The Bahrain International Commercial Court (BICC) implements a clear and predictable schedule of charges designed to support efficient, high-standard international commercial adjudication. The charges applicable to proceedings before the Court are set out in the Schedule of Charges, which forms an integral part of the BICC Procedural Rules and applies to all cases falling within the Court’s jurisdiction in accordance with Article 2 of the Rules.
A non-refundable filing charge of USD 5,000 is payable in all cases. This charge is payable by the claimant or appellant in court proceedings, or by the applicant in arbitration-related matters, and applies irrespective of the value or complexity of the claim.
Judicial Charges are calculated on a time-spent basis to ensure transparency and proportionality. Time spent by each Judge or Deputed Judge in the conduct of the proceedings, including arbitration-related proceedings, is charged at a rate of USD 500 per hour. In-person hearings are charged at a rate of USD 4,000 for each full day.
To support the efficient management of proceedings, each party is required to pay an advance towards Judicial Charges. An advance of USD 12,500 is payable by the claimant, appellant, or applicant upon filing the claim, appeal, or application, and by the respondent or appellee, or the respondent in an arbitration-related matter, upon submission of their response. At any stage of the proceedings, the Court may direct the parties to make additional advances in such amounts and proportions as it considers appropriate to cover accruing or future Judicial Charges.
Upon the final disposal of a case and the full payment of all outstanding Judicial Charges, the Court will render an accounting to the parties for the payments made and will return any unexpended balance to the parties in the proportions in which the payments were made.
Click here to view the Schedule of Charges.