Unless otherwise provided in the agreement to arbitrate, the arbitrators’ expenses and fees, together with other expenses, not including attorney’s fees, incurred in the conduct of the arbitration, shall be paid as provided in the award. The court, on application, may reduce or disallow any fee or expense it finds excessive or allocate it as justice requires.
§ 7513.Fees and expenses.
Article 75. Arbitration · Last amended 1963 · Last verified July 21, 2026
In one sentenceCPLR 7513 makes the arbitrators' fees and other arbitration expenses, but not attorney's fees, payable as the award directs unless the parties' agreement says otherwise, and lets the court cut or reallocate any fee it finds excessive.
Full Text of CPLR 7513
Plain-English Summary
Arbitration isn't free, and CPLR 7513 says who bears the cost. Unless the arbitration agreement provides otherwise, the arbitrators' own fees and expenses, along with other costs of running the arbitration — not including attorney's fees — get paid however the award directs.
That leaves room for a check on excess. On a party's application, the court can reduce or disallow a fee or expense it finds too high, or reallocate it between the parties as justice requires. The provision gives courts a backstop against arbitrators charging more than the case warrants, without setting a rigid cap the way earlier law once did.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays the arbitrator's fees in a New York arbitration?
Unless the arbitration agreement says otherwise, CPLR 7513 has the arbitrators' fees and expenses paid as the award directs.
Does CPLR 7513 cover attorney's fees?
No. The section covers the arbitrators' fees and other arbitration expenses, but expressly excludes attorney's fees.
Can a court reduce an arbitrator's fee it thinks is too high?
Yes. CPLR 7513 lets the court, on application, reduce or disallow any fee or expense it finds excessive.
Can a court reallocate arbitration fees between the parties?
Yes — CPLR 7513 lets the court allocate a fee or expense as justice requires.
Can the parties set their own rule for who pays arbitration fees?
Yes. CPLR 7513 defers to whatever the arbitration agreement provides, and only fills the gap when the agreement is silent.
Advisory Committee Notes
This section is substantially the same as CPA § 1457. The former limitation that the fees might not have exceeded the fees of Supreme Court referees was unrealistic. It has been omitted, but the court is empowered, on motion, to reduce or disallow any fee or expense it finds excessive.
Amendment History
Add, L 1962, ch 308, eff Sept 1, 1963.
Source & verification. Provision text, History, and Advisory
Committee Notes are reproduced verbatim from the Consolidated Laws of New York.
Last verified July 21, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: arbitrator fees New Yorkarbitration expenses New Yorkreduce excessive arbitrator fee New York