Litigation Cost Calculator
Enter the amount in dispute – the calculator shows the cost of your own lawyer, the other side’s lawyer plus the court at first instance, with the cost risk if you lose
As of September 2026Basis: Section 13 RVG with remuneration schedule, Section 34 GKG with schedule of costsCalculated in your browser – nothing is stored
Value of the matter in dispute, for example the sum claimed · tap or drag
End of the proceedings – what you bear
Judgment: whoever loses completely bears all costs (Section 91 ZPO). Settlement in court: unless agreed otherwise, your own lawyer plus half of the court costs (Section 98 ZPO).
Cost risk if you lose
€2,668.38
€2,668.38With €5,000 in dispute, the first instance costs €2,668.38: two lawyers plus the court. Whoever loses completely bears all of it – that is 53% of the amount in dispute.
What the amount consists of
- Your own lawyer€1,078.4440%
- Lawyer of the other side€1,078.4440%
- Court€511.5019%
Compared with the amount in dispute53% of the amount in dispute
RZ-26 · headon.pro
What does it cost at which amount in dispute?
The fees rise in steps, not in line with the amount in dispute. Drag the dot to change the amount.
Your row in the fee tables
Value bracket
above €4,000 up to €5,000
Single lawyer fee (Section 13 RVG)
€354.50
Single court fee (Section 34 GKG)
€170.50
Within the bracket every case costs the same. The single fees are multiplied by the fee rates to give the amounts above – the steps are listed under “How this was calculated”.
What you can do
A settlement lowers the court costs−€341.00
The court fee drops from 3.0 to 1.0 fees (no. 1211 KV GKG); each lawyer adds the settlement fee (€421.85 including VAT). Unless agreed otherwise you then bear €1,585.54 instead of €2,668.38 if you lose completely.
Above €5,000 in dispute it gets more expensive+€421.52
Your value bracket runs from above €4,000 up to €5,000; within it the proceedings cost the same. Up to €4,000 it would be €421.52 less.
Before a local court without your own lawyer−€1,078.44
The local court (Amtsgericht) hears disputes of up to €10,000 (Section 23 no. 1 GVG); there Section 78(1) ZPO does not require a lawyer. Appearing without one saves your own – though the risk of paying the other side's lawyer remains.
The claimant pays the court fee in advance€511.50
The claim is meant to be served only after the court fee has been paid (Section 12(1) GKG) – that is 3.0 fees.
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How this was calculated
- Your own lawyerstatutory fees with flat-rate expenses, including VAT
- €1,078.44
- Lawyer of the other sidesame fees; the losing party reimburses them (Section 91 ZPO)
- €1,078.44
- Court3.0 fees of €170.50 each (no. 1210 KV GKG)
- €511.50
- Cost risk if you lose completely
- €2,668.38
How the cost of one lawyer adds up
- Single feefrom the table under Section 13 RVG for this amount in dispute
- €354.50
- Procedural fee 1.3no. 3100 VV RVG
- €460.85
- Hearing fee 1.2no. 3104 VV RVG
- + €425.40
- Flat rate for post, telecommunications20% of the fees, at most €20.00 (no. 7002 VV RVG)
- + €20.00
- Remuneration before VAT
- €906.25
- VAT 19%no. 7008 VV RVG
- + €172.19
- Cost per lawyer
- €1,078.44
A sample calculation under the statute, not legal advice
The calculator shows the statutory fees for German civil proceedings at first instance before a local or regional court, with one client per side, one hearing, ending in a judgment or a court settlement. Costs in an individual case can differ. A fee agreement with your own lawyer is outside its scope.
What is left out
Costs for witnesses or experts (no. 9005 KV GKG), travel costs plus absence allowance of the lawyer (nos. 7003 to 7006 VV RVG), the surcharge for several clients (no. 1008 VV RVG), the lawyer's out-of-court work with its partial crediting against the procedural fee (no. 2300, preliminary note 3(4) VV RVG), preceding payment-order proceedings, a default judgment (no. 3105 VV RVG) as well as the second instance. VAT on the other side's lawyer is only reimbursed if that party cannot deduct it as input tax (Section 104(2) ZPO) – the calculator includes it.
Partly won, partly lost
If each party wins in part, the costs are set off against each other or split proportionally (Section 92(1) ZPO). The total above is the case of losing completely.
Mandatory lawyer, advance payment, legal aid
Before a regional court (Landgericht) the parties must be represented by a lawyer (Section 78(1) ZPO). Before a local court (Amtsgericht), which hears disputes of up to €10,000 (Section 23 no. 1 GVG), that provision does not require one; appearing there without a lawyer saves your own, though the risk of paying the other side's lawyer remains. The claim is meant to be served only after the court fee has been paid (Section 12(1) GKG) – the claimant pays it in advance. Anyone who cannot afford the costs can apply for legal aid (Prozesskostenhilfe) if the claim has sufficient prospects of success without appearing frivolous (Section 114 ZPO).
Statutory fees for the first instance with one client per side, one hearing. Witnesses, experts, travel costs, the second instance are not included. A sample calculation under the statute, not legal advice.
What does a lawsuit cost? The cost risk at first instance
In German civil proceedings, court fees as well as lawyers’ remuneration depend on the amount in dispute (Streitwert). The losing party bears the costs of the proceedings, reimbursing the other side’s costs (Section 91 ZPO). The cost risk therefore has three parts: your own lawyer, the other side’s lawyer, the court.
Example: with €5,000 in dispute, each lawyer costs €1,078.44, the court €511.50. Whoever loses completely bears €2,668.38. With €10,000 in dispute it is €4,776.00, with €50,000 it is €10,035.76.
The calculator shows the statutory fees under the Lawyers’ Remuneration Act (RVG) together with the Court Costs Act (GKG). It is a sample calculation under the statute; it does not replace legal advice.
What the calculator shows
- Your own lawyer
- Procedural fee, hearing fee, flat-rate expenses, VAT
- Lawyer of the other side
- The same sum – the losing party reimburses it
- Court
- Fee for the proceedings in general
- Cost risk
- Total if you lose completely, alternatively your share in a settlement
How court fees plus lawyer fees are calculated
Both statutes contain a fee table: every amount in dispute has a single fee. Up to €500 in dispute it is €51.50 for the lawyer (Section 13 RVG), for the court €40.00 (Section 34 GKG); it rises in steps with the amount in dispute. At €5,000 it is €354.50 for the lawyer, €170.50 for the court. This single fee is multiplied by a fee rate.
At first instance the lawyer receives a procedural fee of 1.3 plus a hearing fee of 1.2, together 2.5 fees. Added to that are a flat rate for post, telecommunications of 20% of the fees, at most €20.00, as well as 19% VAT. The court charges 3.0 fees for the proceedings in general.
The fees with their number in the statute
- 1Procedural fee 1.3No. 3100 of the remuneration schedule (Annex 1 to the RVG).
- 2Hearing fee 1.2No. 3104 of the remuneration schedule.
- 3Settlement fee 1.0Nos. 1000, 1003 of the remuneration schedule – only for a settlement on a claim pending in court.
- 4Flat rate for post, telecommunicationsNo. 7002: 20% of the fees, at most €20.00.
- 5VAT 19%No. 7008 of the remuneration schedule, tax rate under Section 12(1) UStG.
- 6Court: 3.0 feesNo. 1210 of the schedule of costs (Annex 1 to the GKG); reduced to 1.0 for a court settlement (no. 1211).
Who bears the costs – judgment or settlement?
Judgment: The losing party bears the costs of the proceedings (Section 91 ZPO). If each side wins only in part, the costs are set off against each other or split proportionally (Section 92 ZPO).
Settlement in court: The lawyers additionally receive the settlement fee; in return the court fee is reduced to 1.0. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the costs count as set off against each other (Section 98 ZPO): each side bears its own lawyer plus half of the court costs. With €5,000 in dispute that is €1,585.54 per side.
Before a regional court (Landgericht) the parties must be represented by a lawyer (Section 78 ZPO). Before a local court (Amtsgericht), which hears disputes of up to €10,000 (Section 23 no. 1 GVG), that provision does not require one.
What the calculator leaves out
The calculator covers the standard case: first instance before a local or regional court, one client per side, one hearing. Left out are costs for witnesses or experts, the lawyers’ travel costs, the surcharge for several clients, the lawyer’s out-of-court work with its crediting, preceding payment-order proceedings, a default judgment, the second instance.
The amount in dispute is capped at €30,000,000 (Section 39(2) GKG, Section 22(2) RVG). A fee agreement with your own lawyer, likewise special proceedings such as family or labour matters, are outside the scope of this page.
Frequently asked questions about litigation costs
Amount in dispute, court fees, lawyer fees, cost risk
How high are the litigation costs with €5,000 in dispute?
At first instance each lawyer costs €1,078.44 including VAT, the court €511.50. Whoever loses completely bears €2,668.38.
Who pays the costs if I lose the lawsuit?
The losing party bears the costs of the proceedings, reimbursing the other side for the statutory fees plus expenses of its lawyer (Section 91 ZPO). The cost risk therefore covers both lawyers plus the court.
How are the court fees calculated?
The fee table under Section 34 GKG gives a single fee for the amount in dispute. For the proceedings in general, 3.0 fees are due at first instance (no. 1210 of the schedule of costs) – with €5,000 in dispute that is 3 × €170.50 = €511.50.
How are the lawyer fees calculated?
The table under Section 13 RVG gives the single fee. At first instance a procedural fee of 1.3 plus a hearing fee of 1.2 are due, together with the flat rate of at most €20.00 as well as 19% VAT. With €5,000 in dispute that is €1,078.44.
What does a settlement in court cost?
The lawyers additionally receive a settlement fee of 1.0; the court fee is reduced to 1.0. Unless agreed otherwise, each side bears its own lawyer plus half of the court costs – with €5,000 in dispute €1,585.54.
What if I cannot afford the lawsuit?
Anyone who cannot afford the costs of the proceedings, or only in part or in instalments, can apply for legal aid (Prozesskostenhilfe) if the claim or defence has sufficient prospects of success without appearing frivolous (Section 114 ZPO).