Official costs
Ghana court filing fees under C.I. 86
What the registry charges for filing, service, process and copies, court by court, with the clause behind every figure. Inside the platform the same schedule attaches to procedure roadmaps and pulls straight onto a client fee note as an at-cost disbursement.
C.I. 86 (2014) as amended — schedule v1
Supreme Court
| Process | Category | Charge | Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice of appeal / originating writ | Filing | GH₵400.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. I (Supreme Court) |
| Statement of case | Filing | GH₵200.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. I (Supreme Court) |
Court of Appeal
| Process | Category | Charge | Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice of appeal | Filing | GH₵300.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. I (Court of Appeal) |
| Preparation and transmission of the record of appeal | Copies | Assessed by the registry | C.I. 86 Sch. 3 — assessed per page by the registry |
| Written submissions | Filing | GH₵150.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. I |
| Motion (stay of execution, extension of time) | Filing | GH₵200.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. I — motions |
High Court
| Process | Category | Charge | Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writ of summonsPayable on filing, together with the statement of claim. | Filing | GH₵220.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. II (High Court) — commencement |
| Originating motion / petition | Filing | GH₵220.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. II — originating process |
| Pleading (defence, reply, counterclaim) | Filing | GH₵90.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. II — subsequent pleadings |
| Interlocutory motion with affidavit | Filing | GH₵120.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. II — motions |
| Witness statement / bundle of documents | Filing | GH₵90.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. II — filings |
| Service of process by bailiff (within jurisdiction)Mileage and out-of-station allowances are added by the registry. | Service | GH₵100.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 2 — service and bailiff allowances |
| Service outside the jurisdictionAssessed case by case; leave under C.I. 47 Order 8 is required first. | Service | Assessed by the registry | C.I. 86 Sch. 2 — assessed by the registrar |
| Search of the record | Copies | GH₵40.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 3 — searches |
| Certified true copy (per page) | Copies | GH₵6.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 3 — certified copies |
| Entry of judgment / drawing up order | Process | GH₵90.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. II — judgments and orders |
| Writ of execution (fifa, garnishee, possession) | Process | GH₵150.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 2 — execution process |
| Application for probate / letters of administrationEstate duty and registry percentage charges are assessed separately on the estate value. | Filing | GH₵220.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. II — probate registry |
Circuit Court
| Process | Category | Charge | Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writ / originating process | Filing | GH₵150.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. III (Circuit Court) |
| Motion with affidavit | Filing | GH₵90.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. III |
District Court
| Process | Category | Charge | Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil summons | Filing | GH₵90.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. IV (District Court) |
| Motion with affidavit | Filing | GH₵60.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 1, Pt. IV |
All courts
| Process | Category | Charge | Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bail bond and recognisance | Process | GH₵50.00 | C.I. 86 Sch. 2 — criminal process |
| Witness expenses / conduct money | Allowance | Assessed by the registry | C.I. 86 Sch. 2 — witness allowances (assessed) |
Billing court fees to the client
Court fees are disbursements, not professional fees. On LawandLegal an expense line can be pulled straight from this schedule onto the invoice, carrying the process, the amount and the clause. It is billed at cost, kept out of the taxed professional fee under the GBA Scale of Fees, and excluded from firm profitability so your margin figures stay honest.
Questions practitioners ask
- How much does it cost to file a writ of summons in the High Court of Ghana?
- Filing fees for High Court process are fixed by the Fees and Charges (Judicial Service) Instrument, 2014 (C.I. 86). The schedule below sets out the charge for each process, with the clause it comes from. Registries also assess some charges, such as copying and service outside the jurisdiction, on the facts of the case.
- Are court filing fees billable to the client?
- Yes. Court fees are disbursements paid on the client's behalf and are recovered at cost. They are not professional fees, so they are not taxed as part of the GBA Scale of Fees and should be listed separately on the fee note with the receipt attached.
- Do the C.I. 86 figures change?
- They are amended from time to time by instrument. Always confirm the current charge with the registry before you file — the schedule here is versioned and cited so you know exactly which print you are reading.
- Which instrument governs court fees in Ghana?
- The Fees and Charges (Judicial Service) Instrument, 2014 (C.I. 86), read with the Courts Act, 1993 (Act 459) and the rules of each court, notably C.I. 47 for the High Court, C.I. 19 for the Court of Appeal and C.I. 16 for the Supreme Court.
This schedule is a practitioner aid, not legal advice. Confirm the current charge with the registry before filing.