How much are court fees for a civil lawsuit? The answer is not a fixed figure — fees are calculated on sliding brackets of the disputed value: the higher the value, the higher the fee per bracket. Understanding the calculation helps litigants budget costs and prepare the fee advance in full.
This article guides the calculation of first-instance civil court fees for valued claims under Resolution 326/2016/UBTVQH14 of the National Assembly Standing Committee — the sole instrument governing court fees and charges today.
1. The applicable instrument: Resolution 326/2016/UBTVQH14
A clarification upfront: court fees are governed by Resolution 326/2016/UBTVQH14 of the National Assembly Standing Committee (issued 30/12/2016, effective 01/01/2017, still in force) — not a “Decree 326” of the Government as many documents mistakenly cite. All rates and exemptions are found in the Schedule of Court Fees and Charges attached to this Resolution.
2. First-instance fee brackets for valued civil claims
For valued civil, marriage-family disputes (Section A of the Schedule to Resolution 326), first-instance fees follow 6 brackets:
- Disputed value of VND 6,000,000 or less: VND 300,000;
- Over VND 6,000,000 to VND 400,000,000: 5% of the disputed asset value;
- Over VND 400,000,000 to VND 800,000,000: VND 20,000,000 + 4% of the portion exceeding VND 400,000,000;
- Over VND 800,000,000 to VND 2,000,000,000: VND 36,000,000 + 3% of the portion exceeding VND 800,000,000;
- Over VND 2,000,000,000 to VND 4,000,000,000: VND 72,000,000 + 2% of the portion exceeding VND 2,000,000,000;
- Over VND 4,000,000,000: VND 112,000,000 + 0.1% of the portion exceeding VND 4,000,000,000.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 — VND 1.5 billion dispute: falls in the “over 800 million to 2 billion” bracket → 36,000,000 + 3% × (1,500,000,000 − 800,000,000) = 36,000,000 + 21,000,000 = VND 57,000,000.
Example 2 — VND 300 million dispute: falls in the “over 6 million to 400 million” bracket → 5% × 300,000,000 = VND 15,000,000.
Example 3 — VND 5 billion dispute: falls in the “over 4 billion” bracket → 112,000,000 + 0.1% × (5,000,000,000 − 4,000,000,000) = 112,000,000 + 1,000,000 = VND 113,000,000.
4. Related fee levels to know
- Unvalued claims: unvalued civil, marriage-family and labor disputes → VND 300,000;
- Appellate fees: a fixed VND 300,000 — not value-based;
- First-instance fee advance: one-half of the bracket fee (Article 7), payable within 7 working days of the court’s notice;
- Appellate fee advance: payable within 10 days of notification (Article 17);
- Who bears the fee: the loser-pays principle; the court decides specifically in the judgment. The law provides fee exemptions and reductions for certain groups (revolutionary contributors, poor households, the elderly, children, etc.).
5. Common calculation mistakes
- Citing the wrong instrument: “Decree 326/2016/ND-CP” does not exist — the correct citation is Resolution 326/2016/UBTVQH14;
- Mixing civil and labor brackets: valued labor disputes use a separate schedule (3% / 12 million + 2% / 44 million + 0.1%) — not the civil 5% brackets;
- Computing appellate fees by disputed value: appellate fees are a fixed VND 300,000;
- Forgetting the advance: only half the fee is advanced, but it must be paid within 7 working days — unjustified delay leads to the petition being returned.
6. Frequently asked questions
Q: Who determines the disputed value?
A: The litigant declares it in the petition; where disputed, the court organizes valuation/appraisal as prescribed.
Q: If exempt from fees, must I still pay the advance?
A: No. Persons exempt under the regulations need not pay the fee advance.
Q: How much to file an appeal?
A: A VND 300,000 appellate fee advance, payable within 10 days of the first-instance court’s notice.
Need a cost estimate for filing your specific case? Contact us for advice.
This article was prepared by the FLAW AI Legal Council. Content is pending QA Council review before submission for approval; information is for reference only and does not replace legal advice for your specific case.