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Compute the ad-valorem court fee for a civil suit in any Indian state. Updated for 2026 — Delhi, Maharashtra (Mumbai), Karnataka (Bangalore), Tamil Nadu (Chennai), Uttar Pradesh, and the central schedule.
Estimated Court Fee
₹5,000
On a suit value of ₹1,00,000 in Delhi.
Court Fees (Delhi Amendment) Act schedules. Maximum ad-valorem fee capped per Delhi notification.
Indicative only. Actual court fee is computed by the court's e-filing system or local Nazir as per the latest state Court Fees Act and notifications. Use this calculator for planning and not for final filing.
The Court Fees Act, 1870 is the parent legislation governing court fees on suits, applications, appeals, and other legal proceedings in India. Court fees are a State subject under Entry 3 of the State List, Seventh Schedule of the Constitution — every state has amended the central Act with its own Schedule I (ad-valorem on suit value) and Schedule II (fixed fees for declaratory and other reliefs).
For money suits — recovery, damages, partition with valuation — the fee is computed as a percentage of the suit value. Most states use a progressive slab structure where the rate decreases on higher values, and most states cap the maximum fee at between ₹1.5 lakh and ₹3 lakh, irrespective of how high the suit value goes. Once the cap is hit, the marginal cost of escalating the claim drops to zero.
For declaratory suits, mandatory and prohibitory injunctions, and certain matrimonial reliefs, the fee is fixed — typically ₹15 to ₹500 — irrespective of the value involved.
Delhi
5% opening rate, capped at ₹2 lakh.
Maharashtra (Mumbai)
6% opening, granular slabs, cap ₹3 lakh.
Karnataka (Bangalore)
7.5% opening — highest in India among major states.
Tamil Nadu (Chennai)
7.5% opening, cap ₹2 lakh.
Uttar Pradesh
7.5% opening with the unique U.P. amendment slab.
Other states
Default central schedule applies — 5% opening rate, cap ₹1.5 lakh.
Court fees in India are governed by the Court Fees Act, 1870, as amended by each state. For money suits the fee is ad-valorem (a percentage of the suit value) under Schedule I, Article 1. For declaratory suits, injunctions, and certain other reliefs a fixed fee under Schedule II applies. Most states cap the maximum ad-valorem fee — once the suit value crosses that threshold, the fee plateaus.
Court fees are a state subject under Entry 3 of the State List, Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. Each state has amended the central Court Fees Act, 1870 with its own Schedule and rate slabs. Delhi uses a 4-tier slab, Maharashtra a more granular slab structure with higher base rates, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu use 7.5% opening rates, and so on. The result: the same suit value attracts materially different fees in different states.
Yes. All major states accept e-Court Fee through SHCIL (shcilestamp.com) or through the state-specific e-stamping vendor. For e-filing on the eCourts portal the fee is typically integrated into the submission flow. Physical stamp papers are still accepted but rapidly being phased out in metropolitan courts.
Under Section 16 of the Court Fees Act and Section 89 CPC (read with Order XXIII Rule 3) court fee is partially refundable in cases settled through Alternative Dispute Resolution — Lok Adalat, mediation, conciliation — typically up to 75% of the fee paid. For pure unilateral withdrawal without settlement, no refund is allowed.
Indigent persons can apply under Order XXXIII CPC for permission to sue as a pauper, in which case court fee is deferred. If the suit succeeds the fee is recoverable from the awarded amount; if it fails the court may dispense with the fee. Government of India and Legal Aid Authorities also fund full fee waivers in qualifying matters.
No. The result is indicative and meant for budgeting / strategy planning. Final court fee is computed by the court's e-filing system or local Nazir as per the current state schedule, which may have been amended since this calculator was last updated. For actual filing, verify with your advocate or the court office.
Suit valuation determines court fee and pecuniary jurisdiction. Talk to a verified civil-litigation advocate on NyaySevak — free first consultation.