Newfoundland Small Claims Filing Fees: $50 and $100 Tiers, Plus Every Other Court Cost

The Two Filing Fee Tiers

Newfoundland and Labrador uses a two-tier filing fee structure based on how much you are claiming:

• $50 for claims from $0.01 to $499.99
• $100 for claims from $500 to $25,000

You pay the fee when you file your Statement of Claim (Form 1), either at the court registry counter or by credit card through the e-Filing portal.

There is no filing fee for defendants. Filing a Reply (Form 2) is free.

Every Other Fee You Might Pay

Beyond the initial filing fee, these are the court costs that can come up during a case:

Default judgment application: $10. If the defendant does not file a Reply within the deadline, you file Form 5 and pay $10 to get a default judgment.

Judgment registration: $15. After you win, you register the judgment with the court so the High Sheriff's Office can enforce it. This step is mandatory before any garnishments or seizures can happen.

Witness subpoena: witness fee plus travel allowance. If you need to compel a witness to attend trial, offer the witness $4 per day ($100 per day maximum for a witness declared an expert) plus the required travel allowance when serving Form 7. The travel allowance is $0.25 per kilometre necessarily travelled, unless the judge allows a public-transit fare instead.

Application to a judge (Form 14): prescribed registry rate. Interlocutory applications — like asking for substituted service when you cannot find the defendant — have their own fee.

Service costs: up to $40 or 10% of your claim (whichever is less). You can recover the cost of serving documents as part of your judgment, but only up to this threshold. If your service costs exceed it, you need to apply to a judge using Form 14 for approval.

Can You Get a Fee Waiver?

Yes, but it is not automatic. Under Rule 19 of the Small Claims Rules, you can apply to a Provincial Court judge for a fee waiver by demonstrating financial hardship. You need to fill out an application and provide evidence of your financial situation.

Legal Aid through the Newfoundland and Labrador Legal Aid Commission does not typically cover Small Claims cases — their mandate focuses on criminal and family law matters.

Getting Your Fees Back if You Win

If the judge rules in your favour, they can order the losing side to pay your court costs. Filing fees, judgment registration fees, and reasonable service expenses are all recoverable.

The key limitation is that lawyer fees generally cannot be included in a cost award. The judge has discretion to order legal costs in exceptional circumstances, but this is rare in Small Claims Court. Since most people represent themselves in this forum, it is usually not an issue.

Total Cost Scenario

For a typical $5,000 claim that goes through trial and enforcement, expect to spend roughly $115 out of pocket: $100 filing fee + $15 judgment registration. If the defendant does not reply and you need default judgment, add the $10 application fee, for roughly $125. Add process server costs if you do not serve the defendant yourself.

If you win, most of these costs come back to you as part of the judgment.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Small Claims Filing Guide includes a claim calculation worksheet that helps you tally your principal, fees, service costs, and pre-judgment interest before you file.

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