Civil Court Fees in Poland 2026: Filing Fees and Exemptions
Short answer: Fees are paid on filing: 30 to 1,000 zl for money claims up to 20,000 zl, then 5% (max 100,000 zl). Divorce is 600 zl. Some parties are exempt.
Going to a Polish civil court costs money up front. The fee is paid when you file the document, not at the end of the case. This guide explains the main court fees for civil cases as set by the Act on Court Costs in Civil Cases (ustawa o kosztach sądowych w sprawach cywilnych, consolidated text Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1228). The figures come from the OpenLEX version of the act in force from 8 July 2026 and were checked on 16 October 2026. The same OpenLEX page shows that this version applies only until 27 October 2026, so a newer text may already apply when you read this. Check the current text before you file.
Three kinds of fee
The act says a fee is fixed (stała), proportional (stosunkowa) or basic (podstawowa), and that it must be paid when the document that carries the fee is filed with the court (art. 10 and 11).
- A fixed fee is the same amount regardless of how much the dispute is worth. It cannot be lower than 30 zł or higher than 10,000 zł (art. 12).
- A proportional fee is a share of the value of the dispute.
- A basic fee applies where the law does not set a fixed, proportional or temporary fee. It is 30 zł, and it is also the minimum fee for a document that carries a fee (art. 14).
Money claims: what the value of the claim costs
For claims about property rights, art. 13 sets a fixed fee that depends on the value of the claim, up to 20,000 zł.
- up to 500 zł: 30 zł
- over 500 zł up to 1,500 zł: 100 zł
- over 1,500 zł up to 4,000 zł: 200 zł
- over 4,000 zł up to 7,500 zł: 400 zł
- over 7,500 zł up to 10,000 zł: 500 zł
- over 10,000 zł up to 15,000 zł: 750 zł
- over 15,000 zł up to 20,000 zł: 1,000 zł
Above 20,000 zł the fee is proportional: 5 percent of the value, but no more than 100,000 zł. For example, a claim for 30,000 zł carries a fee of 1,500 zł under that rule.
Some money disputes have their own fixed fee. Claims arising from banking transactions brought by a consumer or an individual running a family farm, with a value over 20,000 zł, carry a fixed 1,000 zł (art. 13a). Cases to remove a mismatch between a land and mortgage register entry and the real legal situation, and cases to deprive an enforcement title of enforceability or to release a seized item from enforcement, carry a fixed 2,000 zł when the value is over 40,000 zł (art. 13c).
Cheaper routes and reductions
- A quarter of the fee is charged on a claim that meets the conditions for the order-for-payment procedure (postępowanie nakazowe), and on a claim filed in the electronic order-for-payment procedure (art. 19).
- Half of the fee is charged for an objection to a judgment by default (art. 19).
- If you took part in mediation under a mediation agreement before suing, or tried to settle a consumer dispute through the bodies listed in art. 13e, the fee on the claim is reduced by two thirds, but by no more than 400 zł (art. 13e).
Family and personal cases
A divorce or separation claim carries a fixed fee of 600 zł. The same fee applies to claims for protection of personal rights (dobra osobiste) and other non-property rights, unless a special rule says otherwise (art. 26). A fixed 200 zł fee applies to claims to annul a marriage, to establish whether a marriage exists, to deny paternity or maternity, to establish a separation of property by the court, and to claims to vacate a residential premises, among others (art. 27).
If the court awards spousal maintenance in a divorce, the paying spouse is charged a proportional fee on the awarded amount, and if the court orders an eviction or division of joint property, the fee for that claim is also charged (art. 26).
Other fees people run into
- A request for a written judgment with reasons, filed within one week of the ruling being announced or served, costs 100 zł for a ruling on the merits and 30 zł for other rulings (art. 25b). If you then appeal, that fee is credited toward the appeal fee.
- A request for a settlement attempt in a property case has its own fixed fee under art. 23a.
- If the value of the case cannot be determined when it starts, the presiding judge sets a temporary fee between 30 zł and 2,000 zł, and the court sets the final fee in its ruling (art. 15).
Who does not pay
According to the Miastko District Court page on exemptions, parties who do not have to pay court costs include a party claiming maintenance, a party seeking to establish paternity or maternity, and an employee who files a claim or an appeal to the labour and social insurance court. In an employee's case only a 30 zł basic fee is charged on an appeal, a complaint or a cassation complaint. A request for security attached to the first filing is also free of charge.
Anyone else can ask the court for an exemption. A natural person has to show that they cannot pay without harming the basic maintenance of themselves and their family. The application is filed with a statement about family status, property, income and sources of living, on a form available at the court or from the Ministry of Justice website.
This is general information, not legal advice. The fee for your case depends on the exact type of claim, so check the current text of the act or ask the court registry.
* Photos: Courthouse in Łódź and Sąd Rejonowy in Bydgoszcz (CC0, Wikimedia Commons); illustrative.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to file a civil claim in Poland?
It depends on the claim. For a money claim up to 20,000 zł the fixed fee runs from 30 zł to 1,000 zł by value band. Above 20,000 zł the fee is 5 percent of the value, capped at 100,000 zł (art. 13).
How much is a divorce filing fee in Poland?
The fixed fee for a divorce or separation claim is 600 zł under art. 26 of the Act on Court Costs in Civil Cases.
Can I be exempted from court fees?
Yes. Some parties are exempt by law, such as a party claiming maintenance. Others can apply to the court if they cannot pay without harming the basic maintenance of themselves and their family.
When do I pay the court fee?
When you file the document that carries the fee (art. 10).
