Every person filing a lawsuit in Nepal must pay a court fee — the mandatory charge for initiating legal proceedings. Governed by Sections 63–81 of the Muluki Civil Procedure Code, 2074 (2017), court fees are calculated on a slab rate system based on the claim amount, with flat fees for specific case types like divorce and eviction. This guide covers the complete court fee structure, slab rates with calculation examples, flat fee cases, appeal and review fees, exemptions, fee waivers for financially weak litigants, compromise refund rules, and practical tips for managing litigation costs.
| Section | Topic |
|---|---|
| Section 63 | Definition of court fee — charged on plaints, appeals, counterclaims, review/revision |
| Section 64 | Exemptions — government cases, local level jurisdiction, public property cases |
| Section 65 | Fee waiver/deferment for financially weak litigants |
| Section 66 | Plaintiff must specify claim value in monetary terms |
| Section 67–68 | Basis for fixing claim value (cash, deed, land, market value) |
| Section 69 | Slab rate schedule for court fee calculation |
| Section 70 | Flat fee (NPR 500) cases — divorce, eviction, injunction, etc. |
| Section 73 | Appeal fee — original fee + 15% |
| Section 74 | Review/revision fee — original fee + 10% (charged only after order) |
| Section 81 | Fee forfeiture if plaintiff/appellant loses |
| Claim Amount (NPR) | Rate | Applied To |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 25,000 | Flat NPR 500 | Minimum court fee for any valued claim |
| 25,001 – 50,000 | 5% | On the amount exceeding 25,000 |
| 50,001 – 1,00,000 | 3.5% | On the amount exceeding 50,000 |
| 1,00,001 – 5,00,000 | 2% | On the amount exceeding 1,00,000 |
| 5,00,001 – 25,00,000 | 1.5% | On the amount exceeding 5,00,000 |
| Above 25,00,000 | 1% | On the amount exceeding 25,00,000 |
The rates are cumulative — each slab applies only to the portion of the claim within that range, not the entire amount.
| Claim Amount | Breakdown | Total Court Fee |
|---|---|---|
| NPR 20,000 | Flat NPR 500 | NPR 500 |
| NPR 50,000 | 500 + (25,000 × 5% = 1,250) | NPR 1,750 |
| NPR 1,00,000 | 500 + 1,250 + (50,000 × 3.5% = 1,750) | NPR 3,500 |
| NPR 5,00,000 | 500 + 1,250 + 1,750 + (4,00,000 × 2% = 8,000) | NPR 11,500 |
| NPR 10,00,000 | 500 + 1,250 + 1,750 + 8,000 + (5,00,000 × 1.5% = 7,500) | NPR 19,000 |
| NPR 25,00,000 | 500 + 1,250 + 1,750 + 8,000 + (20,00,000 × 1.5% = 30,000) | NPR 41,500 |
| NPR 50,00,000 | 41,500 + (25,00,000 × 1% = 25,000) | NPR 66,500 |
Section 70 prescribes a flat NPR 500 court fee for cases that are not valued by monetary amount, including: land registration or transmission disputes, deed invalidation claims, tenant eviction cases, water rights and dam/canal disputes, injunction and mandatory orders, window/door/exit construction disputes, competency determination petitions, divorce cases, and invoice/receipt claims.
| Type of Claim | Value Basis | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Cash claim (money owed) | Amount claimed | 68 |
| Property with deed (mortgage, loan) | Amount stated in the deed | 68 |
| Land disputes | Land revenue office registration value | 67 |
| Taxable property | Value fixed for tax purposes | 67 |
| Other property | Market value (as of day before filing) | 68 |
| No market value available | Plaintiff's declared amount | 68 |
| Filing Type | Fee | When Charged | Section |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appeal | Original plaint fee + 15% | At time of appeal filing | 73 |
| Review/Revision petition | Original plaint fee + 10% | Only after court orders review | 74 |
| Counterclaim | Same slab rates as plaint | At time of filing | 63 |
Appeal fees apply only to the portion of the judgment being challenged. Review fees are charged only to the extent of the unsatisfied portion.
Court fee is completely exempted when: the Government of Nepal or a Provincial Government is the plaintiff (most criminal cases where the state prosecutes), the case is within Local Level jurisdiction, the case involves public or government property, or a government-specified body is proceeding with the case. This means most criminal cases are free of court fee since the state is the plaintiff.
Under Section 65, persons who cannot afford the court fee can petition for a waiver or deferment. The petition must state the person's financial inability and may include a recommendation from the Local Level confirming the person has no property except the disputed property. If the judge finds the petition reasonable, the case proceeds and the fee is collected later (in full or part). The court maintains records of deferred amounts. This provision ensures that financial status does not prevent access to justice.
| Outcome | Court Fee Consequence | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Plaintiff/appellant loses | Court fee is forfeited — no refund | 81 |
| Compromise before evidence | Only 25% charged, remaining 75% returned | — |
| Case withdrawn | As per court order — partial or no refund | — |
| Plaintiff/appellant wins | Court fee may be recovered from losing party as costs | — |
Before filing a case, consider these cost factors: accurately calculate the claim amount (over-claiming means higher fees), explore whether your case qualifies for the NPR 500 flat fee, consider compromise to recover 75% of the fee if settlement is possible, if filing an appeal, factor in the additional 15% cost, financially weak clients should apply for fee waiver before filing, and consult a litigation lawyer to assess whether the potential recovery justifies the court fee investment.
Nepal Divorce Services is Nepal's first specialized divorce and family law firm. We handle all court fee calculations, filing requirements, fee waiver petitions, and litigation management. Whether it's a divorce (flat NPR 500 fee), property dispute, or filing a civil case, we ensure accurate fee calculation and proper filing.
For legal assistance, contact us at +977 9841114443 or on WhatsApp.
| Topic | Guide |
|---|---|
| How to file a case | How to File a Case in Nepal |
| Litigation | Litigation in Nepal |
| Divorce process | Divorce Process in Nepal |
| Types of courts | Types of Court in Nepal |
| Dispute resolution | Dispute Resolution in Nepal |
| Property law | Property Law in Nepal |
A court fee is the fee charged when filing a plaint, memorandum of appeal, counterclaim, or petition for review/revision of a case in Nepal's courts. Defined in Section 63(2) of the Muluki Civil Procedure Code, 2074 (2017), it must be paid at the time of filing. Without payment, the filing will be dismissed (Section 64(2)). Court fee is based on the value or claimed amount of the dispute.
Court fee is calculated on a slab rate system based on the claim amount (Section 69 of the Civil Procedure Code):
The rates are cumulative — each slab applies only to the portion of the claim within that range.
Under Section 70, a flat fee of NPR 500 applies to cases involving:
Divorce cases in Nepal are charged a flat court fee of NPR 500 under Section 70 of the Civil Procedure Code. This applies to both mutual consent divorce and contested divorce filings. The flat fee makes divorce proceedings accessible regardless of the financial status of the parties involved.
Under Section 73, when filing an appeal, the court fee is the original plaint court fee plus an additional 15%. For example, if the original court fee was NPR 10,000, the appeal fee would be NPR 11,500 (NPR 10,000 + 15% = NPR 1,500). The appeal fee applies to the portion of the judgment being challenged — not necessarily the full original claim amount.
Under Section 74, the court fee for a petition for review or revision is the original plaint fee plus an additional 10%. However, the fee is charged only after the court orders the review or revision — not at the time of filing the petition. The fee applies only to the extent of the unsatisfied portion of the judgment being challenged.
Court fee is not charged in the following cases (Section 64):
Yes. Section 65 provides a fee waiver or deferment for financially weak individuals. The litigant must petition the court stating inability to pay. The petition can be supported by a recommendation from the concerned Local Level confirming the person has no property except the property subject to the case. If the judge finds it reasonable, the case proceeds with court fee collected later (in whole or part). The court maintains records of how much has been collected and how much remains.
Under Section 66–68 of the Civil Procedure Code, the claim value is fixed based on:
Under Section 81, the court fee is forfeited if the plaintiff or appellant loses the case — it is not refunded. This is an important consideration when deciding whether to file a case or appeal, as the court fee becomes a non-recoverable cost of unsuccessful litigation.
If the parties execute a deed of compromise before the examination of evidence, the court collects only 25% of the court fee and returns the remaining 75% to the parties. This provision encourages early settlement and reduces the financial burden of prolonged litigation.
A counterclaim — a claim filed by the defendant against the plaintiff within the same case — also requires payment of court fee. The fee is calculated at the same slab rates as the original plaint, based on the counterclaim amount. The counterclaim fee must be paid at the time of filing.
Example calculation for a NPR 10,00,000 (10 lakh) claim:
Total court fee: NPR 19,000
Court fee rules under the Civil Procedure Code primarily apply to civil cases. In criminal cases, the Government of Nepal is typically the plaintiff, so court fee is exempted. However, if a victim files a private complaint or civil claim within a criminal proceeding, court fee may apply to the civil component. Filing procedures vary by case type.
A lawyer can assist with: calculating the correct court fee for your claim, filing fee waiver petitions for financially weak clients, advising on whether to pursue appeals (considering additional 15% fee), negotiating compromises to recover 75% of the fee, determining claim valuation for court fee purposes, and handling all litigation filing requirements. Contact Nepal Divorce Services at +977 9841114443.
At Nepal Divorce Services, Nepal's first specialized divorce law firm, we understand that taking the first step toward divorce can feel overwhelming. Our experienced divorce lawyers are here to guide you through the legal process and help you move forward with confidence and clarity.
Whether you're inside or outside Nepal and need assistance with filing a divorce case, our services are accessible worldwide. Contact us at +977 9841114443, on WhatsApp, or Viber.
