NZ Civil Enforcement Fees and Forms — Every Filing Cost for Disputes Tribunal Orders
One of the first questions after winning a Disputes Tribunal order is how much it actually costs to enforce it. Civil enforcement fees vary depending on which tool you're using and how documents are served.
Here's the complete fee schedule effective 1 July 2026, plus how to pay and where to file.
Current Enforcement Fee Schedule
| Enforcement Tool | Fee | When You'd Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Agreed Attachment Order | NZ$41 | Debtor consented to wage deductions at the hearing |
| Standard Attachment Order | NZ$69 | Debtor has income but didn't consent |
| Filing a New Address | NZ$69 | Debtor moved — updating the court file |
| Notice to Complete Financial Statement | NZ$89 | Need debtor to disclose finances (paper exercise) |
| Assessment of Financial Means | NZ$109 | Registrar reviews debtor's finances, can issue attachment order on the spot |
| Financial Assessment Hearing (self-served) | NZ$178 | Summon debtor to court — you serve the summons |
| Financial Assessment Hearing (bailiff-served) | NZ$247 | Summon debtor to court — court bailiff serves it |
| Warrant to Seize Property | NZ$273 | Bailiff seizes and sells debtor's goods |
| Warrant to Recover Chattels | NZ$273 | Recover specific items ordered returned |
| Charging Order | NZ$345 | Place a charge on debtor's real property (land/house) |
| Garnishee Order | NZ$345 | Freeze and seize money in a bank account or owed by a third party |
| Enforcement Review | NZ$345 | Challenge a Registrar's enforcement decision |
| Enforce Judgment Over 6 Years | NZ$345 | Judgment is between 6 and 12 years old |
Fees are governed by the District Court Fees Regulations 2009 (as updated under the District Court Act 2016). The most recent update took effect 1 July 2026.
Fees Get Added to the Debt
Every filing fee you pay is added to the total amount the debtor owes you. So if the original judgment is NZ$5,000 and you pay $69 for an attachment order and $89 for a financial statement, the enforceable debt becomes $5,158.
One exception: private expenses like debt collection agency commissions, legal representation costs, and skip-tracing fees you paid outside the court system cannot be added to the judgment balance without a formal court order.
You can also claim up to NZ$69 in allowable service expenses if you serve enforcement documents yourself (e.g. serving a financial assessment hearing summons instead of having the bailiff do it).
Fee Waivers
If you can't afford the filing fees, you can apply for a waiver through the District Court. You'll need to demonstrate genuine financial hardship — proof of income, benefit status, or bank statements. The Registrar has discretion to waive, postpone, or refund fees under the statutory hardship criteria in the District Court Act 2016.
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How to Pay: File and Pay Portal
The Ministry of Justice File and Pay platform handles online fee payments. You can pay enforcement filing fees with a debit or credit card.
One important detail: File and Pay is a payment portal, not a filing system. Paying the fee online generates a PDF receipt, but it doesn't submit your enforcement application. You still need to print that receipt and attach it to your completed application form, then submit the package separately.
Filing options:
- Online — File and Pay handles fee payment only; send the application separately through an accepted registry channel
- In person — at any District Court registry counter (EFTPOS, credit card, or cash)
- By post — send the completed form plus printed fee receipt to the relevant District Court Collections registry
- By email — where the relevant Collections registry accepts emailed applications
For general queries about your enforcement case, the Ministry of Justice Collections call centre is available at 0800 233 222.
Where to Get the Forms
All civil enforcement application forms are available as PDF downloads from the Courts of New Zealand website under the civil debt collection section. The key forms are:
- Application for an Attachment Order (PDF, 638 KB)
- Application for Warrant to Seize Property (PDF, 479 KB)
- Application for Warrant to Recover Chattels (PDF, 478 KB)
- Filing a Financial Statement Form (PDF, 805 KB)
- Application for Assessment of Financial Means (PDF, 598 KB)
- Confidential Address Request Form (PDF, 85 KB)
- Application to Enforce Judgment over Six Years (PDF, 138 KB)
Garnishee applications and charging order applications use prescribed District Court Rules forms (Form 70 and Form 49 respectively), available from the same source.
Planning Your Enforcement Budget
Most creditors don't use every tool. A typical enforcement sequence might look like:
- Financial means assessment ($109) to learn the debtor's situation
- Attachment order ($69) if they have income
- Warrant to seize ($273) if the attachment doesn't work and they have assets
Total outlay: $451, all added to the debt. Compare that to a debt collection agency that takes 30–50% of the recovered amount on a $5,000 judgment ($1,500–$2,500).
The NZ Disputes Tribunal Enforcement Guide includes a fee tracking template and enforcement decision matrix so you can map out the most cost-effective path based on what you know about the debtor.
Get Your Free NZ Disputes Tribunal Enforcement Collection Checklist
Download the NZ Disputes Tribunal Enforcement Collection Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.