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Court Fee & Expense Advance Calculator
Calculate what filing a lawsuit costs in Turkey: application fee, advance decision fee, the civil procedure expense advance and your exposure if you lose.
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Let us weigh the cost and the risk before you file Get in touch about whether mediation applies to your dispute, how the claim value should be set, and what your real exposure is.
Contact Us This calculation is for information only and is not legal advice. The fee base (the amount awarded), the scope of any exemption, the evidence advance and local cashier practice all vary by file. Consult a lawyer before filing.
Legal basis: Fees Act no. 492 (tariff no. 1, arts. 22, 28, 123) · CCP arts. 114, 120, 324, 326 · CCP Expense Advance Tariff · Attorney Minimum Fee Tariff.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to file a lawsuit?
Three items are paid at filing: the application fee, the advance decision and judgment fee, and the expense advance. If a lawyer files a power of attorney, the copy fee and bar stamp are added. In claims measurable in money the advance fee varies with the claim value, so totals differ widely; in non-monetary cases it is fixed. This calculator computes the filing total from the tariffs.
What is the advance fee — do I pay the whole decision fee upfront?
In claims measurable in money the decision and judgment fee is 0.6831% of the claim value, and one quarter of it is collected at filing. The rest is due within one month of service of the judgment, calculated on the amount actually awarded. The proportional fee can never fall below the fixed fee (732 ₺ for 2026).
What is the expense advance and can I get it back?
The expense advance covers notification and postal costs and is a condition of action; without it the case is dismissed. The tariff that took effect at the end of 2025 simplified the calculation: notification costs equal to five times the number of parties, plus a fixed amount for other steps. The unused portion is refunded on request once the judgment is final.
How much will I pay if I lose?
In a loss the real burden is not the court fee but the attorney fee payable to the other side. If the case is dismissed the decision fee reverts to the fixed amount and the excess you advanced is refunded on request, so no remaining fee arises. In exchange, a proportional attorney fee is awarded to the defendant on the amount dismissed — usually many times your filing cost.
Do I pay fees in a consumer case?
No. Under article 73/2 of Act 6502, cases brought by consumers, consumer organisations and the Ministry before consumer courts are exempt from fees — you pay none even if you lose. The exemption covers fees only, so the expense advance is still payable. For disputes below 186,000 ₺ you must first apply to the consumer arbitration committee.
Why is the fee lower in a traffic accident damages case?
Article 28 of the Fees Act sets the advance fee rate at one twentieth rather than one quarter for damages claims arising from death or bodily injury. Traffic accidents, work accidents, malpractice and loss-of-support claims fall within this. The exception exists to make it easier for seriously injured people to bring a claim; it cuts the advance fee to roughly a fifth.
Must I go to mediation before filing?
Mediation is a condition of action for employment, commercial and consumer disputes, and for disputes arising from leases, neighbour rights and condominium ownership. If the final mediation minutes are not attached to the statement of claim the case is dismissed and the fees and advance you paid are wasted. So check whether mandatory mediation applies before you calculate fees.