Guide · updated 02.09.2026 · 9 min read · Lucent Legal team

UAE court fee calculator — what filing a claim costs, 2026

UAE Court Fee Calculator 2026 — Dubai Courts & DIFC

Key points

  • Dubai Courts charge 6% of the claim amount, a minimum of AED 500, capped at AED 20,000 (claims up to 500,000), AED 30,000 (500,001–1,000,000) and AED 40,000 (above a million) — Law No. 21/2015 as amended by Law No. 2/2019.
  • The DIFC Small Claims Tribunal charges 5% on ordinary disputes and 2% on labour ones, minimum USD 100. An appeal costs 2.5% and 1% respectively.
  • The SCT limit is a claim up to AED 500,000. Anything above that goes through ordinary DIFC Courts proceedings on a different tariff.
  • The fee is paid on filing, and a winner usually has it shifted onto the losing side. In the SCT the default runs the other way: each party carries its own costs.
  • The SCT Registrar can defer, reduce or waive the fee on a party's application.

Before a claim, people count the money, not the merits: what the filing itself will run to. The fee comes off the amount you claim, but the rates and caps in Dubai Courts and in the DIFC are different — on a large claim the gap reaches tens of thousands of dirhams. Enter the amount and pick the court.

AED
Where you are filing

Filing fee

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Dubai Courts: 6% of the claim amount, a minimum of AED 500, and a cap of AED 20,000 on claims up to 500,000, AED 30,000 on 500,001–1,000,000 and AED 40,000 above a million (Law No. 21/2015 as amended by Law No. 2/2019). DIFC Small Claims Tribunal: 5% for ordinary disputes and 2% for labour ones, minimum USD 100; fees there are quoted in dollars, converted at the peg of 3.6725 AED to the dollar. The SCT Registrar can reduce or defer the fee on a party's application.

Why the cap matters more than the rate

On a large claim it is the ceiling, not the percentage, that decides. A two-million-dirham claim in Dubai Courts would cost 120,000 at the plain rate, but the law stops the fee at 40,000. So "6% is expensive" only holds for mid-sized amounts: on big claims the effective rate falls to fractions of a percent, and the calculator prints it on its own line.

The second fork is not about money but about jurisdiction. The DIFC Small Claims Tribunal takes claims up to AED 500,000, works in English, and is built for a person without a lawyer. Who that suits and who it does not is set out in the DIFC Small Claims guide. Step-by-step filing in the ordinary courts is in "How to file a lawsuit in the UAE".

What else lands in the case budget

The fee is not where the spending stops. On top come translation of documents into Arabic by a certified translator (mandatory in Dubai Courts), notary and legalisation charges, the lawyer's fee, and sometimes a court-appointed expert. The court shifts part of the costs onto the losing side, but a representative's fee is usually not covered in full.

Before it reaches court, price the pre-trial route first. A written demand and negotiation are cheaper and faster; how that works is covered in the guides on recovering a debt from an individual and preparing a legal notice.

FAQ

Is the fee based on the debt or on the claim including interest?

On the stated value of the claim — the whole sum you ask the court to award. Interest and penalties, if you have claimed them, raise the fee too.

Do I get the fee back if I win?

The court usually shifts legal costs, the fee included, onto the loser, but you only receive them through enforcement of the judgment. In DIFC Small Claims the default is the opposite: each side pays its own way.

Why are DIFC fees in dollars if the claim is in dirhams?

DIFC Courts tariffs are set in US dollars, while the tribunal limit is set in dirhams (AED 500,000). The dirham is hard-pegged to the dollar at 3.6725, so the conversion is predictable, and the calculator shows both currencies.

Is there a discount or an instalment plan for the fee?

In the SCT the Registrar can defer, reduce or waive the fee on a party's application if he considers it appropriate. In Dubai Courts, exemptions are set out in separate provisions and are not granted automatically.

How accurate is the calculation?

For the basic filing tariffs the figure is right. The total shifts because of extra charges for particular procedural steps, the nature of the claim (non-monetary claims are priced differently), and the court's own decisions in the case.

Sources

Topic: UAE Courts 2026

This material is for information only and is not legal advice. UAE law changes — a lawyer will assess how it applies to your situation.