Judgment Enforcement Fees WA: What Every Step Actually Costs

Before you file an enforcement application in the Magistrates Court of Western Australia, you pay the fees. After the order issues, the debtor reimburses them — in theory. But if the debtor has no money, those fees come out of your pocket. Knowing what each step costs helps you decide whether enforcement is worth pursuing for the amount at stake.

2026 Bailiff and Court Fees

These are the prescribed fees under the Civil Judgments Enforcement Regulations 2005, based on the 2026 gazetted tariffs:

Bailiff travel is charged on top at $2.70 per km within the Perth metropolitan area and $3.10 per km outside it. For regional enforcement — say, serving a debtor in Geraldton or Kalgoorlie — travel costs can exceed the service fee itself.

Recoverable Legal Costs

If you engage a lawyer for enforcement, the Legal Profession (Magistrates Court) (Civil) Determination 2026 sets fixed legal cost allowances that get added to the judgment debt:

• Enforcement application (execution against goods): $242
• Enforcement application against land: $957
• SEPA interstate judgment registration: $253

Allowed hourly rates for assessed work range from $220 (junior clerk) to $440 (senior practitioner). These are the amounts you can recover from the debtor — your actual legal bill may differ.

Third-Party Administrative Fees

Banks and employers complying with garnishment orders deduct their own admin fees from the debtor's funds:

• First payment: $10
• Each subsequent payment: $5

These come out of the debtor's money, not yours, but they reduce the net amount you receive per payment cycle.

Bailiff Commission on Sales

If a Property Seizure and Sale Order results in a public auction, the bailiff takes a commission from the proceeds before you get paid:

• 5% on the first $13,500 recovered
• 2.5% on everything above $13,500

Plus storage costs and auction expenses. On a $10,000 recovery from seized goods, expect roughly $500 in bailiff commission before your share.

Fee Reductions for Hardship

The system works both ways. If you hold a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, you automatically qualify for the "Eligible Individual" reduced fee scale through the eCourts Portal. Without a concession card, you can apply for fee remission using CJE Regulations Form 4. Small businesses and non-profit associations have their own reduced fee schedule via Form 3.

The Cost-Benefit Calculation

For a $1,500 judgment, a means inquiry ($117.50) followed by a Debt Appropriation Order ($85.50) costs $203 in bailiff fees alone — roughly 14% of the judgment. Add travel if the debtor is regional. If the DAO finds nothing in the bank account, you have spent $203 and recovered nothing.

For a $10,000 judgment, those same fees represent about 2% of the debt, and post-judgment interest at 6% per annum ($1.64 per day) continues building the total owed. The arithmetic shifts decisively in your favour at higher amounts.

Every enforcement fee you pay gets added to the judgment debt — the debtor ultimately owes it. But you front the cost, and recovery is not guaranteed.

The WA Judgment Enforcement Guide includes a cost estimator worksheet for mapping out the likely fees before you file, so you can run the numbers on your specific judgment.

See more Western Australia guides →