Appealing a federal court decision costs $605 in 2026
To appeal a district court decision to a US court of appeals, you pay $605 to the district court clerk. That is the $600 appeals docketing fee plus a $5 fee for filing the notice of appeal. A petition for review of an agency decision, or a petition for a writ of mandamus, is $600.
Court of appeals fees
| Docketing a case on appeal or review | $600 |
|---|---|
| Notice of appeal fee (paid with the docketing fee) | $5 |
| Appeal from a district court, paid to the district court | $605 |
| Petition for review of an agency decision | $600 |
| Petition for writ of mandamus | $600 |
| Notice of appeal from the Tax Court | $600 |
| Reproducing the record when no appendix is required | $94 |
| Returned or denied payment | $53 |
| Appeal from a district court | $605 |
|---|
Each party that files its own notice of appeal pays a separate fee. Parties who file one joint notice of appeal pay one fee. Sources: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Court of Appeals Miscellaneous Fee Schedule (effective Dec 1, 2023); US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Court Fees.
What this price covers
The $605 opens the appeal. Printing briefs, transcripts and lawyer fees are extra. Transcripts are ordered from court reporters and priced separately.
What changes your price
- Where the case came from. Appeals from a district court are $605. Agency reviews and mandamus petitions are $600.
- How many appellants. A joint notice of appeal means one fee instead of several.
Ways to pay less
- If more than one party is appealing, consider a joint notice of appeal to pay one fee.
- Ask the district court clerk about in forma pauperis status if you cannot afford the fee.
How we got these numbers
Every fee on this page comes from the federal courts' own fee schedules or from federal law. The fees are set nationally by the Judicial Conference of the United States and by Congress, so they are the same in every federal court. Where we show a total, we only add up fees the courts list, so you can see the full amount in one place. We do not add our own guesses, and lawyer fees are not included. The schedules we used took effect on December 1, 2023 and were still the current versions when we last checked on September 26, 2026.
Common questions
How much is a federal appeal?
$605 for an appeal from a district court.
Who do I pay?
The clerk of the district court that decided the case.
What does a petition for mandamus cost?
$600.