How much does NCAT cost? Fees, fee waivers and hidden costs in 2026
NCAT is deliberately cheap to access compared with a court. For most people the application (filing) fee is the only fee they ever pay, and pensioners and Centrelink recipients pay a reduced rate. The bigger costs — if they come at all — are expert reports in building disputes and enforcement at the Local Court if the other side does not pay up.
All figures below are from the NCAT fee schedule current as at 1 July 2025. NCAT fees are set by regulation and are CPI-indexed each 1 July, so a new schedule applies from 1 July 2026. Always confirm the current amount on ncat.nsw.gov.au before you lodge.
Information, not legal advice. Figures current as at 1 July 2025.
What this dispute is
NCAT charges an application fee when you lodge. The amount depends mainly on how much money you are claiming. The schedule current as at 1 July 2025, for an individual filing a general application in the Consumer and Commercial Division, ran in three tiers:
Claims of $10,000 or less (or no monetary amount): $62 for an individual, $16 at the reduced (concession) rate, and $124 for a corporation. This tier covers most residential tenancy matters, bond disputes and small consumer claims.
Claims over $10,000 up to $30,000: $128 for an individual, $32 concession, $256 for a corporation.
Claims over $30,000: $330 for an individual, $83 concession, $660 for a corporation. Larger building-defect claims commonly fall in this tier.
A few practical notes. The concession (reduced) fee is set at roughly a quarter of the full fee and is available to people such as Pensioner Concession Card holders, people receiving certain Centrelink benefits, and people getting legal aid or help from a Community Legal Centre — check who qualifies and what proof you need on ncat.nsw.gov.au. The fee is generally not refunded if you lose, but if you win, you can ask the Tribunal to order the other side to reimburse your filing fee as part of the outcome.
These exact dollar figures are the 1 July 2025 schedule. Because the fees are CPI-indexed each 1 July, the 1 July 2026 amounts will be slightly higher — treat the numbers here as a close guide and confirm the current figure on ncat.nsw.gov.au before you pay.
Time limits that bite
These deadlines are strict. The Tribunal can extend in some cases, but extensions are not automatic — they're weighed on length, reason, prospects and prejudice.
- 1 July each yearNCAT fees are CPI-indexed and a new schedule takes effect — figures here are the 1 July 2025 scheduleCivil and Administrative Tribunal Regulation 2022
- At lodgementThe application fee is payable when you file (online, in person, or by post)ncat.nsw.gov.au
- If you winAsk the Tribunal to order the other side to reimburse your filing feeNCAT practice
- After an order is unpaidEnforcement moves to the Local Court — separate fees apply there, not at NCATLocal Court NSW
The process, step by step
- 1
Work out your claim amount — it sets the fee
The fee tier follows the dollar value of what you are claiming. A bond dispute or a $1,500 refund sits in the lowest tier ($62 / $16 concession on the 1 July 2025 schedule). A building rectification claim of $45,000 sits in the top tier ($330 / $83 concession). If you are not claiming a specific amount (for example, a tenancy order to do repairs), you generally fall in the lowest tier.
Do not inflate your claim to a round number that pushes you into a higher fee tier — claim what you can actually evidence.
- 2
Check whether you qualify for the concession fee
The reduced fee — roughly 25% of the full fee, so about $16, $32 or $83 across the three tiers on the 1 July 2025 schedule — applies to eligible people, typically including Pensioner Concession Card holders, recipients of certain Centrelink benefits, and people receiving legal aid or assistance from a Community Legal Centre. You will usually need to show your card or evidence of your benefit when you file.
If money is the barrier to lodging at all, raise it with the registry — confirm the current eligibility rules and any hardship arrangements on ncat.nsw.gov.au, as these can change.
- 3
Budget for an appeal only if you need one
If you appeal a decision to the NCAT Appeal Panel, a separate application fee applies. Appeal fees are higher than a small first-instance filing fee — on the 1 July 2025 schedule they are in line with the upper end of the fee table rather than the $62 minimum. Because the exact appeal figure depends on the schedule in force, confirm the current Appeal Panel application fee on ncat.nsw.gov.au before you lodge an appeal.
Most people never reach this stage — the great majority of matters end at the first hearing.
- 4
Plan for enforcement costs at the Local Court (if needed)
NCAT makes the order, but it does not chase the money for you. If the other side does not pay a monetary order, you enforce it through the Local Court of NSW — for example by filing the order and taking out a writ or examination. Those enforcement steps carry their own Local Court fees, which are separate from anything NCAT charges and are set by the Local Court's own schedule.
Enforcement fees are generally recoverable from the debtor on top of the judgment, but you have to pay them upfront. Check the current amounts on the Local Court / NSW Courts website before you start. See our enforcement guide for the step-by-step.
- 5
Cost the expert reports — the real expense in building cases
In home-building and defect matters, the filing fee is usually the small number. The big cost is an independent expert report — a building consultant or engineer who inspects the work, identifies the defects, and sets out a scope and cost of rectification. These reports commonly run from around $1,500 to $5,000 depending on the property, the number of defects and whether the expert has to attend the hearing. This figure is indicative only — get a written quote, as complex or multi-trade jobs can cost more.
A good expert report often makes or breaks a defect case, so it is frequently money well spent — but factor it into your "is it worth it" maths before you commit.
Evidence that actually works
Cases are lost on missing documents more than on weak arguments. Get these in order before you file.
Your concession card or Centrelink evidence
Pensioner Concession Card, or proof of an eligible Centrelink benefit, to claim the reduced filing fee.
A realistic claim figure you can prove
Receipts, quotes or a rectification estimate. The claim amount sets your fee tier — claim what you can evidence.
Receipt for your filing fee
Keep it — if you win, you can ask the Tribunal to order the other side to reimburse it.
A written quote for any expert report
For building matters, get the expert's fee in writing before you commission the report so you can budget.
The Local Court fee schedule (for enforcement)
If the order may need enforcing, check current Local Court enforcement fees so there are no surprises.
Common reasons people lose
Assuming the fee figures never change
Fees are CPI-indexed each 1 July. The numbers here are the 1 July 2025 schedule — always confirm the current amount on ncat.nsw.gov.au before paying.
Missing the concession you were entitled to
Many people pay the full fee without realising a pension or Centrelink benefit qualified them for the ~25% reduced rate. Check before you lodge.
Forgetting to ask for your fee back when you win
The filing fee is not automatically refunded. If you succeed, expressly ask the Tribunal to order the other side to reimburse it.
Overlooking enforcement costs
An order is not money in your pocket. If the other side won't pay, enforcement at the Local Court costs extra and takes time — budget for it.
Under-budgeting the expert report
In defect cases the report can dwarf the filing fee. Get a written quote ($1,500–$5,000 is common, sometimes more) before you commit.
Orders NCAT can make
This is the kind of order you can ask for — not a guarantee you'll get it. Frame your application around the order you actually want.
Reimbursement of the filing fee
If you win, the Tribunal can order the unsuccessful party to repay your application fee. Ask for it expressly.
Monetary order you then enforce
NCAT can order the other side to pay money, but enforcement (if they don't) happens at the Local Court, with its own fees.
Costs orders (limited)
Legal costs are generally not awarded in the Consumer and Commercial Division unless there are special circumstances — don't bank on recovering a lawyer's fees.
Work or rectification orders
In building and tenancy matters, NCAT can order work be done rather than money paid — which can change whether an expert report is needed.
Free help
- NCAT — Fees at NCAT
The official fee page. Confirm the current schedule here before you lodge.
- NCAT Fees and Charges Schedule (1 July 2025)
The full schedule the figures on this page are drawn from.
- NCAT — Apply online
Lodge an application and pay the fee through the NCAT portal.
- Local Court NSW — enforcing orders
Where you enforce an unpaid NCAT money order, and where separate fees apply.
- LawAccess NSW — 1300 888 529
Free legal information, including on fee waivers and whether a claim is worth running.
- Civil and Administrative Tribunal Regulation 2022 (NSW)
The regulation that sets and indexes NCAT's fees.
Questions self-reps ask
How much is the NCAT application fee?
On the schedule current as at 1 July 2025, for an individual filing a general application in the Consumer and Commercial Division:
$62 for claims of $10,000 or less (or no amount); $128 for claims over $10,000 up to $30,000; $330 for claims over $30,000. Concession rates are about a quarter of those ($16 / $32 / $83); corporations pay double.
Fees are CPI-indexed each 1 July — confirm the current amount on ncat.nsw.gov.au before you lodge.
Is there a fee waiver or concession?
Yes. A reduced fee of roughly 25% of the full fee applies to eligible people — typically Pensioner Concession Card holders, recipients of certain Centrelink benefits, and people getting legal aid or help from a Community Legal Centre.
You usually need to show your card or evidence of your benefit when you file. Confirm the current eligibility rules on ncat.nsw.gov.au.
Do I get my filing fee back if I win?
Not automatically. If you succeed, you can ask the Tribunal to order the unsuccessful party to reimburse your application fee — so raise it expressly at the hearing.
If you lose, the fee is generally not refunded.
What does it cost to appeal to the Appeal Panel?
An internal appeal carries its own application fee, separate from your original filing fee. On the 1 July 2025 schedule the appeal fee sits at the upper end of the fee table, not the small first-instance minimum.
The exact figure depends on the schedule in force — confirm the current Appeal Panel application fee on ncat.nsw.gov.au before lodging.
What's the real cost of a building dispute?
In building and defect cases the filing fee — often $330 in the top claim tier on the 1 July 2025 schedule — is usually the small number. The bigger cost is an independent expert report from a building consultant or engineer.
These commonly run from about $1,500 to $5,000, and more for complex multi-trade jobs. Get a written quote before commissioning one.
Is it even worth it for a small claim?
Often yes — the fee is low relative to what's at stake. A $62 fee (or $16 concession) to recover a $1,500 bond or refund is usually worth it, and you can ask for the fee back if you win.
The maths gets harder for larger building matters where an expert report can cost thousands. There, weigh the report and your time against the rectification amount before committing.
Related guides
- How to enforce NCAT ordersWhat to do when the other side won't pay — and the Local Court fees involved.
- Lodge a bond refund yourselfThe cheapest, simplest NCAT matter — often the lowest fee tier.
- The NCAT Appeal Panel, explainedWhen you can appeal, and the separate (higher) appeal fee.
- Do I need a lawyer at NCAT?Representation rules and why most self-reps keep costs down.
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NCAT Tracker is not a law firm. This page is information, not legal advice. Figures, fees and statutory periods cited here are current as at 1 July 2025 and are CPI-indexed or amended from time to time — verify on ncat.nsw.gov.au and legislation.nsw.gov.au before you lodge.