Is litigation in Saudi Arabia free? Not for every claim any more. The Judicial Costs Law introduced fees on certain claims and requests, to curb vexatious lawsuits and encourage settlement. Before you file, you need to know: is your claim subject to costs? Who bears them in the end? And when are they refunded?
The basic idea of the law
- Costs apply to defined types of claims and requests; other claims are exempt by the law.
- As a rule, the losing party bears the costs in the end, and the judge rules on them in the judgment.
- Early settlement may reduce or remove the costs in the cases the law defines.
- Costs are set as a percentage of the claim's value with a cap, or as a fixed amount for some requests.
The percentages, caps and exempt claims are set by the implementing regulations; check the current official text of the Judicial Costs Law and its regulations before filing.
How to deal with costs in practice
- Check whether your claim is subject to costs: its type and value decide that.
- Weigh their effect on your decision: for small claims, settlement or amicable settlement may be better.
- Ask in your statement of claim that the other side be ordered to pay the costs if you are right.
- Follow the judgment: if it is in your favour, the other side is ordered to pay the costs and they are collected from them.
- On settlement: check the effect of the settlement on costs before signing any agreement.
Judicial costs and lawyers' fees
| Judicial costs | Lawyers' fees | |
|---|---|---|
| Paid to | The state (the court) | The lawyer, under a contract |
| Set by | The law and its regulations | Agreement between client and lawyer |
| Charged to the other side? | Usually yes, to the loser | Can be claimed in some cases, at the court's discretion |
Read lawyers' fees in Saudi Arabia.
Frequently asked questions
Are personal status and labor claims subject to costs?
The law exempted several types of claims; check the current list in the regulations, which sets the exemptions precisely.
I paid the costs and won. Do I get them back?
As a rule the loser bears them, so if they are awarded against the other side they are collected from them as the judgment provides.
Are costs refunded if we settle?
Settlement affects costs in the cases and stages the law defines; ask before signing.
Want to know what your claim will cost before filing?
The Usus Law Firm team in general court cases assesses whether your claim is worth it, its costs and cheaper alternatives, in Riyadh and Tabuk.
Legal review: the Usus Law Firm team
A select team of lawyers and legal advisers licensed by the Saudi Ministry of Justice, working from Riyadh and Tabuk, with experience before the general, commercial, labor, criminal, personal status and administrative courts. Every article is reviewed before publication and updated when laws or regulations change.
Last reviewed: 12 October 2026
This article is general legal information and is not a substitute for advice on your specific case. Court proceedings in Saudi Arabia are in Arabic; the official Arabic text of each law prevails.
Request a quick consultation
Leave your name and mobile number, and a lawyer from our Riyadh or Tabuk office will call you during working hours. We advise in English.