Fees
Court fees and application fees shall be collected as compensation for the consideration of the case and for the measures taken by the courts.
Information about fees
The fee shall include compensation for the delivery note containing the decision or interim decision to be issued in the matter. In addition, the fee shall include compensation for any other measure taken by the authority in connection with the consideration of the matter, unless a separate provision is made for the fee to be charged or the reimbursement of costs. As a rule, the court fee is also collected when an action, appeal or application is withdrawn.
Certain cases shall be dealt with free of charge. These include criminal cases promoted by the public prosecutor at the first instance of the court, appeals brought by a private person before the insurance court concerning the right to benefit, the amount of the benefit or the recovery of the benefit, and most social matters dealt with in administrative courts.
The extract, copy and certificate fee shall be charged for documents ordered separately, unless a fee exemption is provided for separately. For example, no fee is charged for the delivery book to the injured party in a criminal case advocated by the public prosecutor. The person who orders a tape or recording is charged a tape or recording cost and a delivery cost for sound or video recordings or other recordings.
In general courts, separate costs are the costs of announcements in the Official Journal or in other newspapers. In certain application cases, the alert costs (so-called table alerts) are included in the fee and are thus not separately charged. If the party neglects to provide the copies he or she has been obliged to provide, they shall be made at his or her expense. As compensation for special service of notice costs, invoiced fees, fees and costs abroad are charged in full.
The parties liable for payment are the initiator (plaintiff, applicant or a person who comes instead of them), the appellant in the appeal case and, in the case of other performances, the one who ordered them. The person who has been granted legal aid is exempt from the obligation to pay. Certain parties are also exempt from the obligation to pay. These include police, pre-trial, prosecutor and enforcement authorities.
Fees are levied after completion of the performance, as a rule by invoicing.
Methods of payment of court fees
The courts send invoices to individual customers either via an electronic invoicing channel or on paper by post. The court will not send invoices as an attachment to the e-mail.
There are several ways to receive e-invoices: Suomi.fi Messages, Posti’s OmaPosti service, and Kivra’s digital mailbox service.
Where a customer has several electronic services, the order of priority for issuing invoices shall be:
- OmaPosti
- Kivra digital mailbox service
- Suomi.fi Messages
If the customer does not have an electronic invoicing channel, the invoice is delivered by paper mail.
Instructions on how to deploy the electronic invoicing channel can be found on the website of each service.n laskunvälityskanavan käyttöönottoon löytyy kunkin palvelun omilta verkkosivuilta.
Court fees in general courts
The costs of the trial consist of a court fee, a legal counsel’s fee and compensation for witnesses.
A higher cost than the court fees for a person who takes his case to court is usually the fee of a legal counsel. A party pays his or her legal assistance, unless he or she has been granted legal aid or a counsel hired with state funds. If a person is suspected of a serious offence, he or she receives a defender hired with state funds. A victim of a sexual offence or domestic violence may receive a counsel or support person hired with state funds.
If a party wins his or her case, the opposing party usually reimburses his or her legal costs. If he or she loses the case, he or she usually has to pay the costs of the proceedings to the successful party. The recipient of legal aid, which has been paid from state funds, usually has to pay the counterparty’s legal costs if he or she loses the case in court.
A court fee shall not be charged in criminal proceedings if the appellate court amends the decision of the lower court in favour of the appellant.
Supreme Court
EUR 610.
In criminal cases, a fee shall not be levied if the Supreme Court amends the decision of the lower court in favour of the appellant.
In the appeal of a matter decided by the Market Court, the fee shall be equal and determined on the basis of the same criteria as in the Market Court.
Courts of appeal
Petitionary matters EUR 310.
A criminal case, a restraining order and an appeal under the Enforcement Code, and a case in which settlement is not permitted EUR 310. In a criminal case, a court fee shall not be charged if the appellate court amends the decision of a lower court in favour of the appellant.
Other matters: EUR 610.
District courts
A criminal case EUR 310, and no fee is charged for a criminal matter when the prosecutor is prosecuting.
An appeal under the Enforcement Code and a case where settlement is not permitted EUR 310.
Civil matters and land court cases EUR 610, with the exception of:
- a dispute referred to in Chapter 5, section 3 of the Code of Judicial Procedure, which has been decided by a default judgment or by concession or has been dismissed, for which the information has been sent directly to the district court’s information system EUR 70.
- other dispute referred to in Chapter 5, section 3 of the Code of Judicial Procedure, which has been decided by a default judgment or by concession or has been dismissed EUR 100.
- a matter referred to in Chapter 5, section 3 of the Code of Judicial Procedure challenged by the defendant EUR 310.
- a matter referred to in section 2, subsection 1 of the Act on Courts Fees in which mediation is not permitted, for example a matter concerning child custody, EUR 310.
Application fees in district courts
Usually EUR 310. If a matter is referred to a hearing in dispute, fee as in a dispute.
However, in the application matters below, the fees are as follows:
Divorce matters
EUR 240.
Further processing after a reflection period EUR 115.
If the matter is referred to a hearing, fee as in the case of a dispute.
If both spouses apply for divorce together and do not mention the payer in the application, the fee may be charged to either spouse. In such cases, the spouses are jointly and severally liable for payment, which means that if the spouse receiving the invoice does not pay the bill, it can be collected from the other party. In the application, it is advisable to indicate to whom the district court will primarily send the invoice.
Dispute mediation
- if mediation is not started EUR 115
- if mediation starts EUR 310
Bankruptcy
- in a bankruptcy matter, the applicant is charged EUR 370,
unless the debtor is declared bankrupt
- EUR 790 charged to bankruptcy estate for bankruptcy
- EUR 920 for bankruptcy cases ending with the establishment of a disbursement list
- EUR 370 will be charged for bankruptcy matters other than those ending with the establishment of the disbursement list,
however, no fee is charged if the bankruptcy continues as public receivership
- the applicant is charged EUR 370 for any other matter dealt with separately on application under the Bankruptcy Act (120/2004);
however, no fee shall be charged in respect of a matter concerning the imposition of a precautionary measure or coercive measure, the attestation of the estate inventory or any other obligation of the debtor, ex post control or the rectification or amendment of a confirmed disbursement list;
- if a matter concerning a contested claim is referred to a hearing in a dispute, a fee shall be charged to the complainant, as in the case of a dispute.
Restructuring procedure
- a matter in which it is not decided to initiate a restructuring procedure EUR 370.
- a matter in which a decision is made to initiate a restructuring procedure EUR 1220.
- EUR 370 for other matters related to the restructuring procedure to be dealt with separately on application.
Debt arrangement of a private person
EUR 310 for a debt arrangement matter in which the applicant is not a debtor.
Civil marriage
Free of charge during office hours and at the office. EUR 150 during office hours but outside the office, EUR 250 outside office hours, and compensation for travel expenses incurred must be paid to the officiator.
Declaration of death
An application fee shall be charged for the consideration of the matter in the district court. If a declaration of death requires an announcement in the Official Journal, in addition to the application fee, the costs of the announcement in the Official Journal shall be collected in full.
Court fees in administrative courts
A large part of the decisions of the administrative court are chargeable, in which case they are subject to a legal charge.
If a person has been granted legal aid, he or she does not need to pay a court fee. The fee shall also not be charged if the administrative court amends the decision of the lower authority in favour of the appellant.
In addition, the court fee is not levied on, for example, most matters relating to social and health services brought by a private individual or on appeals concerning basic income. Matters under the Child Welfare Act and the Mental Health Act are also dealt with in administrative courts free of charge, as are matters concerning international protection under the Aliens Act and complaints concerning general elections.
The Supreme Administrative Court
EUR 610.
A court fee shall not be charged if the Supreme Administrative Court amends the decision under appeal in favour of the appellant.
In appeals against a matter decided by the Market Court, the fee shall be equal and determined on the basis of the same criteria as in the Market Court.
Administrative courts
EUR 310.
A court fee shall not be charged if the administrative court amends the decision under appeal in favour of the appellant, i.e. accepts the appellant’s claims.
The price of a certificate of enforceability is determined by the Government decree. In 2022, the price of the certificate of enforceability will be EUR 37.
Court fees in special courts
The Market Court
EUR 2440.
If the value of the procurement in a public procurement case before the Market Court is at least EUR 1 million, the fee shall be EUR 4880. If the value of the procurement is at least EUR 10 million, the fee shall be EUR 7300.
A private person’s court fee is EUR 610.
Labour Court
EUR 2440.
A private person’s court fee is EUR 610.
The Insurance Court
EUR 610.
A private person’s court fee is EUR 310.
No fee shall be charged in appeals brought by a private person in the Insurance Court concerning the right to a benefit, the amount of the benefit or the recovery of the benefit.
A court fee shall not be charged if the decision under appeal is amended by the Insurance Court in favour of the appellant.
Other fees
Certificate fees
A certificate ordered EUR 37.
If a copy is required to be produced for the purpose of drawing up the certificate, a copy fee shall also be charged.
Extract and copy fees
A certified extract or a copy of EUR 3 per page, up to a maximum of EUR 106 per document from a party to a trial/matter.
A copy, uncertified 70 cents/page (A4 size) or 1,40 euros/page (A3 size), with a maximum of 106 euros/document from a party to a trial/matter.
EUR 4,30/page for extracts or copies made on the basis of a document request requiring special measures (e.g. removal of confidential sections), up to a maximum of 222 euros/document from a party to a trial/matter.
A fee of at least EUR 10 per order shall always be charged for an extract or copy made from the order.
No fee shall be charged for a pre-electronic document sent by e-mail that does not require special measures.
Audio or video recordings
Tape or recording costs + EUR 33.
If delivery requires more than two hours of work, an additional fee of EUR 28 per every full hour exceeding two hours, but not more than EUR 673, shall be charged.
If the delivery of a recording does not require the transmission of the content, but the requested material/file is in digital form and as such can be transmitted in digital form, no fee is charged.
Oath and solemn declaration
EUR 120 shall be charged for the acceptance of an oath or a solemn declaration, together with the certificates issued thereon.
Service (general courts)
Service by the process server and a certificate of service of EUR 110, including the service attempt.
The fee shall not be charged when the court is responsible for service.
Service abroad of the document EUR 110.
The fee shall not be charged when the court is responsible for service.
Costs for public notice (general courts)
EUR 208 shall be paid for a matter in which the court ensures that the matter is advertised in the Official Journal or in another publication.
Fee for retrieving information
The fee for producing information under Section 34 (2) of the Act on the Openness of Public Authorities’ Activities (621/1999) is set in such a way that the fee corresponds to the costs incurred by the authority that produced the information.