Fee Exemptions and Reductions

You can apply for an exemption or reduction of the standard court fees.

To be eligible, you must show the Court that you either:

• meet the fee concession criteria, or
• are experiencing financial hardship.

Whether it is a fee reduction or exemption depends on the type of fee. Divorce and nullity application fees can be reduced, and you can get an exemption for other fees.

Fee concession criteria - Cardholders

You are eligible for a fee reduction or exemption if you are the primary cardholder of a:

• Health Care Card
• Pensioner Concession Card
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, or
• any other card issued by Centrelink or the Department of Veterans' Affairs that entitles you to Commonwealth health concessions.

How to apply

If you meet the above criteria, you will be asked to provide the relevant details when submitting your application on the eCourts Portal.

Fee concession criteria - Other

You are also eligible for a fee reduction or exemption if:

• you are receiving:
  • Legal Aid
  • Youth allowance
  • Austudy payments, or
  • Abstudy payments.

  How to apply

  If you meet the above 'other' fee concession criteria, you must:

  Complete the relevant exemption or reduction form.

  • Fee exemption (Form NP13)
  • Fee exemption (Form NP13)
  • Fee Reduction - Divorce and Nullity applications (Form NP7) - word document
  • Fee Reduction - Divorce and Nullity applications (Form NP7) - .pdf document

  Attach photocopies of documents to support your application where relevant (such as your Legal Aid letter) and submit an Application to Reduce Fee via the eCourts Portal.

  This application must be determined before the related fee-attracting document can be lodged.

  Financial Hardship

  To demonstrate financial hardship, you will need to apply with the form below by submitting an Application to Reduce Fee via the eCourts Portal.

  This application must be determined before the related fee-attracting document can be lodged. If the Court approves your application, you will receive a fee reduction or exemption.

  How to apply

  If you are making a divorce or nullity application, you need to apply for a fee reduction.

  Use these Guidelines to assist in completing the Fee Reduction form.

  • Fee Reduction - Divorce and Nullity applications - Financial Hardship (Form NP8) - word document
  • Fee Reduction - Divorce and Nullity applications - Financial Hardship (Form NP8) - .pdf document

  For other applications/fees, complete the fee exemption form.

  Use these Guidelines to assist in completing the Fee Reduction form.

  • Fee exemption - Financial Hardship (Form NP14) - word document
  • Fee exemption - Financial Hardship (Form NP14) - .pdf document

  Multiple applicants

  If there is more than one applicant, all applicants need to be eligible. For example, if you make a joint application for divorce, both applicants would need to prove they meet the criteria, or the full fee would apply.

  Deferring a fee

  A Registrar can defer the payment of a fee if the matter is urgent, and if it would be unreasonable to require immediate payment due to the party’s financial circumstances.

  To request a fee deferral, you will need to apply with the form below by submitting an Application to Reduce Fee via the eCourts Portal. This application must be determined before the related fee-attracting document can be lodged.

  More details are included on the application form below.

  • Request to defer court fees (.doc)
  • Request to defer court fees (.pdf)

  Requesting a fee refund

  If you have paid for a hearing day or a conciliation conference and it does not go ahead (for example, because your case was settled or discontinued) you may be able to have the fee refunded.

  Setting down fees cannot be refunded, and hearing fee refunds require you to have given the court sufficient notice the hearing would not go ahead. You will need to apply with the form below by submitting a Request for Refund via the eCourts Portal.

  More details are included on the application form below.

  • Request for refund of court fees (.doc)
  • Request for refund of court fees (.pdf)

  Last updated: 27-Jul-2022