How to pay court fees and buy stamp paper — complete 2026 guide

Roughly ₹4,800 crore in court fees was collected across all Indian courts in FY 2024-25 (NJDG annual report). Around ₹120 crore is estimated to be lost annually to fake stamp paper fraud — a problem largely solved by the SHCIL e-Stamping rollout in 24 states + 5 UTs (Telangana and Mizoram still on paper hybrid as of April 2026).

A court fee is a tax paid to the State exchequer for the privilege of invoking a court's jurisdiction. The legal anchor is the Court Fees Act, 1870 (Central) and each state's amending Act. The Act has two schedules:

• Schedule I — ad valorem fees. Calculated as a percentage of the value of the subject-matter of the suit / appeal. Apply to plaints, written statements with counter-claims, memorandum of appeals, applications to set aside an arbitral award.
• Schedule II — fixed fees. Flat amounts for: caveat (Article 1A), vakalatnama (Article 10), certified copies (Article 9), probate/letters of administration (Article 11), affidavit (Article 4), petitions under specific Acts.

A stamp paper / stamp duty (under the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 + state amendments) is a separate concept — paid on instruments like sale deeds, gift deeds, lease deeds, partnership deeds, affidavits. Same physical mechanism (the e-Stamp certificate from SHCIL), different legal basis. Don't confuse: court fee goes to the state for adjudication; stamp duty goes to the state for the instrument itself.

• Court fee → Court Fees Act 1870 → State Schedule I/II → paid via judicial stamp paper or e-Court Fee (SHCIL).
• Stamp duty → Indian Stamp Act 1899 → state-specific rates → paid via non-judicial stamp paper or e-Stamp (SHCIL).

This determines whether you pay ad valorem or fixed, and how much.

• Money suit: value = the amount claimed.
• Suit for declaration + consequential relief: value of the consequential relief (e.g., partition share value, possession value).
• Partition suit: value = your share's market value (not the whole property's).
• Injunction: if pure injunction, fixed fee under Schedule II; if injunction + ancillary relief, ad valorem on the relief value.
• Specific performance: value of the contract.
• Eviction: annual rent payable (state-specific cap — Maharashtra caps at 12 months' rent).
• Probate / Letters of Administration: value of the estate (Article 11 of Schedule I — sliding scale; in Maharashtra capped at ₹75,000 for estates above ₹50 lakh).
• Writ petition / PIL: typically fixed fee in Schedule II (₹50–₹500 depending on state); higher if monetary relief sought.

Each state has amended the 1870 Act. As of 2026:

• Maharashtra: Bombay Court Fees Act, 1959 (max ad valorem cap ₹3 lakh per Court Fees (Maharashtra Amendment) Act 2018).
• Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu Court Fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1955.
• Karnataka: Karnataka Court Fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1958.
• Kerala: Kerala Court Fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1959.
• Andhra Pradesh / Telangana: AP Court Fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1956 (Telangana adopted with state amendments).
• West Bengal: Bengal Court Fees Amendments (highest in India for some categories).
• Delhi / UP / MP / Rajasthan / Haryana / Punjab / Bihar / Jharkhand / Chhattisgarh / NE states: Court Fees Act 1870 with state amendments.

Find your state's Schedule on the High Court website (every High Court publishes the consolidated court fee schedule). Or visit the District Court Stamp Office in person.

• Below ₹500 fee value: ordinary judicial stamp paper from a licensed stamp vendor at the court complex. Denominations: ₹1, ₹2, ₹5, ₹10, ₹20, ₹50, ₹100.
• ₹500 to ₹50,000: judicial stamp paper of higher denomination, OR e-Stamp certificate via SHCIL.
• Above ₹50,000: mandatory e-Stamp certificate in most states (since 2013-2017 phase-out of physical stamp paper above ₹50,000 / ₹500 in some states like Karnataka).

• Open https://www.shcilestamp.com → choose your state → “Online Users” → register with PAN + Aadhaar OTP.
• Choose the document description (e.g., “Plaint”, “Caveat under §148A CPC”, “Vakalatnama”).
• Enter the consideration value, calculate the court fee.
• Pay by net banking / UPI / debit card. Service charge: ₹10 + 1.18% (capped at ₹150 for high-value).
• Download the e-Stamp certificate — has a unique 17-digit Certificate Number, QR code, and is verifiable on https://www.shcilestamp.com → “Verify e-Stamp”.
• Print on plain A4 paper, attach to your plaint / petition.

If your state doesn't use SHCIL e-Stamp for court fees specifically, use the alternative state portal:

• Maharashtra: GRAS at https://gras.mahakosh.gov.in (court fee head 0030).
• Karnataka: K2 (Khajane-2) at https://k2.karnataka.gov.in.
• Rajasthan: e-GRAS at https://egras.rajasthan.gov.in.
• Kerala: e-Treasury at https://etreasury.kerala.gov.in.
• Tamil Nadu: e-Court Fee via Stock Holding & SHCIL specifically.
• Delhi: Delhi e-Court Fee via SHCIL — fully online since 2014.

• Visit the District Court complex or a notified vendor location (Treasury / Sub-Registrar's office).
• Identify yourself with PAN + photo ID.
• Tell the vendor: “Court Fee stamp of ₹_ for plaint in [Court name], suit value ₹_.”
• The vendor issues the stamp paper with the buyer's name printed/written + date + serial number.
• Pay cash or UPI. Vendor charges 1% commission (capped per state rules).
• Verify the stamp paper is genuine: serial number traceable on the state stamp portal, watermark visible, vendor's seal intact.

• e-Stamp certificate: print on A4, staple to the cover page of the plaint. The court will verify the QR code at filing.
• Judicial stamp paper: affix on the plaint cover (each sheet < ₹100; for higher, use one consolidated higher-denomination sheet). Cancel using the court's seal at filing — done by the office staff to prevent reuse.
• Carry two photocopies of the e-Stamp / stamp paper alongside the original.

• Submit plaint + e-Stamp + supporting documents + vakalatnama + process fee.
• The court office will: (a) verify the court fee against the suit valuation, (b) issue a deficiency note if short, © accept and assign a CNR (Case Number Record) number.
• Save the CNR — it's your unique case ID for life across district court, HC, SC.

• If the suit is withdrawn before issuance of summons under Order 23 Rule 1 CPC + §16 of Court Fees Act, you can claim refund up to half the fee in many states.
• If the suit is dismissed for default before first hearing: full refund in some states (Maharashtra, Karnataka).
• If the matter goes to mediation / Lok Adalat and is settled: refund of the full court fee under §21 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 + Lok Adalat Regulations.
• Apply by petition to the trial court → order for refund → claim from the Treasury / SHCIL within 6 months.

+------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Type of proceeding                 | Court fee (illustrative)              |
+------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Money suit, value ₹1,00,000       | Maharashtra: ₹6,000 (6%)             |
| (ad valorem)                       | Delhi: ₹2,200 + ₹17 per ₹100         |
|                                    | Karnataka: ₹6,500 (sliding scale)     |
+------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Civil suit, value ₹50,00,000      | Maharashtra: ₹30,000 (capped)         |
| (ad valorem with state caps)       | (Court Fees Maha Amendment Act 2018  |
|                                    | caps ad valorem at ₹3 lakh)          |
|                                    | Delhi: progressive, ~₹2.5 lakh        |
|                                    | Karnataka: ₹75,000 (capped at 1.5%)  |
+------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Caveat under §148A CPC             | ₹100–₹500 (Schedule II Article 1A,   |
|                                    | varies by state and court level)     |
+------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Vakalatnama (Schedule II Art. 10) | ₹5–₹50 per advocate (state-specific) |
+------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Certified copy (Schedule II Art. 9)| ₹2–₹5 per page + folio fee ₹3       |
+------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Affidavit (Schedule II Art. 4)    | ₹10–₹50 (judicial) + ₹20–₹100      |
|                                    | (notary stamp duty — separate)        |
+------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Probate (Schedule I Art. 11)      | Sliding 2-7.5% of estate value;      |
|                                    | Maharashtra capped at ₹75,000;       |
|                                    | Delhi capped at ₹75,000              |
+------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Writ petition (HC, civil)          | ₹50–₹500 (state-specific Schedule II)|
+------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Special Leave Petition (Supreme    | ₹250 court fee + process fee +      |
| Court)                             | filing fee per SC Rules 2013         |
+------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| RTI to State Stamp Department      | ₹10 by IPO. BPL = free.              |
| (rate verification, etc.)          |                                       |
+------------------------------------+--------------------------------------+

• Wrong state's stamp paper. A Maharashtra judicial stamp paper is invalid in Karnataka and vice versa. Always buy from the state where the court sits.
• Insufficient court fee — “deficit court fee”. If you under-pay, the office issues a deficiency note. You must pay the balance within the time given (usually 7-15 days) under Order 7 Rule 11 CPC, or the plaint is rejected.
• Old stamp paper used. Stamp paper has no expiry, but 6-month-old non-judicial stamp paper is typically refused for new instruments (per Indian Stamp Act §54). Judicial stamp paper has no such bar but courts prefer fresh.
• Stamp paper bought in someone else's name. §53 Indian Stamp Act technically allows transfer, but courts often question. Buy in the litigant's name only.
• Fake stamp paper from unauthorised vendor. The Telgi scam (2003) led to massive crackdowns; SHCIL e-Stamp solves this. Never buy stamp paper from random shops near court.
• Court fee paid but no QR-code verification possible. Some old e-Stamp certificates pre-2017 lack QR codes. Get a duplicate / fresh certificate.
• Wrong head of account on GRAS / e-GRAS challan. Court fee goes to head 0030 — Stamps and Registration, sub-head 0030-02-103-Court Fees. Stamp duty goes to a different sub-head. Wrong head means the court won't accept.
• Forgot to round up. Court fees in many states must be in multiples of ₹5 or ₹10 (rounding rules in state schedules). Always round UP.

• The Sheristedar (court office head clerk) is your first point of contact for fee disputes. Most issues are resolved verbally — show your calculation worksheet.

• For incorrect e-Stamp certificate, refund of unused stamp paper, vendor licence complaints — visit the District Stamp Office or State Inspector General of Registration (IGR).
• Time-bound refund process under each state's Stamp Refund Rules (typically 6 months from non-use).

• Toll-free 1800-200-7575 (SHCIL e-Stamping helpdesk).
• Email customercare.estamp@stockholding.com
• For: failed transactions, certificate not generated despite payment, duplicate certificate request.

• For systematic vendor fraud or stamp paper shortage, write to the District Collector (who is also the Collector of Stamps under §2(9) of the Indian Stamp Act).

• If the court refuses to accept e-Stamp despite valid QR verification, or imposes excessive fee not backed by state Schedule, file a writ petition under Article 226 / 227.
• Famous precedents: A.P. Industrial Infra Corp. v. State of AP (2024) struck down arbitrary court fee enhancement.

The Stamp Department of every state, the SHCIL (limited — only for its government-mandated functions), and the District Court Establishment are public authorities under §2(h) of the RTI Act 2005.

RTI helps here when:

• You want the list of licensed stamp vendors in your district to avoid fake-vendor scams — RTI to the District Collector / Stamp Office.
• Your e-Stamp refund application has been pending more than 6 months — RTI to the State Treasury for status + reasons for delay.
• You want to know the exact court fee for a non-standard suit type and the office is silent — RTI to the Sheristedar or PIO of the court.
• You want the state's current consolidated Court Fees Schedule with all amendments — RTI to the State Law Department or High Court Registry.
• A stamp vendor charged you commission above the prescribed cap — RTI to the Stamp Office for the cap notification, then complaint to vendor licensing authority.
• You want statistics on court fee collected and refunded — RTI to State IGR (useful for litigation cost analysis).

See the dedicated guide: How to write an effective RTI application — full template.

RTI does NOT help here when:

• You want to reduce the court fee itself for your suit — that's a judicial determination by the trial court under Order 7 Rule 11 CPC, not an RTI matter.
• You want a legal opinion on whether your suit valuation is correct — consult an advocate or use free legal aid.
• For third-party litigant data (someone else's case, fee paid) — exempt under §8(1)(j) RTI Act.
• SHCIL's commercial transactions beyond government-mandated stamping — SHCIL is a private company except in its e-Stamping role.
• Disputes about stamp duty (not court fee) on a sale deed — those go to the Collector under §47A Indian Stamp Act, not RTI.

Q. Can I use ₹500 stamp paper for a ₹100 fee, hoping for refund?
No — the excess is forfeited. Buy the exact denomination. Stamp papers are sold in standard denominations; combine smaller ones if needed.

Q. My case settled in mediation. Can I claim back the court fee?
Yes — under §21 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 + state Lok Adalat rules, the entire court fee is refundable when a case is referred to and settled in Lok Adalat. Apply to the trial court within 6 months of the settlement order.

Q. Is there a “first appearance fee” beyond the court fee?
Yes — most states have a process fee (for issuing summons, ₹50-₹200 per defendant), typing fee, commissioner's fee (if a commission is appointed), and caveat fee. These are separate from the ad valorem court fee.

Q. I'm a senior citizen / SC/ST / woman litigant. Do I get a fee waiver?
Some states have specific exemptions: Maharashtra exempts women in §498A IPC complaints from court fee; Karnataka has reduced fees for senior citizens in maintenance cases under §125 CrPC. Check your state schedule. Universal route: Legal Services Authorities Act 1987 §12 — free legal aid + court fee waiver for SC/ST, women, children, disabled, victims of trafficking, and those earning below ₹3 lakh / ₹5 lakh (varies by state).

Q. The vendor wrote my name in pencil — is that valid?
No. Vendor must write in indelible ink, with date and serial number, and affix his seal. If only pencil — refuse and demand correction or refund.

Q. I lost my e-Stamp certificate before filing. Can I get a duplicate?
Yes — login to SHCIL portal → “View / Reprint Certificate” → enter the 17-digit certificate number. If you don't have the number, the original buyer can recover it via PAN + transaction date.

Q. Are court fees applicable in Family Court?
Family Courts under the Family Courts Act 1984 typically charge nominal fees (₹10–₹100 in most states). Mutual consent divorce, maintenance, custody — all have flat fees. Some states waive entirely for women litigants.

Q. Can I pay court fee in cash at the court?
No. Court fee is paid via stamp paper / e-Stamp / GRAS challan only. Cash is not accepted at the court counter (except small process fees in some districts).

• RTI in 12 simple steps — for first-time filers
• How to write an effective RTI application — full template
• How to get free legal aid / a free lawyer in 2026
• How to transfer property by gift deed in 2026
• All Indian government helplines — one master directory

Last reviewed: 26 April 2026 by RTI Wiki editorial team. Court fees and stamp duty rates are state-specific and change with state Finance Acts. Verify your current rate on your state IGR / High Court website or write to admin@bighelpers.in if you spot a stale figure.