official state gazette before paying. Report incorrect rate →

Court Fees in Punjab: A Guide for Advocates

Punjab uses the Court Fees Act, 1870 (Central Act No. 7 of 1870) with Punjab-specific amendments (Punjab Acts 7/1922, 6/1926, 26/1949, 31/1953, 19/1957, 20/1960, 9/1979). The Court Fees (Punjab Second Amendment) Act, 2009 — which proposed significantly revised rates — has been STAYED by the Punjab & Haryana High Court (RSA No. 3311 of 2013, order dated 27.11.2013). The old un-amended 1870 Act rates therefore continue to apply until the stay is vacated or the appeal is finally decided.

How is court fee calculated?

Determine the basis of valuation under Section 7 of the Court Fees Act, 1870: S.7(i) for money suits (amount claimed); S.7(ii) for maintenance/annuity (10× annual amount); S.7(v) for possession (market value); S.7(xi) for partition (market value of plaintiff's share); S.7(iv)(e) for specific performance (consideration); S.7(x) for mortgage (principal).
Apply the Schedule I Article 1 rate table with "or part thereof" ceiling rounding. Note the Rs. 500 boundary discontinuity: fee at Rs. 500 = Rs. 50.00, but for Rs. 501+ the base resets to Rs. 75.00 (a relic of the original annas-to-decimal conversion).
Fees use paise values (Rs. 0.50, Rs. 12.20, Rs. 48.80). Display to 2 decimal places. When purchasing stamps, round up to the nearest available denomination.
There is NO maximum cap. Above Rs. 4,00,000, fee continues at Rs. 48.80 per Rs. 5,000 indefinitely.

Key points advocates must know

⚠️ DISCLAIMER: The Court Fees (Punjab Second Amendment) Act, 2009 is STAYED. Rates shown are under the un-amended 1870 Act and are subject to change upon final decision in RSA No. 3311/2013 at P&H HC.
Punjab has among the LOWEST court fees in India for high-value suits due to the un-amended 1870 Act rates. Rs. 10 lakh suit: ~Rs. 12,107. Rs. 1 crore suit: ~Rs. 99,835.
PAISE-BASED FEES: All rates use decimal paise (Rs. 0.50, Rs. 12.20, Rs. 48.80) — remnants of the original annas-to-decimal conversion. These are the actual legally required amounts.
Rs. 500 DISCONTINUITY: Fee jumps from Rs. 50.00 (at Rs. 500) to Rs. 76.50 (at Rs. 501). This is NOT a progressive increment — it is a hard reset in the 1870 Act rate table.
Maintenance / annuity suits: fee computed on 10× the annual amount claimed (S.7(ii) — standard 1870 Act). Punjab vs. Haryana: both share P&H HC but have DIFFERENT court fee rates — this calculator covers Punjab only.

Specific questions

Is the 2009 Punjab court fee amendment in effect? ▼

No. The Court Fees (Punjab Second Amendment) Act, 2009 has been stayed by the Punjab & Haryana High Court vide order dated 27.11.2013 in RSA No. 3311 of 2013. The un-amended 1870 Act rates continue to apply until the stay is vacated or the appeal is finally decided.

Why does the court fee jump at Rs. 500? ▼

The rate table has a hard discontinuity at Rs. 500 — a relic of the original 1870 Act annas-to-decimal conversion. The fee at exactly Rs. 500 is Rs. 50.00, but for Rs. 501 and above, the base resets to Rs. 75.00. This means a Rs. 501 suit pays Rs. 76.50 — significantly more than a Rs. 500 suit.

Do Haryana courts use the same rates? ▼

No. Punjab and Haryana share the Punjab & Haryana High Court but have different court fee rates. Haryana has its own amendments (Haryana Acts 11/1974, 22/1974 etc.) with higher rates. This calculator covers Punjab only. A separate Haryana calculator will apply Haryana-specific rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is court fee calculated in India? ▼

Court fees in India are calculated based on the nature and value of the suit. Money and property recovery suits attract ad valorem (percentage-based) fees on the suit value. Declaratory suits, matrimonial suits, and some other categories attract fixed fees. Each state has its own Court Fees Act with its own schedule — there is no single uniform national schedule.

What happens if I pay less court fee than required? ▼

The court will return the plaint for payment of deficit fees. You must pay the deficit and re-present the plaint. The date of re-presentation (not the original date) is treated as the date of institution — this can critically affect limitation if you are close to the deadline. Always calculate accurately and, when in doubt, pay slightly more (the court will not object).

Are court fees the same across all courts in a state? ▼

Generally yes — the state's Court Fees Act applies uniformly across all civil courts within the state. However, High Court original jurisdiction suits may have a separate fee schedule. Tribunals (NCLT, DRT, DRAT) and consumer forums have their own separate fee structures under their respective statutes.

Can court fees be waived for indigent litigants? ▼

Yes. Order XXXIII of the Code of Civil Procedure allows indigent persons to file suits without court fees. The court examines the plaintiff's financial position. If declared indigent, the fee is recoverable from the defendant if the suit succeeds. Some states also have exemptions for women litigants, SC/ST parties, government bodies, and legal aid cases.

Are court fees refundable? ▼

Generally no — court fees are non-refundable once paid. Some state Acts provide a partial refund if a suit is settled by compromise before the first hearing. Check the specific provision in your state's Court Fees Act. Consumer forum fees may also be partially refundable in certain circumstances — verify with the specific forum.

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