Enter what you paid and see the filing fee and the consumer commission that will hear your complaint, based on the 2023 fee table and the 2021 jurisdiction rules.
| Value of goods or services paid for | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to Rs 5 lakh | Nil |
| Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh | Rs 200 |
| Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh | Rs 400 |
| Rs 20 lakh to Rs 50 lakh | Rs 1,000 |
| Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore | Rs 2,000 |
| Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore | Rs 2,500 |
| Rs 2 crore to Rs 4 crore | Rs 3,000 |
| Rs 4 crore to Rs 6 crore | Rs 4,000 |
| Rs 6 crore to Rs 8 crore | Rs 5,000 |
| Rs 8 crore to Rs 10 crore | Rs 6,000 |
| Above Rs 10 crore | Rs 7,500 |
The fee is set by rule 7(2) of the Consumer Protection (Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions) Rules, 2020, as amended on 17 August 2023. The same table applies in every commission.
| Amount paid | Commission |
|---|---|
| Up to Rs 50 lakh | District Commission |
| Above Rs 50 lakh and up to Rs 2 crore | State Commission |
| Above Rs 2 crore | National Commission, New Delhi |
These limits come from the Consumer Protection (Jurisdiction of the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission) Rules, 2021. You can file where you live or work, or where the seller or service provider carries on business, and you can file online.
A consumer complaint has two practical questions before any argument begins: how much do I pay to file, and which commission do I file in? Both answers come from one number, the value of what you paid for the goods or service. The calculator above takes that number and applies the fee table that has been in force since 17 August 2023 and the jurisdiction limits that have applied since 30 December 2021. If you also enter the date the problem arose, it shows the last date to file under the two-year limit.
This page explains the arithmetic behind those answers, the cases where the "amount paid" is not obvious, what filing really costs once you add everything up, and what changed in 2025 and 2026. For the full process of drafting and filing, read the separate consumer complaint filing guide; this page stays with the numbers.
| Box | What to enter | What not to enter |
|---|---|---|
| Amount you paid | The price of the goods or service in the transaction you are complaining about, including taxes you paid on it | The compensation you plan to claim, your total loss, or interest |
| Date the problem arose | The date of the defect, the refusal, the last failed repair, or the date the service was due and not given | The date of purchase, unless the problem existed from day one |
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 ties both the fee and the commission to the value of the goods or services "paid as consideration". For a simple purchase this is the bill amount. For many real transactions it takes a moment's thought. The table sets out how the figure is usually worked out; where courts have not settled a point, it says so.
| Transaction | Figure to use | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Single product bought outright | Invoice amount including GST | Delivery and installation charges on the same bill are part of the price |
| Product bought on EMI or a consumer loan | Price of the product | Interest charged by the lender belongs to the loan, which is a separate service |
| Complaint against the lender about the loan itself | The consideration for the loan service, such as interest and charges | Practice varies; some commissions look at the loan amount. Check local orders |
| Flat or plot paid in instalments | Usually the total consideration in the agreement | Some argue for the amount actually paid so far; there is no single settled answer yet |
| Insurance claim rejected | The premium paid | Means even large claims on small premiums go to the District Commission; see below |
| Hospital treatment | The bill for the treatment | Compensation for injury or death is a claim, not the value paid |
| Annual subscription or membership | The fee for the period in dispute | Not the total of every year you have paid |
| Bundle or package (holiday, wedding services) | The full package price | Unless the defect is in a separately priced item |
| Product with discount or exchange offer | The price after discount, counting the exchange value of your old item as part of the payment | A discount reduces the price; handing over an old item is a form of payment |
| Free service or gift | No consideration from you | A beneficiary can complain if someone else paid; use what that person paid |
| Several items in one order | The items you are complaining about | If only one of five items is defective, use the price of that one |
Insurance is where the "amount paid" rule produces the most surprising results. A health policy with an annual premium of Rs 40,000 may carry a cover of Rs 50 lakh. If the insurer rejects a Rs 30 lakh claim, the value paid is the premium, so the complaint goes to the District Commission, with no fee. When the Supreme Court upheld the system in Rutu Mihir Panchal v. Union of India (29 April 2025), it noted the concern that very large insurance disputes now land in District Commissions, and asked the Central Consumer Protection Council and the Central Consumer Protection Authority to study how the law is working and advise the government. Until any change is made, the premium is the figure.
Homebuyer complaints are often large enough for the boundary to matter. A buyer who agreed to pay Rs 1.8 crore but has paid Rs 60 lakh could fall in the State Commission on either reading. A buyer who agreed to pay Rs 2.4 crore and has paid Rs 1.2 crore falls in the National Commission on one reading and the State Commission on the other. If your case sits on such a boundary, look at recent orders of the commission you plan to approach, or take an advocate's view, before filing. Filing in the wrong commission does not destroy the claim, but the complaint will be returned and time is lost.
GST paid on goods or services is part of the price you paid. For property, registration charges and stamp duty are paid to the government, not to the builder, and are usually left out of the consideration paid to the opposite party. Maintenance deposits and club fees paid to the builder may be included where they are part of the same deal.
Write down how you calculated the figure and keep the documents that support it. State the figure clearly in the complaint, in the paragraph on jurisdiction, with a line explaining it. A commission is far less likely to raise an objection when the basis is set out openly.
Each band in the fee table and each jurisdiction limit is worded as "up to" or "does not exceed" a figure, with the next band starting "above" it. So an amount exactly equal to the limit stays in the lower band. The calculator follows this rule. The table below shows the figures where people most often go wrong.
| Amount paid | Fee | Commission | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rs 4,99,999 | Nil | District | Within the first band |
| Rs 5,00,000 | Nil | District | Exactly at the limit stays in the nil band |
| Rs 5,00,001 | Rs 200 | District | One rupee above moves to the next band |
| Rs 10,00,000 | Rs 200 | District | Top of the Rs 200 band |
| Rs 20,00,000 | Rs 400 | District | Top of the Rs 400 band |
| Rs 50,00,000 | Rs 1,000 | District | Top of both the Rs 1,000 band and the District limit |
| Rs 50,00,001 | Rs 2,000 | State | Crosses both limits at once |
| Rs 1,00,00,000 | Rs 2,000 | State | Top of the Rs 2,000 band |
| Rs 2,00,00,000 | Rs 2,500 | State | Top of the State limit |
| Rs 2,00,00,001 | Rs 3,000 | National | Crosses into the National Commission |
| Rs 10,00,00,000 | Rs 6,000 | National | Top of the Rs 6,000 band |
| Above Rs 10 crore | Rs 7,500 | National | Highest band |
Notice that the jurisdiction limits and the fee bands line up at Rs 50 lakh and Rs 2 crore. Moving from District to State always moves you up a fee band too, but the difference is only a few hundred rupees. The bigger change is practical: the State Commission sits in the state capital, and the National Commission in New Delhi.
The fee is deliberately tiny compared with the value in dispute. On a Rs 8 lakh car the fee is Rs 200, which is 0.025 per cent. Even at Rs 10 crore, the fee of Rs 6,000 is 0.06 per cent. Compare this with a civil suit, where court fee is usually charged as a percentage of the claim and can run into thousands or lakhs of rupees. The consumer system is built to keep money from being the barrier.
The limits have changed three times in twenty years, which is why older articles, and even some lawyers' memories, give figures that no longer apply.
| Period | District | State | National | Measured by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Protection Act, 1986, after the 2002 amendment | Up to Rs 20 lakh | Rs 20 lakh to Rs 1 crore | Above Rs 1 crore | Value of goods or services and compensation claimed |
| Consumer Protection Act, 2019, from 20 July 2020 | Up to Rs 1 crore | Rs 1 crore to Rs 10 crore | Above Rs 10 crore | Value paid as consideration |
| Jurisdiction Rules, from 30 December 2021 | Up to Rs 50 lakh | Rs 50 lakh to Rs 2 crore | Above Rs 2 crore | Value paid as consideration |
Under the 1986 Act, the compensation you claimed counted. People inflated claims to reach a higher forum, and companies complained of exaggerated demands. The 2019 Act switched to the value paid, which cannot be inflated. Your claim now affects only what the commission might award, not where you file or what you pay.
When the limits dropped at the end of 2021, many complaints were already pending in State and National Commissions. In Neerja Realtors v. Janglu (2022), the Supreme Court held that those cases should stay where they were and continue there; they were not to be sent down to the lower commissions. Only complaints filed after 30 December 2021 follow the new limits.
Homebuyers and others challenged the consideration-based system, arguing that it pushed large and complex disputes into District Commissions. On 29 April 2025, in Rutu Mihir Panchal v. Union of India, the Supreme Court upheld the provisions. It held that Parliament was entitled to choose the value paid as the measure, and that access to higher commissions remained available through appeals. It also asked the consumer protection bodies to review how the law was working. When this page was checked on 16 October 2026, the 2021 limits were still in force.
Since 1 January 2025, complaints are filed online through e-Jagriti, the single portal that replaced e-Daakhil and the older case systems. The fee is paid through the payment gateway built into the portal at the end of the filing process, by UPI, net banking or card. Keep the payment receipt: it carries the transaction reference that the registry uses to match your fee to your complaint. If the payment fails but money leaves your account, do not pay again at once; wait for the bank's reversal or for the portal to update, and raise a query through the portal if neither happens within a few days.
You can still file a paper complaint at the commission's counter. The fee is then normally paid by demand draft or crossed postal order in favour of the commission, as its registry directs. Ask at the filing counter for the exact payee name before you buy the draft; a draft in the wrong name is a common reason for a filing being returned.
For amounts up to Rs 5 lakh, which covers the large majority of consumer disputes, there is nothing to pay. On e-Jagriti, the fee step will show zero and you simply proceed. Offline, no draft is needed.
If you pay less than the correct fee, the registry will usually point it out and give you time to make up the difference. If you pay more, the extra is not normally refunded automatically. Use the calculator before you pay to avoid both.
The fee is for the complaint. Naming several opposite parties, such as the seller, the manufacturer and the service centre, does not multiply the fee. Filing separate complaints for separate transactions does.
The filing fee is usually the smallest expense. A realistic budget looks at everything else too. The ranges below are rough guides for a District Commission case in a large city; your own costs may differ.
| Item | Doing it yourself | With an advocate |
|---|---|---|
| Filing fee (by slab) | Nil to Rs 1,000 at District level | Same |
| Legal notice before filing | Postage only, about Rs 50 to Rs 100 | Drafting fee, often a few thousand rupees |
| Affidavit attestation and stamp paper | A few hundred rupees | Same, or included in the fee |
| Copies, binding and postage of complaint sets | Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 depending on volume | Same |
| Drafting the complaint | Your time | A fixed drafting fee or part of a package |
| Appearances at hearings | Travel and leave from work | Per hearing or lump sum |
| Expert report or product testing | Only if the commission orders it | Same |
Advocates' fees vary widely by city, experience and the size of the matter; the legal fees guide explains common fee structures. Mara Vakil's consumer complaint service shows the scope of a drafted complaint, and fees for representation are agreed directly with the advocate.
Yes, in part. The commission can order the opposite party to pay the costs of the proceedings. In practice, awards of costs are modest, often in the range of a few thousand to a few tens of thousands of rupees in District Commissions, and rarely cover the whole of an advocate's fee. Keep receipts for what you spend and mention costs in the relief you seek.
Video hearings are now the default mode in the National Commission and all State Commissions, according to the government's year-end review for 2025, and many District Commissions offer them too. For a consumer living far from the commission, this removes much of the travel cost that used to make small claims uneconomic. Ask the registry how to join.
Nothing stops a consumer from filing and arguing personally, and commissions are used to hearing people without lawyers. For a straightforward claim below Rs 5 lakh, the total out-of-pocket cost of doing it yourself can be under Rs 1,000. For a complex matter, such as medical negligence or a large builder dispute, an advocate's help usually pays for itself.
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 sets out a string of time limits, some for you and some for the commission and the company. Knowing them helps you plan and spot delay.
| Step | Time limit | Provision | Can it be stretched? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filing the complaint | 2 years from the cause of action | Section 69 | Yes, if the commission accepts sufficient cause |
| Commission decides whether to admit | 21 days from filing | Section 36 | If no decision, the complaint is treated as admitted |
| Company files its reply | 30 days from receiving notice | Section 38 | By up to 15 more days, and no further |
| Decision, where no testing is needed | 3 months from notice | Section 38 | A target; often exceeded in practice |
| Decision, where testing is needed | 5 months from notice | Section 38 | A target |
| Review by the District Commission of its own order | 30 days | Section 40 | Only for an error apparent on the record |
| Appeal to the State Commission | 45 days from the order | Section 41 | Yes, for sufficient cause |
| Appeal to the National Commission | 30 days from the order | Section 51 | Yes, for sufficient cause |
| Appeal to the Supreme Court | 30 days from the order | Section 67 | Yes, for sufficient cause |
The Constitution Bench ruling in New India Assurance v. Hilli Multipurpose Cold Storage (2020) settled that the commission cannot extend the time for the opposite party's reply beyond 30 plus 15 days. If the company misses that, its right to file a written version is lost, though it may still take part in the hearing. For a consumer, this is a useful point to raise when a company keeps asking for more time.
The two years run from the date the cause of action arose, which is not always the purchase date. For a product that failed in the warranty period, it is usually the date of the failure or of the last refusal to repair. For a builder who missed the possession date, many commissions treat the default as continuing until possession is offered. For an insurance claim, it runs from the date the claim was rejected. The calculator counts two calendar years from the date you enter, and the filing guide has more examples of fixing the start date.
If your two years have already passed, file anyway with an application for condonation of delay explaining the reasons, day by day if the delay is short. Commissions often condone modest, honestly explained delays. Delays of several months without a clear reason are rarely excused.
A company that loses rarely pays at once; it often appeals. The 2019 Act puts a price on that. No appeal against an order directing payment can be entertained unless the appellant first deposits half of the amount ordered.
| Appeal from | Appeal to | Deposit | Time to appeal |
|---|---|---|---|
| District Commission | State Commission | 50% of the amount ordered | 45 days |
| State Commission (in its original jurisdiction) | National Commission | 50% of the amount ordered | 30 days |
| National Commission (in its original jurisdiction) | Supreme Court | 50% of the amount ordered | 30 days |
Under the old 1986 Act the deposit was capped at small fixed sums. The 2019 Act removed the cap, so an appeal is now a serious financial step for a company. For a consumer who wins, this often brings a realistic settlement offer.
A consumer who is unhappy with the amount awarded can also appeal. The deposit applies to a party ordered to pay; a consumer appealing for more compensation is not paying anything under the order and so has nothing to deposit. A consumer whose complaint was dismissed can appeal without a deposit as well.
Apart from appeals, the State and National Commissions can revise orders of the commissions below them where there is a jurisdictional error or material irregularity. A revision is narrower than an appeal and is not a second chance to argue facts.
A consumer commission is one of several places to take a complaint. Cost is not the only factor, but it often decides where a small claim should go first.
| Route | Cost to you | Good for | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Consumer Helpline (1915, WhatsApp, app) | Free | Getting a company's attention without any filing | Facilitation only; no binding order |
| Company's grievance officer | Free | First written complaint, required by many sector rules | The company decides its own case |
| Banking ombudsman (RBI) | Free | Bank, card, wallet and digital payment complaints | Caps on compensation; must complain to the bank first |
| Insurance ombudsman | Free | Rejected or short-paid claims within its monetary limit | Claim limit; insurer must have had a chance to respond |
| Consumer commission | Nil to Rs 7,500 fee by slab | Binding orders, compensation and costs | Takes months to years |
| RERA authority | Fee set by each state | Builder delays and project defects | Only for registered projects |
| Civil court | Court fee usually a percentage of the claim | Disputes outside consumer law, or where detailed trial is needed | Slower and costlier |
A sensible sequence for most small disputes is: written complaint to the company, then the helpline, then a legal notice, then the commission. The NCH says it resolves grievances within 45 days, and it recovered Rs 27.61 crore for consumers in 49,333 refund grievances between 25 April and 31 October 2025, according to the government's year-end review. That is worth trying before paying anything.
From 1 January 2025, e-Jagriti brought the older systems, including e-Daakhil and CONFONET, into one portal for filing, fee payment, notices, hearings and case tracking. By mid-November 2025 it had over 2.81 lakh registered users, including about 1,400 non-resident Indians, and NRIs had filed 466 complaints from abroad. More than 1.35 lakh cases were filed on the portal in 2025 up to mid-November, and more than 1.31 lakh were disposed of in the same period.
The same review reported that video hearings are operating across all National Commission benches and State Commissions as the default mode. This matters for the "where to file" question: filing in the State Commission no longer necessarily means travelling to the state capital for every date.
As explained above, Rutu Mihir Panchal (April 2025) settled that the fee and forum turn on the value paid, not the claim. The calculator is built on that footing.
Complaints reaching the National Consumer Helpline by WhatsApp rose from about 3 per cent of the total in March 2023 to about 20 per cent in March 2025. A dedicated category for GST rate-cut grievances opened on 22 September 2025, after the GST rate changes.
The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, notified on 9 September 2026, take effect on 1 January 2027. Among other things, platforms' grievance officers must acknowledge a complaint within 48 hours and resolve it within one month; sellers must state each product's country of origin; and a "discount" must be shown against the lowest price in the previous 30 days. Once in force, a platform's failure to meet these duties will be useful evidence of deficiency or unfair trade practice in a complaint.
The fee table of August 2023 and the jurisdiction limits of December 2021 were unchanged when this page was checked. If either is revised, the calculator will be updated.
Each example uses invented names and typical facts. Type the figures into the calculator to see the same result.
Kavya paid Rs 82,999 for a phone, including GST. It developed a display fault within the warranty, was repaired twice and failed again; the service centre finally refused a replacement on 12 March 2026. She wants a refund, Rs 25,000 for harassment and Rs 10,000 costs.
Harish bought a car for Rs 14,60,000 on the road. The road tax and insurance were paid through the dealer but to other parties. The ex-showroom price with GST on his invoice was Rs 12,90,000.
Mr and Mrs Rao paid an annual premium of Rs 38,500 for a family floater with Rs 25 lakh cover. A Rs 9.2 lakh hospital claim was rejected for alleged non-disclosure.
Sameer agreed to buy a flat for Rs 1.15 crore and has paid Rs 96 lakh. Possession was promised by June 2024 and is still not offered.
A family paid Rs 6,80,000 to an event company for a wedding package covering decoration, catering and music. The caterer failed to turn up on the main day.
A student paid Rs 1,45,000 for a one-year course and left after the first month when classes were not held as promised. The institute refuses any refund, relying on a "no refund" clause.
The claim does not change the fee or the forum, but it decides what you might recover. A well-built claim is a list of separate heads, each with a figure and a reason.
| Head of claim | How to put a figure on it | Proof |
|---|---|---|
| Refund or replacement | Price paid, or a replacement of equal value | Invoice, payment record |
| Repair or rectification cost | Quotation or bill from an independent repairer | Written quotation |
| Direct financial loss | Money you actually lost because of the defect, such as a taxi while your car was in the workshop | Receipts |
| Interest | On money held by the company, for the period held | Dates of payment and refusal |
| Compensation for harassment and mental agony | A reasonable figure in proportion to what happened | Your account of events, correspondence |
| Costs of the case | What you spent, including any advocate's fee | Receipts |
Commissions often award simple interest on refunds, commonly somewhere between 6 and 12 per cent a year depending on the facts, and sometimes higher in builder cases where the agreement charged the buyer a high rate for late payment. A quick way to estimate: price multiplied by the rate multiplied by the number of years. A refund of Rs 4,00,000 held for two and a half years at 9 per cent works out to about Rs 90,000 in interest. Put the calculation in your complaint, but understand that the commission decides the rate.
Very large figures for mental agony attached to a small purchase can make a complaint look unserious. A claim of a few lakh rupees for a Rs 20,000 appliance is unlikely to be granted. A claim that is proportionate, explained and backed by a clear timeline of the company's failures is more likely to be taken at face value. The compensation you claim never costs you more in fees, so the restraint is about credibility, not money.
The Act allows punitive damages in suitable cases, for example where a company has acted with gross negligence or in a way that affects many consumers. Such awards are less common and need a reason beyond ordinary deficiency. Ask for them only where the facts truly support it.
Once the level of commission is fixed by the amount paid, you still choose the place. The Act lets you file where you live or personally work for gain, where the opposite party lives or has its business or a branch, or where the cause of action arose. For most people the answer is their own district, which keeps travel and time costs low.
Pendency varies a great deal between districts. e-Jagriti's case status pages give some sense of how quickly a commission is moving. Weigh any speed advantage against the cost of attending hearings away from home, even with video hearings available.
A consumer living abroad can file on e-Jagriti, pay the fee online and attend by video where the commission allows it. The 466 complaints filed by NRIs in 2025 show this is now a practical route. Where you cannot attend, an authorised representative can appear.
The fee table applies to every consumer complaint. But if you are not a "consumer" at all, the complaint fails whatever you pay. Two exclusions matter most in practice.
Someone buying goods to resell them, or for a commercial purpose, usually falls outside the definition of consumer. The exception is a person who buys goods and uses them for earning a livelihood by self-employment, such as a taxi driver buying a car to drive himself. Businesses buying services are covered unless the service was for a commercial purpose; courts look at the main purpose of the transaction.
Free services, and work done under an employment contract, are outside the Act. The Supreme Court held in 2024 that advocates' professional services are also outside consumer law; complaints against advocates go to the Bar Council or a civil court.
A person who uses goods or services with the buyer's consent, for example a family member using a phone bought by a parent, is a consumer too. Use the amount the buyer paid in the calculator.
Mara Vakil is a technology platform, not a law firm. The calculators and guides here cost nothing. If you want an advocate, post your consumer matter without charge and enrolment-checked advocates who take such cases can respond; you settle any fee with the advocate yourself. Related pages: the consumer law guide, consumer lawyers in Delhi, the legal notice service, the RTI fee calculator, the cheque bounce calculator and all legal calculators.
When a large number of buyers share one grievance against one company, for example flat owners in a delayed project or customers of a closed coaching chain, they can file one complaint together. The Act allows a complaint by one or more consumers on behalf of numerous consumers with the same interest, with the commission's permission. This raises a calculation question: is the forum decided by one person's payment or by everyone's together?
Under the 1986 Act, the National Commission held in Ambrish Kumar Shukla v. Ferrous Infrastructure (2016) that for such a representative complaint, the combined value of all the members' claims decided the forum. Commissions have generally applied the same aggregate approach under the 2019 Act, using the total value paid by all the consumers the complaint represents. In practice this means that 40 homebuyers who each paid Rs 60 lakh, filing together, will usually be before the National Commission, while each of them filing alone would go to the State Commission.
| Who is filing | Figure to use in the calculator |
|---|---|
| One consumer | What that consumer paid |
| A couple who bought jointly | The single price they paid together |
| A representative complaint for many consumers | Usually the total paid by all the consumers represented |
| A registered consumer association on behalf of a member | What that member paid |
| The Central Consumer Protection Authority acting for consumers as a class | Not a fee question for individual consumers |
A group complaint also needs a separate application asking the commission's permission to file on behalf of others, and a public notice may be ordered so that other affected people can join or opt out. Factor that time in when you check the two-year limit.
Mistakes on the amount paid happen, especially in housing and insurance cases. The consequences are manageable if you act quickly.
The easiest way to avoid this is the line in your complaint explaining how you worked out the amount paid. If the company objects, you will already have your answer on record.
The level is fixed by the amount, but it helps to know what each level looks like in practice.
| Feature | District Commission | State Commission | National Commission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | In each district, sometimes more than one in large cities | State capital, with circuit benches in some states | New Delhi, with several benches |
| Bench | A President and members | A President and members | A President and members, sitting in benches |
| Hears original complaints worth | Up to Rs 50 lakh | Over Rs 50 lakh, up to Rs 2 crore | Above Rs 2 crore |
| Hears appeals from | None | District Commissions | State Commissions |
| Appeal against its orders goes to | State Commission, within 45 days | National Commission, within 30 days | Supreme Court, within 30 days |
| Hearings by video | Available in many districts on request | Default mode as per the 2025 review | Default mode as per the 2025 review |
| Fee range for original complaints | Nil to Rs 1,000 | Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 | Rs 3,000 to Rs 7,500 |
In the National Commission and many State Commissions, cases tend to involve builders, insurers, banks and hospitals, and advocates appear for most parties. A consumer can still appear in person at any level, but preparing written submissions and a clear list of dates becomes more important as the forum rises.
Sellers and service providers use this calculator too, usually after receiving a complaint or a legal notice. The arithmetic on their side is just as clear.
A business that receives a complaint should check the amount paid and the forum itself; an objection to jurisdiction is best raised at the start, in the written version, not at the final hearing. A corporate lawyer or consumer advocate can advise on the reply.
The table shows where common disputes fall. The prices are typical figures for illustration; always use your own invoice.
| Typical dispute | Typical amount paid | Fee | Commission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile phone or laptop | Rs 15,000 to Rs 2,00,000 | Nil | District |
| Washing machine, fridge or air conditioner | Rs 20,000 to Rs 1,00,000 | Nil | District |
| Flight cancelled, refund refused | Rs 5,000 to Rs 1,50,000 | Nil | District |
| Two-wheeler | Rs 70,000 to Rs 3,00,000 | Nil | District |
| Coaching or college fee refund | Rs 50,000 to Rs 5,00,000 | Nil | District |
| Hatchback or compact car | Rs 6 lakh to Rs 10 lakh | Rs 200 | District |
| Mid-size car or SUV | Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh | Rs 400 | District |
| Premium car | Rs 20 lakh to Rs 50 lakh | Rs 1,000 | District |
| Hospital bill in a negligence case | Usually under Rs 5 lakh | Nil | District |
| Health or life insurance claim rejected | Premium, usually under Rs 1 lakh | Nil | District |
| Flat in a mid-size city | Rs 40 lakh to Rs 1 crore | Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 | District or State |
| Flat in a metro | Rs 1 crore to Rs 4 crore | Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 | State or National |
The pattern is plain: for almost every everyday dispute, the fee is nil and the forum is the District Commission. The fee only becomes a consideration for vehicles, property and other large purchases, and even then it stays small.
The calculator compares your amount against each upper limit in the fee table in turn, from Rs 5 lakh upwards, and stops at the first limit your amount does not exceed. It then compares the same amount with Rs 50 lakh and Rs 2 crore to choose the commission. If you enter a date, it adds two calendar years to find the last date for filing, and warns you if today is later than that. Nothing you type is stored or sent anywhere; the calculation runs in your browser.
It is a flat amount for each band of the price paid. A Rs 3 lakh claim for a Rs 40,000 appliance costs nothing to file, and so does a Rs 30 lakh claim on a Rs 40,000 premium.
The law lets you file and argue yourself, at every level. e-Jagriti is designed for individuals, with OTP registration and step-by-step screens. An advocate is a choice, often a wise one for large or technical cases, but not a requirement.
The size of the company makes no difference. A complaint against a multinational over a Rs 25,000 purchase goes to your District Commission, like any other.
That was possible under the 1986 Act, when compensation claimed counted. It is not possible now. Your forum is fixed by what you paid. And with appeals available from every District Commission, the higher commissions remain within reach if needed.
The filing fee is the same online and offline. Online filing saves the cost of travelling to the commission and of printing several sets of papers, though you will still need a scanner or a phone that can produce clear PDFs.
Commissions rarely order a consumer to pay costs unless the complaint was frivolous or vexatious. An honest complaint that fails on the evidence does not usually lead to an order for costs against the consumer. This is part of what makes the consumer route low-risk for ordinary people.
No. Under the 2023 fee table there is no fee when the value of goods or services paid for is up to Rs 5 lakh.
No. Both the fee and the commission are decided by the value of the goods or services you paid for, not by the amount of compensation you ask for.
A purchase above Rs 50 lakh and up to Rs 2 crore goes to the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. The fee for Rs 70 lakh is Rs 2,000.
Two years from the date on which the cause of action arose. The commission can admit a late complaint if you show sufficient cause for the delay.
No. A consumer can file and argue a complaint in person. Many people take an advocate's help for drafting and arguments, especially in larger claims.
Yes. Consumer complaints can be filed online through the government's online filing portal for consumer commissions, with the fee paid online.
No. An amount equal to Rs 5 lakh stays in the nil band. The Rs 200 fee starts only above Rs 5 lakh.
District. The District Commission's limit is up to and including Rs 50 lakh; anything above goes to the State Commission.
Yes. GST you paid on the goods or service is part of the price paid.
The premium, because that is the value paid for the insurance service. Most insurance complaints therefore go to the District Commission.
Usually the total consideration in the agreement, though some argue for the amount actually paid. Where the choice changes the commission, check recent orders or take advice.
No. Use the price of the product. Interest relates to the loan, which is a separate service.
No. The fee is per complaint, however many opposite parties are named.
Through the portal's built-in payment gateway at the end of filing, by UPI, net banking or card. Keep the receipt.
Usually by demand draft or crossed postal order in favour of the commission. Confirm the exact payee name at the filing counter first.
If short, the registry normally lets you pay the balance. If you paid too much, a refund is not automatic.
No. In Rutu Mihir Panchal (29 April 2025) it upheld the system based on the value paid. The limits of Rs 50 lakh and Rs 2 crore continue.
No. Under Neerja Realtors (2022), complaints pending when the limits changed on 30 December 2021 stay where they were filed.
Under the 1986 Act, District up to Rs 20 lakh and State up to Rs 1 crore, counting compensation claimed. From July 2020 to December 2021, Rs 1 crore and Rs 10 crore by value paid.
30 days from notice, extendable by 15 days at most. A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court held in 2020 that no further extension is possible.
The Act sets targets of three months, or five months if testing is needed, from notice to the opposite party. Many cases take longer.
Half of the amount ordered, at every level of appeal. There is no upper cap under the 2019 Act.
No. The deposit applies to a party ordered to pay.
45 days to the State Commission. Appeals from the State and National Commissions in original cases must be filed within 30 days.
For a claim below Rs 5 lakh, often under Rs 1,000 in copies, attestation and postage, since the fee is nil.
The commission can award costs, but awards are usually modest and seldom cover the full fee.
Often yes. It is free, aims to resolve grievances within 45 days and recovered Rs 27.61 crore in refund grievances in six months of 2025.
Yes. By March 2025 about one in five helpline complaints came through WhatsApp.
Video hearings are the default in the National Commission and State Commissions, and many District Commissions offer them on request.
Yes, through e-Jagriti with online fee payment. NRIs filed 466 complaints in 2025.
From 1 January 2027, platform grievance officers must acknowledge complaints within 48 hours and resolve them within a month, under the 2026 e-commerce amendment rules.
Commissions commonly award simple interest of roughly 6 to 12 per cent a year. Estimate it as price times rate times years.
No. It does not change the fee or forum, and an exaggerated figure can hurt credibility.
Only if it was for earning a livelihood by self-employment, not for a commercial purpose. Otherwise a civil remedy is the route.
Apply for execution. Non-compliance can bring imprisonment of one month to three years and a fine of Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
No. It applies the fee table and limits to the figure you enter. Confirm with the commission or an advocate; Mara Vakil is a platform, not a law firm.
Usually the combined amount paid by all the consumers represented, following the National Commission's approach in Ambrish Kumar Shukla (2016).
The complaint is normally returned for filing in the right one. Ask the correct commission to exclude the time spent in good faith when checking the two-year limit.
Usually not. Stamp duty and registration charges are paid to the government, not to the builder.
No. The same central fee table applies in every District, State and National Commission.
No. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing is saved or sent.
If interest is ordered, a Rs 5 lakh refund at 9 per cent grows by about Rs 3,750 every month.
Rs 1,000, in the District Commission, because the amount falls in the Rs 20 lakh to Rs 50 lakh band.
Rarely. Commissions usually order costs against a consumer only where the complaint was frivolous or vexatious, not where an honest claim fails on the evidence.
No. The fee is identical online and offline. Online filing mainly saves travel and printing costs.
No. Only the amount you paid matters. A complaint against a large multinational about a small purchase goes to the District Commission.
Rs 200, in the District Commission, because Rs 6.5 lakh is in the Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh band.
This calculator gives general information based on the law and government notifications listed on this page, as checked on 16 October 2026. Fees and rules change, and your facts may differ. Confirm with the office concerned or an advocate before you pay or file. Mara Vakil is a technology platform, not a law firm, and does not give legal advice. Read our disclaimer.
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