Northern Ireland civil procedure
When must a Northern Ireland tribunal costs application be made?
Up to 28 days after the final judgment was sent. Apply for the costs or preparation-time order. An application may be made earlier in the proceedings. A judgment resolving only an interim issue does not necessarily start this outer limit. The proposed paying party must have the stated opportunity to make representations.
- Period
- Up to 28 days after the final judgment was sent
- Trigger
- The date the judgment finally determining the proceedings for that party was sent
- Rule
- SR 2020/3, Schedule 1, rule 74
Current official revised XML accessed October 9, 2026, with retained amendment comparison. The June 2021 and February 2021 court PDFs are historical consolidation aids.
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When must a Northern Ireland tribunal costs application be made?
Up to 28 days after the final judgment was sent. Apply for the costs or preparation-time order. An application may be made earlier in the proceedings. A judgment resolving only an interim issue does not necessarily start this outer limit. The proposed paying party must have the stated opportunity to make representations.
Responsible actor. The party seeking a costs or preparation-time order.
The date the judgment finally determining the proceedings for that party was sent.
An application may be made earlier in the proceedings. A judgment resolving only an interim issue does not necessarily start this outer limit. The proposed paying party must have the stated opportunity to make representations.
An application may be made earlier in the proceedings. A judgment resolving only an interim issue does not necessarily start this outer limit. The proposed paying party must have the stated opportunity to make representations. The result must identify optional tribunal costs application for the party seeking a costs or preparation-time order. Confirm every actual event and completion before selecting the ordinary branch.
SR 2020/3, Schedule 1, rule 74How does this provision count time?
- Establish the date the judgment finally determining the proceedings for that party was sent.
- Apply for the costs or preparation-time order.
- Up to 28 days after the final judgment was sent. Rule 5 excludes the source sending or receipt day from the 28-day procedural interval. The required act reaches the tribunal before midnight unless an actual order provides otherwise.
- Apply for the costs or preparation-time order. Procedural rule 5 carries a final nonworking day to the next working day, before midnight unless otherwise ordered. It does not waive presentation, copy service or a case-specific direction.
Up to 28 days after the final judgment was sent. Rule 5 excludes the source sending or receipt day from the 28-day procedural interval. The required act reaches the tribunal before midnight unless an actual order provides otherwise.
Apply for the costs or preparation-time order. Procedural rule 5 carries a final nonworking day to the next working day, before midnight unless otherwise ordered. It does not waive presentation, copy service or a case-specific direction.
SR 2020/3, Schedule 1, rule 74What do independently checked examples show?
Fictitious example
Fictitious established event on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Up to 28 days after the final judgment was sent. An application may be made earlier in the proceedings. A judgment resolving only an interim issue does not necessarily start this outer limit. The proposed paying party must have the stated opportunity to make representations.
| Step | What is counted | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Example 1. Ordinary established facts | Fictitious established event on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Up to 28 days after the final judgment was sent. An application may be made earlier in the proceedings. A judgment resolving only an interim issue does not necessarily start this outer limit. The proposed paying party must have the stated opportunity to make representations. Up to 28 days after the final judgment was sent. Rule 5 excludes the source sending or receipt day from the 28-day procedural interval. The required act reaches the tribunal before midnight unless an actual order provides otherwise. The independent ordinary endpoint is Tuesday, February 10, 2026 for optional-tribunal-costs-application, not a different filing, service or entitlement date. | Tuesday, February 10, 2026 |
| Example 2. Closed-day boundary | Fictitious boundary event on Friday, March 6, 2026. The source-specific completion is apply for the costs or preparation-time order. Apply for the costs or preparation-time order. Procedural rule 5 carries a final nonworking day to the next working day, before midnight unless otherwise ordered. It does not waive presentation, copy service or a case-specific direction. | Tuesday, April 7, 2026 |
| Example 3. Material procedural branch | The date the judgment finally determining the proceedings for that party was sent is not established. An application may be made earlier in the proceedings. A judgment resolving only an interim issue does not necessarily start this outer limit. The proposed paying party must have the stated opportunity to make representations. The selected period cannot replace that missing source fact. An application may be made earlier in the proceedings. A judgment resolving only an interim issue does not necessarily start this outer limit. The proposed paying party must have the stated opportunity to make representations. | The date the judgment finally determining the proceedings for that party was sent is not established. An application may be made earlier in the proceedings. A judgment resolving only an interim issue does not necessarily start this outer limit. The proposed paying party must have the stated opportunity to make representations. The selected period cannot replace that missing source fact. |
Fictitious established facts. These examples do not establish eligibility, effective service, relief or a direction.
Try these dates in the calculatorWhich conditions and exceptions apply?
- Applicable event and branch
- An application may be made earlier in the proceedings. A judgment resolving only an interim issue does not necessarily start this outer limit. The proposed paying party must have the stated opportunity to make representations.
- Counting and boundary
- Up to 28 days after the final judgment was sent. Rule 5 excludes the source sending or receipt day from the 28-day procedural interval. The required act reaches the tribunal before midnight unless an actual order provides otherwise.
- Required completion
- Apply for the costs or preparation-time order. Procedural rule 5 carries a final nonworking day to the next working day, before midnight unless otherwise ordered. It does not waive presentation, copy service or a case-specific direction.
- An application may be made earlier in the proceedings. A judgment resolving only an interim issue does not necessarily start this outer limit. The proposed paying party must have the stated opportunity to make representations. The result must identify optional tribunal costs application for the party seeking a costs or preparation-time order. Confirm every actual event and completion before selecting the ordinary branch.
- This procedure concerns the party seeking a costs or preparation-time order. Its controlling event is the date the judgment finally determining the proceedings for that party was sent. An application may be made earlier in the proceedings. A judgment resolving only an interim issue does not necessarily start this outer limit. The proposed paying party must have the stated opportunity to make representations.
What must the responsible actor complete?
Questions about this procedure
When must a Northern Ireland tribunal costs application be made?
Does every interim judgment start twenty-eight days?
No. The rule uses the judgment finally determining proceedings for the relevant party.
SR 2020/3, Schedule 1, rule 74Can costs be requested before the final judgment?
Yes. Rule 74 permits application earlier in the proceedings as well as within its outer period.
SR 2020/3, Schedule 1, rule 74Does this automatically award costs?
No. The substantive costs or preparation-time conditions and tribunal decision remain separate.
SR 2020/3, Schedule 1, rule 74Must the proposed paying party be heard?
The source requires the stated reasonable opportunity to make representations before the order.
SR 2020/3, Schedule 1, rule 74Whose final determination must be identified?
The source uses final determination of the proceedings for the party concerned. A different party's continuing case can require separate analysis.
SR 2020/3, Schedule 1, rule 74Is preparation-time relief the same as every legal bill?
No. Identify the actual costs or preparation-time order sought and its distinct substantive conditions.
SR 2020/3, Schedule 1, rule 74Official sources and review
Provisions used (2)
| Provision | Purpose |
|---|---|
| SR 2020/3, Schedule 1, rule 74 | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Industrial Tribunals and Fair Employment Tribunal Rules 2020, Schedule 1 rule 5 | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |