What do you want to do ?
Understanding fees for hearings
Published 9 October 2026
VCAT fees are set by the Victorian Government through the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Fees) Regulations 2026.
We charge fees for:
- applications and referrals
- appropriate dispute resolution, such as a mediation or compulsory conference
- hearings
- other services, such as issuing a warrant or inspecting a file.
Who pays for a hearing
When a case starts with us, this is called commencing a proceeding.
During the proceeding, there is typically a hearing where we make a final decision about your case. The hearing might go for more than one day depending on the type and complexity of your case. The fee for this hearing is paid by the applicant.
There might also be other types of hearings in your case that happen before we make a final decision about your case. For example, we might schedule a directions hearing, which is a short hearing where the member decides:
- how your case should be managed
- when your case material is required
- how much time your case will take.
If we schedule a hearing that is not to make a final decision, we don’t charge a fee unless it is a practice day hearing.
If a party asks us for a hearing that is not to make a final decision and we agree, we might charge a fee. The fee is then payable by the party that made the request.
We will always let you know if a hearing fee is required and provide information about how and when to pay.
You must pay your hearing fee at least 5 business days before your first hearing day.
Hearing fees
Fees for the hearing where we make a final decision about your case are charged per day.
Interim hearings are charged based on how long they are scheduled for. The length of the hearing is based on the reason for the hearing and complexity of your case. They can be scheduled for:
- one day – 100 percent of the hearing fee
- half a day / 3.5 hours – 50 percent of the hearing fee
- 90 minutes or less – 25 percent of the hearing fee.
We have different fee rates depending on your case type and fee payer category.
Hearing fees only apply when a fee is payable to commence an application or proceeding.
If your application is for a claim of $15,000 or less, you will also not be required to pay hearing fees. Hearing fees may apply if your application is for a claim of more than $15,000, or if you are seeking a non-monetary outcome.
Help with hearing fees
If you’re experiencing financial hardship, you may be eligible for a fee waiver, fee reduction, or to pay later.