Bailiff Fees Queensland — What Enforcement Actually Costs

One of the first questions after winning a QCAT order is whether chasing the money will cost more than it is worth. The answer depends on which enforcement tool you use and how much the debtor owes.

Court Filing Fees: Zero

Registering a QCAT order in the Magistrates Court costs nothing. Applying for an enforcement hearing costs nothing. Applying for an enforcement warrant costs nothing. Queensland does not charge court filing fees for any of these steps.

Bailiff Service and Execution Fees

Where the costs start is with the bailiff (enforcement officer) who serves documents and executes warrants. Under the Uniform Civil Procedure (Fees) Regulation 2019, the key charges are:

• Service fee: $141.70 per person served, plus $4.50 for each kilometre or part of a kilometre necessarily travelled one way beyond 8 km from the registry.
• Execution fee: $141.70 when the bailiff executes an enforcement warrant.

The $4.50 travel charge applies only to necessary travel beyond 8 km one way from the registry.

The Seizure and Sale Security Deposit

The big-ticket cost is the security deposit required for a Form 75 warrant of seizure and sale. The creditor must pay $3,000 or $3,500 upfront, as confirmed by the registry, to cover bailiff travel, towing, storage, advertising, and auctioneer costs. Unused portions are refunded after the sale.

This deposit makes seizure warrants a poor choice for small debts. If you are owed $4,000 and the debtor's only asset is a car with $2,000 in equity after finance is paid out, the deposit alone exceeds the recovery.

Conduct Money for Enforcement Hearings

Conduct money is required only if the debtor must attend court outside their district. In that case, the Form 46 affidavit must offer enough money to cover their reasonable travel costs.

What You Can Recover

Most enforcement costs are recoverable from the debtor. Bailiff service fees, execution fees, and the security deposit (to the extent it was spent) can be added to the judgment debt. Post-judgment interest also accrues on the outstanding amount.

Non-recoverable costs include your personal time, postage, and any legal advice you paid for.

A Cost-Benefit Framework

Before applying for a warrant, run this check:

1. What is the total owed (principal + post-judgment interest)?
2. What assets or income did the debtor disclose in the Form 71 or enforcement hearing?
3. Which warrant targets those assets, and what does it cost to execute?
4. Does the expected recovery exceed the execution cost?

Redirection warrants (Forms 76, 77, 78) are the cheapest path — no security deposit, just the service fee. Seizure and sale is the most expensive. Start with the cheapest viable option and escalate only if needed.

Our Queensland QCAT Order Enforcement Guide includes an interest-and-cost ledger worksheet that tracks every recoverable enforcement expense alongside post-judgment interest, so the total you claim stays accurate.

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