When costs are assessed the minimum amount assessed as court costs in the disposition of any criminal offense shall be $100.00. Any surcharge provided for by law shall be in addition. [In State Court, see State Court Rule 36.15.]
Rule 36.15.Assessment of Costs–Criminal
Rule 36. FILING AND PROCESSING · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 17, 2026
In one sentenceSets the minimum court costs assessed upon the disposition of any criminal offense at $100.00 whenever costs are assessed at all, and requires that any surcharge otherwise required by law be added on top of that minimum rather than absorbed within it.
Full Text of Rule 36.15
Plain-English Summary
Rule 36.15 sets a floor on criminal court costs. When a criminal offense is disposed of and costs are assessed, the minimum amount is $100.00. The rule does not require costs to be assessed in every case — it governs what happens when they are.
Surcharges are kept separate from that minimum. Any surcharge provided for by other law comes in addition to the $100.00 floor, not as part of it, so a defendant facing a mandatory surcharge cannot expect that surcharge to count toward or replace the base court cost.
This rule mirrors Rule 36.12’s approach to advance costs in civil cases, where the amount paid at filing likewise serves as a minimum. Together, the two rules reflect a consistent choice in Rule 36 to fix cost floors rather than let court costs vary case by case without a baseline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum amount of court costs assessed in a criminal case under Rule 36.15?
$100.00, when costs are assessed.
Are surcharges included within the $100.00 minimum?
No. Any surcharge provided for by law is in addition to the $100.00 minimum.
Does Rule 36.15 require that costs be assessed in every criminal case?
The rule addresses what happens “when costs are assessed,” setting the minimum for those cases, rather than mandating that costs be assessed in every case.
Does Rule 36.15 apply to civil cases?
No, it is titled “Assessment of Costs–Criminal” and governs costs in the disposition of criminal offenses.
When is the $100.00 minimum applied?
Upon the disposition of any criminal offense for which costs are assessed.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Uniform Superior Court Rules, published by the
Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia. Last verified July 17, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: Georgia criminal court costs minimum $100USCR 36.15 assessment of costs criminalminimum court cost criminal disposition Georgiacriminal surcharge in addition to court costssuperior court criminal cost assessment rule