Judgment Enforcement Fees in Tasmania: Complete Cost Breakdown
How Court Fees Work in Tasmania
Every enforcement action you file in Tasmania's Magistrates Court costs money upfront. The good news: these fees get added to what the debtor owes you. The bad news: you pay them out of pocket first, with no guarantee of recovery if the debtor turns out to have nothing.
Understanding the fee structure before you start enforcing helps you choose the right tool for the debt size and avoid spending more on enforcement than the judgment is worth.
The 2026 Fee Schedule
Tasmania calculates court fees using indexed fee units under the Fee Units Act 1997. As of 1 July 2026, one fee unit is worth $1.96. Here's what each enforcement action costs:
| Enforcement Action | Fee Units | 2026 Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Oral examination (judgment summons) | ~1.78 | $3.50 |
| Garnishee order (earnings or debt) | 25 | $49.00 |
| Warrant to sell property (filing fee) | 25 | $49.00 |
| Bailiff execution fee (warrant) | 105 | $205.80 |
| Interlocutory application | 25 | $49.00 |
| Inspection of registry records | 10 | $19.60 |
| Copy of records from registrar | 5 | $9.80 |
In addition to filing fees, the Rules allow $51 for preparing and filing a warrant or garnishee application, recoverable from the debtor as part of the judgment balance.
What Enforcement Actually Costs in Practice
The real cost depends on which path you take. Here are three common scenarios:
Cheapest path — debtor cooperates after oral exam: You file an oral examination ($3.50), the debtor attends and agrees to instalment payments. Total cost: $3.50.
Mid-range — wage garnishment: Oral exam ($3.50) to find the employer, then a garnishee order attaching earnings ($49). Total: $52.50. The garnishee runs automatically until the debt is cleared.
Most expensive — property seizure: Oral exam ($3.50) plus a warrant to sell property ($49 + $205.80 bailiff fee). Total: $258.30. Justified only when the debtor owns assets worth significantly more than this.
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Who Pays in the End
Every enforcement fee you pay is added to the judgment balance. The debtor owes you the original judgment amount, plus awarded costs, plus post-judgment interest, plus all enforcement fees and allowable preparation costs you've incurred.
When partial payments come in, they're credited in this order: accrued post-judgment interest first, then costs and enforcement fees, then the principal judgment balance. This priority matters because it means the debtor pays off your enforcement costs before reducing the underlying debt.
When Enforcement Costs More Than the Judgment
For very small judgments — say, under $500 — enforcement costs can eat into the recovery significantly. A single warrant to sell property costs $254.80, which is half the judgment. In these cases, the oral examination ($3.50) is the sensible starting point. If the debtor has wages, a $49 garnishee order recovers the money over time without the heavy upfront cost of a warrant.
The Tasmania enforcement guide includes a cost calculator worksheet that maps out your total enforcement spend against the judgment balance, so you can make an informed decision about which tools are worth the investment for your specific debt.
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Download the Tasmania Judgment Enforcement Collection Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.