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This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2026 No. 34

Judgments (enforcement)

The Judgment Enforcement Fees (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

Made

3rd March 2026

Coming into operation

1st April 2026

The Department of Justice, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 116(1) of the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978(1) and now vested in it(2), makes the following Order with the concurrence of the Department of Finance(3).

The Department has, in accordance with section 116(1) of that Act, consulted with the Lady Chief Justice.

Citation and commencement

1. This Order may be cited as the Judgment Enforcement Fees (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 and shall come into operation on 1st April 2026.

Amendment of the Judgment Enforcement Fees Order (Northern Ireland) 1996

1. The Judgment Enforcement Fees Order (Northern Ireland) 1996(4) is amended as follows.

2. For the Schedule substitute the new Schedule set out in the Schedule to this Order.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Justice on 3rd March 2026

Naomi Long

Minister of Justice

The Department of Finance concurs in the making of this Order.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 3rd March 2026

John O’Dowd

Minister of Finance

Article 3

SCHEDULE

Article 4

“ SCHEDULE Fees

PART 1

| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | |
| No. of Fee | Item | Amount of Fee | | |
| | | As from 01/04/26 | As from 01/04/27 | As from 01/04/28 |
| 1. | On lodging notice of intent to apply for enforcement under rule 6; in respect of each person to be served | £33.00 | £34.00 | £35.00 |
| | | | | |
| 2. | On lodging an application for enforcement under Article 22 of the Order; in respect of each respondent

Where the sum due on foot of the judgment— | | | |
| | | | | |
| | 1) does not exceed £1,000 | 25% of the debt; minimum fee £50.00 | 25% of the debt; minimum fee £51.00 | 25% of the debt; minimum fee £52.00 |
| | | | | |
| | 2) exceeds £1,000 but does not exceed £3,000 | £287.00 plus 12% of the debt in excess of £1,000 | £293.00 plus 12% of the debt in excess of £1,000 | £299.00 plus 12% of the debt in excess of £1,000 |
| | | | | |
| | 3) exceeds £3,000 but does not exceed £5,000 | £596.00 plus 4% of the debt in excess of £3,000 | £608.00 plus 4% of the debt in excess of £3,000 | £620.00 plus 4% of the debt in excess of £3,000 |
| | | | | |

| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | | |
| --- | --- | --- | | |
| No. of Fee | Item | Amount of Fee | | |
| | | As from 01/04/26 | As from 01/04/27 | As from 01/04/28 |
| | (4) exceeds £5,000 but does not exceed £10,000 | £693.00 plus 3% of the debt in excess of £5,000 | £707.00 plus 3% of the debt in excess of £5,000 | £721.00 plus 3% of the debt in excess of £5,000 |
| | | | | |
| | (5) exceeds £10,000 | £883.00 plus 2% of the debt in excess of £10,000 | £901.00 plus 2% of the debt in excess of £10,000 | £919.00 plus 2% of the debt in excess of £10,000 |
| | | | | |
| 3. | On lodging an application under Article 23(1) of the Order, including one copy of the report: for each respondent

Where an application is made under Article 22 of the Order subsequent to an application under Article 23(1) of the Order the fee paid under Fee No 2 shall be reduced by the amount of the fee paid under Fee No 3. | £244.00 | £249.00 | £254.00 |
| | | | | |
| 4. | On lodging an application for repossession of land | £840.00 | £857.00 | £874.00 |
| | | | | |
| 5. | On lodging an application for restitution of goods | £269.00 | £274.00 | £279.00 |
| | | | | |
| 6. | On lodging an application under rule 104 | £33.00 | £34.00 | £35.00 |

| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | | |
| --- | --- | --- | | |
| No. of Fee | Item | Amount of Fee | | |
| | | As from 01/04/26 | As from 01/04/27 | As from 01/04/28 |
| 7. | (1) On an application for a search in the register of judgments | £33.00 | £34.00 | £35.00 |
| | | | | |
| | (2) Additional payment where the search is carried out by an officer of the court | £17.00 | £17.00 | £17.00 |
| | | | | |
| 8. | On a copy, including a photographic copy, of all or any part of any document not otherwise provided for— | | | |
| | | | | |
| | (a) five sheets or less | £8.00 | £8.00 | £8.00 |
| | | | | |
| | (b) for each sheet thereafter | £0.50 | £0.50 | £0.50 |
| | | | | |
| 9. | For a certificate of satisfaction | £25.00 | £26.00 | £27.00 |
| | | | | |
| 10. | On an administration order made under Article 80 of the Order. This fee is payable out of the money paid into the Office | For every £1.00 of the money paid into the Office in respect of debts due to creditors, 10p | For every £1.00 of the money paid into the Office in respect of debts due to creditors, 10p | For every £1.00 of the money paid into the Office in respect of debts due to creditors, 10p |
| | | | | |

| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | | |
| No. of Fee | Item | Amount of Fee | | | |
| | | As from 01/04/26 | As from 01/04/27 | As from 01/04/28 | |
| 11. | (i) For the removal, in accordance with an order of seizure under Article 31 of the Order, of goods, or taking steps to remove such goods to a place of deposit. This fee includes the reasonable expenses of feeding and caring for animals | The reasonable expenses thereof | The reasonable expenses thereof | The reasonable expenses thereof | |
| | | | | | |
| | (ii) For any sale by auction of property seized (to cover all the expenses of sale or incurred in connection therewith including valuation, advertisement, auctioneers’ fees) | The reasonable expenses thereof | The reasonable expenses thereof | The reasonable expenses thereof | |
| | | | | | |
| | (iii) Where goods are sold otherwise than at auction, for the valuation of the goods | The reasonable expenses thereof | The reasonable expenses thereof | The reasonable expenses thereof | |
| | | | | | |

PART II JUDGMENT ENFORCEMENT (RECOVERY OF ADMITTED DEBTS) RULES (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1985

Recovery of Certain Debts Without Judgment

| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | |
| No. of Fee | Item | Amount of Fee | | |
| | | As from 01/04/26 | As from 01/04/27 | As from 01/04/28 |
| 12. | On lodging notice of intention to apply for recovery of debt under rule 8; in respect of each person to be served | £33.00 | £34.00 | £35.00 |
| | | | | |
| 13. | On lodging an application for recovery of debt under Article

95(1) of the Order; in respect of each debtor | £33.00 | £34.00 | £35.00 |
| | | | | |
| 14. | On the Chief Enforcement Officer’s direction for recovery of an admitted debt under rule 16(1): in respect of each debtor

Where the admitted debt— | | | |
| | | | | |
| | (1) does not exceed £1,000 | 25% of the debt; minimum fee £50.00 | 25% of the debt; minimum fee £51.00 | 25% of the debt; minimum fee £52.00 |
| | | | | |
| | (2) exceeds £1,000 but does not exceed £3,000 | £287.00 plus 12% of the debt in excess of £1,000 | £293.00 plus 12% of the debt in excess of £1,000 | £299.00 plus 12% of the debt in excess of £1,000 |
| | | | | |

| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | |
| No. of Fee | Item | Amount of Fee | | |
| | | As from 01/04/26 | As from 01/04/27 | As from 01/04/28 |
| 15. | On lodging a certificate of corresponding debt under rule 18: in respect of each debtor | £33.00 | £34.00 | £35.00 |
| | | | | |
| 16. | On the Master’s direction for enforcement of corresponding debt under rule 20(1): in respect of each debtor;

Where the sum certified as corresponding debt— | | | |
| | | | | |
| | (1) does not exceed £1,000 | 25% of the debt; minimum fee £50.00 | 25% of the debt; minimum fee £51.00 | 25% of the debt; minimum fee £52.00 |
| | | | | |
| | (2) exceeds £1,000 but does not exceed £3,000 | £287.00 plus 12% of the debt in excess of £1,000 | £293.00 plus 12% of the debt in excess of £1,000 | £299.00 plus 12% of the debt in excess of £1,000 ” |

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Judgment Enforcement Fees Order (Northern Ireland) 1996 (S.R. 1996 No. 101) to increase the fees payable in respect of the enforcement of judgments over a three-year period (5% increase effective from 1st April 2026, 2% increase effective from 1st April 2027, with a further 2% increase effective from 1st April 2028). It also amends the 1996 Order to increase the minimum fee and update the fee bands in respect of the enforcement of money judgements (Fee 2) and admitted or corresponding debts (Fees 14 and 16).

An Explanatory Memorandum and a Regulatory Impact Assessment have been produced and are available from Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service, Laganside House, 23-27 Oxford Street, Belfast BT1 3LA or online alongside this Statutory Rule at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr.

(1) 1978 c. 23 as amended by Article 15(1) and paragraph 6(h) of Schedule 17 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010 No. 976); and s.59 of the Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (2016 c.21 (N.I.)).

(2) Article 15(4)(b) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010 No. 976).

(3) Formerly the Department of Finance and Personnel, see the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (2016 c.5 (N.I.)), Section 1(4) and Schedule 1.

(4) S.R. 1996 No. 101 to which relevant amendments are made by S.R. 2007 No. 380, S.R. 2017 No. 12, S.R. 2019 No. 176 and S.R. 2023 No. 165.

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