The Kerala ad valorem court-fee scale
On a suit for money, court fee under Schedule I, Article 1 of the Kerala Court Fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1959 is charged on the amount claimed, on a marginal slab basis (each rate applies only to the portion of the claim within its band):
| Portion of the claim | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to ₹15,000 | 4% |
| ₹15,000 to ₹50,000 | 8% |
| ₹50,000 to ₹10,00,000 | 10% |
| ₹10,00,000 to ₹1,00,00,000 | 8% |
| Above ₹1,00,00,000 | 1% |
A claim not exceeding ₹100 carries a flat fee of ₹4. There is no upper cap on the ad valorem fee. Under Section 4A, only one-tenth of the fee is payable at institution; the balance follows on the court's timeline.
Note on the 2025 revision
The Kerala Finance Act 2025 (effective 1 April 2025) raised the fixed court fees in Schedule II and removed some caps, but it left the Schedule I ad valorem money-suit scale above unchanged — as the Kerala High Court confirmed in KHCAA v State of Kerala (2025). Re-check the latest Finance Act each April before relying on these figures.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is court fee calculated on a money suit in Kerala?
On a suit for money, the ad valorem court fee is charged on the amount claimed under Schedule I, Article 1 of the Kerala Court Fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1959. The rate is a marginal slab scale: 4% up to ₹15,000, 8% from ₹15,000 to ₹50,000, 10% from ₹50,000 to ₹10,00,000, 8% from ₹10,00,000 to ₹1,00,00,000, and 1% above ₹1,00,00,000.
Do I pay the whole court fee when I file?
No. Under Section 4A only one-tenth (1/10) of the total court fee is payable when the suit is instituted; the balance is paid within the time the court fixes.
Is there an upper limit on court fee in Kerala?
No. The ad valorem court fee on a money suit has no upper cap — above ₹1 crore the marginal rate drops to 1%, but the fee keeps rising with the claim.
Did the Kerala Finance Act 2025 increase court fees?
It revised the Schedule II fixed court fees (and removed some caps), effective 1 April 2025. It did not change the Schedule I ad valorem money-suit scale — the Kerala High Court confirmed this in KHCAA v State of Kerala (2025). So the ad valorem rates here are unchanged.
What claims use this ad valorem scale?
Suits for money — recovery of debt, damages, compensation, arrears of maintenance or annuities — valued under Section 22 on the amount claimed. Other suit types (declaration, injunction, partition) have their own valuation rules.