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Bill of Costs AO-133

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United States District Court

DISTRICT OF

BILL OF COSTS

AO 133 (1/94)

V.

Case Number:

Judgment having been entered in the above entitled action on against , the Clerk is requested to tax the following as costs:

Fees of the Clerk ............................................................ $

Fees for service of summons and subpoena ........................................

Fees of the court reporter for all or any part of the transcript necessarily obtained for use in the case

Fees and disbursements for printing ..............................................

Fees for witnesses (itemize on reverse side) .......................................

Fees for exemplification and copies of papers necessarily obtained for use in the case ......

Docket fees under 28 U.S.C. 1923 ...............................................

Costs as shown on Mandate of Court of Appeals ...................................

Compensation of court-appointed experts .........................................

Compensation of interpreters and costs of special interpretation services under 28 U.S.C. 1828 . . .

Other costs (please itemize) ....................................................

TOTAL $

SPECIAL NOTE: Attach to your bill an itemization and documentation for requested costs in all categories.

DECLARATION

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing costs are correct and were necessarily incurred in this action and that the services for which fees have been charged were actually and necessarily performed. A copy of this bill was mailed today with postage prepaid to:

Signature of Attorney:

Name of Attorney:

For:

Date:

Costs are taxed in the amount of and included in the judgment.

Clerk of Court

By:

Deputy Clerk

Date

WITNESS FEES (computation, cf. 28 U.S.C. 1821 for statutory fees)

NAME AND RESIDENCE
ATTENDANCE
Days
Total Cost
SUBSISTENCE
Days
Total Cost
MILEAGE
Miles
Total Cost
Total Cost
Each Witness
TOTAL

NOTICE

Section 1924, Title 28, U.S. Code (effective September 1, 1948) provides:

“Sec. 1924. Verification of bill of costs.”

“Before any bill of costs is taxed, the party claiming any item of cost or disbursement shall attach thereto an affidavit, made by himself or his duly authorized attorney or agent having knowledge of the facts, that such item is correct and has been necessarily incurred in the case and that the services for which fees have been charged were actually and necessarily performed.”

See also Section 1920 of Title 28, which reads in part as follows:

“A bill of costs shall be filed in the case and, upon allowance, included in the judgment or decree.”

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure contain the following provisions:

Rule 54 (d)

“Except when express provision therefor is made either in a statute of the United States or in these rules, costs shall be allowed as of course to the prevailing party unless the court otherwise directs, but costs against the United States, its officers, and agencies shall be imposed only to the extent permitted by law. Costs may be taxed by the clerk on one day’s notice. On motion served with 5 days thereafter, the action of the clerk may be reviewed by the court.”

Rule 6 (e)

“Whenever a party has the right or is required to do some act or take some proceedings within a prescribed period after the service of a notice of other paper upon him and the notice or paper is served upon him by mail, 3 days shall be added to the prescribed period.”

Rule 58 (In Part)

“Entry of the judgment shall not be delayed for the taxing of costs.”

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What the Bill of Costs AO-133 Is and when it’s used

The Bill of Costs AO-133 is a standardized court document used to itemize and claim taxable costs after a judgment or disposition in civil litigation. It lists recoverable expenses such as filing fees, service and process costs, deposition and transcript charges, copying and postage, and other court-authorized disbursements. The form supports attachment of receipts, invoices, and clerk-entered entries and is submitted to the court clerk for review. Local rules determine whether the form is filed electronically, requires original signatures, or must be served on other parties before allowance.

Why accurate completion matters for cost recovery

A precise Bill of Costs AO-133 preserves your right to recover allowable expenses, shortens review time, and reduces the risk of objections or reductions. Courts evaluate documentation and statutory authority for each claimed item; incomplete or unsupported entries are commonly disallowed.

Why accurate completion matters for cost recovery

Who typically completes and relies on AO-133

Review local rules for filing procedures, service requirements, and any form-specific attachments required by the court.

  • Lead counsel assembling itemized receipts, court fees, and transcript invoices for submission.
  • Unrepresented litigants tallying filing, service, and copying expenses for reimbursement.
  • Court clerks verifying entries, attachments, and service before ruling on costs.

Key signers and their role

Billing Attorney

An attorney of record or billing counsel typically completes and certifies the AO-133. They assemble supporting invoices, ensure claimed items are statutory or agreed, and sign to certify accuracy and reasonableness under local rule.

Court Clerk

The clerk receives, files, and may docket the Bill of Costs. The clerk verifies form completeness, posts fees paid, and communicates deficiencies or required corrections to the filer.

Essential information to include on AO-133

Case Number: Court docket number
Party Names: Plaintiff and defendant
Judgment Date: MM/DD/YYYY
Itemized Costs: Detailed list
Total Amount: Numeric total
Signature Block: Name, title, date

Consequences of errors or late filing

Form Rejection: Court may refuse filing
Cost Disallowance: Items can be reduced
Sanctions Risk: False certifications invite sanctions
Missed Deadlines: Loss of recovery
Backup Withholding: Tax reporting issues
Service Defects: Opposition may object

Common preparation hurdles to anticipate

  • Insufficient receipts or vague descriptions that prevent the court from confirming the necessity of a charge or its direct relation to the case.
  • Mixing non-taxable overhead and administrative costs with recoverable line items, which frequently leads to reductions on review.
  • Failure to follow local form version or spacing rules, causing clerks to reject or require resubmission for formatting defects.
  • Improper service or deficient proof of service to opposing parties, which can delay allowance or trigger objections.

Step-by-step: completing AO-133 accurately

Follow these steps to prepare a clear, supportable Bill of Costs AO-133 for filing and service.

  • 01
    Collect Receipts: Gather invoices, receipts, and transcript bills.
  • 02
    Itemize Costs: List each cost with date and vendor.
  • 03
    Compute Total: Add all allowable line items precisely.
  • 04
    Sign and File: Sign per local rule and submit to clerk.

Where to file and who must receive a copy

AO-133 is submitted to the court clerk and must typically be served on all opposing parties; exact routing depends on court e-filing and service rules.

  • Court Filing: File with the clerk or e-file through the court portal.
  • Service to Parties: Serve opposing counsel per service rules.
  • Attach Proofs: Include receipts, invoices, and proof of payment.
  • Clerk Review: Clerk reviews and posts any objections.

Core components of a professional Bill of Costs AO-133

A complete AO-133 combines accurate itemization with verifiable attachments and procedural compliance to maximize the chance of full allowance.

Cover Information

Case caption, court, judge, and docket number clearly displayed to link the cost bill to the underlying matter and judgment.

Itemized List

Each claimed cost described with date, vendor, quantity, rate, legal basis, and per-item subtotal so the court can verify recoverability.

Supporting Receipts

Attach original invoices, receipts, or clerk entries showing payment or obligation for each claimed amount; label exhibits for easy review.

Computation Summary

Provide a running subtotal and final total, including any statutory caps, reductions, or agreed credits reflected in the math.

Certificate of Service

Include a signed proof of service showing how and when opposing parties received the bill and supporting documents.

Signature and Declaration

A signer (attorney or litigant) certifies accuracy, reasonableness, and that entries are allowable under governing statute or local rule.

Typical timing and deadlines to verify before filing

Deadlines for filing cost bills vary by jurisdiction and case type; always check the governing local rule or standing order.

Post-Judgment Filing Window:

Common range: 14–60 days after entry of judgment; confirm local rule.

Service Deadline:

Must serve opposing parties within the same filing window or as local rule requires.

Clerk Response Time:

Clerk may request supplements or corrections — expect 7–30 days for administrative checks.

Objection Period:

Opposing party typically has a set time to object, often 10–30 days post-service.

Appeal Considerations:

Filing costs while an appeal is pending may require special procedures; consult appellate rules.

Practical tips to improve accuracy and reduce disputes

Adopt consistent processes for documentation and verification to present an uncontested and well-supported AO-133.

Maintain a cost ledger
Keep a centralized ledger that records each expense against case activity, with dates, vendor contacts, and scanned receipts to speed assembly and cross-checking during review.
Label exhibits clearly
Attach numbered exhibits that correspond to each line item; include a short cover index so the clerk and opposing counsel can verify items quickly.
Confirm statutory basis
Annotate each claimed cost with the statutory or rule citation that authorizes recovery to reduce disputes and provide the court with legal context.
Check arithmetic and totals
Use automated spreadsheet formulas or form-calculation fields to prevent math errors; clerks commonly reject or question inconsistent totals.

How AO-133 compares with a general bill of costs

Compare form-specific features to a generic bill of costs to know when AO-133 is required and what additional details it captures.

Criteria AO-133 Standard Bill
Form Required sometimes
Itemization Detail high medium
Proof Attachments required often required
Court-Specific Fields

eSignature provider comparison relevant to AO-133 workflows

Common eSignature plans and features used to collect signatures and route AO-133 and supporting documents. Confirm vendor compliance for court acceptance and any BAA needs.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial Yes, 7-day free trial No No Yes, limited Yes, limited
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No

FAQs and troubleshooting for completing Bill of Costs AO-133

Answers to common questions about format, signatures, supporting exhibits, and electronic submissions for AO-133.


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