Are you concerned about the court fees you may incur when pursuing legal action?
The Saudi Judicial Costs Law explains when judicial costs apply, who is responsible for paying them, which cases are exempt, and how these costs are calculated under the Law and its Implementing Regulations.
In this article, we explain the key provisions of the Saudi Judicial Costs Law and the important details you should understand before filing a lawsuit.
The Saudi Judicial Costs Law was issued under Royal Decree No. M/16 dated 30/1/1443 AH.
It establishes the legal framework governing the imposition of judicial costs on certain lawsuits and applications filed before Saudi courts, including the methods used to calculate these costs, the categories exempt from payment, and the parties legally responsible for them.
Judicial costs are the amounts payable to the competent administrative authority in accordance with the Law and its Implementing Regulations.
These costs do not include separate expenses that may be required during proceedings, such as certain evidentiary or expert-related expenses.
The Law also seeks to preserve access to justice. As a general rule, payment of judicial costs is not required when filing a lawsuit or while it is being heard, and such costs are assessed and collected in accordance with the applicable statutory procedures.
Specific exceptions apply to certain judicial applications, including petitions for cassation and reconsideration.
The Saudi Judicial Costs Law aims to improve the efficiency of the judicial system by regulating the costs imposed on certain lawsuits and judicial applications.
It seeks to discourage malicious, fictitious, and unmeritorious claims while preserving individuals’ right to access the courts without generally requiring payment of judicial costs at the time of filing.
The Law also encourages parties to resolve disputes amicably and helps direct judicial resources toward genuine legal disputes.
These objectives support more efficient case management, improved judicial services, and the timely administration of justice.
Under the Saudi Judicial Costs Law, the party against whom judgment is entered generally bears the judicial costs associated with the lawsuit and the related applications.
If the claimant succeeds in only part of the claim, the claimant is responsible for the proportion of judicial costs corresponding to the unsuccessful part.
Where proceedings conclude through an amicable settlement, the parties generally share judicial costs equally unless they agree to a different allocation, subject to applicable statutory provisions.
The Law also provides exemptions for certain categories of litigants and proceedings.
Where an exempt claimant obtains a judgment in their favor, the opposing party against whom judgment is entered may be required to bear the applicable judicial costs.
As a general rule, judicial costs are assessed and collected after the lawsuit has concluded or the relevant application has been determined, subject to the exceptions prescribed by law.
Calculation of Judicial Costs for Claims with a Specified Monetary Value
The Saudi Judicial Costs Law excludes certain lawsuits and judicial applications from its scope to reflect the nature of those proceedings and safeguard access to justice.
The main exempt categories include:
Yes. Workers covered by the Saudi Labor Law, workers excluded from its scope, and persons legally entitled through them are exempt from judicial costs when claiming employment entitlements arising from employment contracts, subject to the applicable statutory conditions.
This exemption is intended to ensure that judicial costs do not prevent workers from pursuing their legal employment rights.
However, where a judgment is issued in favor of an exempt worker, the opposing party against whom judgment is entered may be required to pay the applicable judicial costs.
Other procedural applications and circumstances remain subject to the relevant provisions of the Law and its Implementing Regulations.
Judicial costs are calculated according to the type of lawsuit, the monetary value of the claim, and the applicable provisions of the Saudi Judicial Costs Law and its Implementing Regulations.
The following table summarizes the principal rates and fixed amounts.
| Type of Lawsuit | Judicial Costs |
|---|---|
| Claims with a specified value below SAR 100,000 | 5% of the claim value |
| Claims valued at SAR 100,000 or more but below SAR 500,000 | 4% of the claim value |
| Claims valued at SAR 500,000 or more but below SAR 1,000,000 | 3% of the claim value |
| Claims valued at SAR 1,000,000 or more | 2% of the claim value |
| Commercial cases without a specified monetary value | SAR 5,000 |
| General Court cases without a specified monetary value | SAR 3,000 |
| Urgent proceedings | SAR 3,000 |
| Enforcement disputes | SAR 3,000 |
| Labor cases without a specified monetary value | SAR 2,000 |
| Private criminal cases | SAR 10,000 |
Important Note: The applicable statutory exemptions and limits must be considered when calculating judicial costs. For example, qualifying workers pursuing employment entitlements may be exempt even though the regulations prescribe a general amount for certain labor cases.
Where a lawsuit includes both a claim with a specified monetary value and another claim without a specified monetary value, the costs of each claim are calculated separately in accordance with the Law and its Implementing Regulations.
The Saudi Judicial Costs Law establishes a maximum judicial cost of SAR 1,000,000 per lawsuit.
This ceiling applies even where the percentage calculated on the monetary value of the claim would otherwise exceed that amount.
The limit is intended to balance the objective of discouraging unmeritorious litigation with the need to avoid imposing excessive financial burdens on litigants.
The Law also establishes a maximum amount of SAR 10,000 for certain judicial applications, with the actual amounts determined under the Implementing Regulations.
Applications such as appeals, petitions for cassation, and petitions for reconsideration are subject to specific prescribed amounts.
Yes. The Saudi Judicial Costs Law imposes separate costs on certain appeal-related applications, in addition to the costs associated with the original lawsuit.
Under the Implementing Regulations, the prescribed amounts include:
The rules governing assessment and payment vary according to the type of application.
In particular, petitions for cassation and reconsideration are subject to specific advance-payment requirements and statutory deadlines.
A party liable for judicial costs may also challenge their assessment in accordance with the applicable procedures.
If an appeal results in the original judgment being overturned in full, the appellant is exempt from the costs of the appeal. If the judgment is overturned in part, the exemption applies proportionately to the successful part of the appeal.
Where the claimant succeeds and a judgment is issued in their favor, the general rule under the Saudi Judicial Costs Law is that the losing party bears the judicial costs associated with the lawsuit and its related applications.
If the claimant succeeds in only part of the claim, the claimant bears the proportion of judicial costs corresponding to the unsuccessful portion.
Where the lawsuit ends in an amicable settlement, the parties generally share the judicial costs equally unless they agree otherwise, subject to any applicable exemptions or reductions.
The Law also provides that where an exempt claimant obtains a judgment in their favor, the opposing party may become responsible for the judicial costs that apply under the relevant provisions.
Judicial Application Fees in Saudi Arabia
Generally, no. Payment of judicial costs is not required when filing a lawsuit or while it is being heard.
Judicial costs are ordinarily assessed and collected after the lawsuit concludes or the relevant application is determined.
However, petitions for cassation and reconsideration are subject to special statutory payment requirements.
Yes. A person liable for judicial costs may object to the assessment within 15 days of being notified, in accordance with the applicable procedures and conditions.
Judicial costs may be refunded or waived in certain settlement situations, including cases that are settled before the first hearing is opened, in accordance with the applicable statutory requirements.
If settlement takes place at a later stage, the parties generally share the costs equally unless they agree otherwise.
Where settlement occurs before judgment but after the first hearing, the Law also provides for a reduction of judicial costs to one-quarter of the applicable amount, subject to its conditions.
Yes. Judicial costs vary depending on the type of lawsuit, whether the claim has a specified monetary value, and the applicable statutory provisions.
Different rates or fixed amounts apply to certain commercial, general, labor, and other proceedings, as established by the Implementing Regulations.
Statutory exemptions must also be considered.
Yes. Beneficiaries of Saudi social security assistance are among the categories exempt from judicial costs under the applicable statutory provisions.
The exemption is subject to the relevant eligibility and procedural requirements.
If you require legal advice concerning judicial costs or the financial implications of filing a lawsuit, you can Request a Legal Consultation or Contact Us on WhatsApp.
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