Detailed assessment proceedings are commenced by the receiving party serving on the paying party a notice of commencement, a copy of the bill of costs and certain other documents. After that date, and sometimes even before that date, applications relating to the proceedings or intended proceedings can be made by any party.

An application can be made in the Senior Courts Costs Office if that is the “appropriate office” for the purposes of CPR 47.4. In order to make an application, the party must file in court a notice of application, copies of any documents relied on in support and the appropriate court fee, or a fee exemption certificate. CPR 23 sets out general rules about applications.

The notice of application should be in Form N244. Note that the use of such a form and the requirement to pay a court fee may be avoided in some cases: if the SCCO has previously made an order or given directions in the detailed assessment proceedings, that order may include “permission to apply” which entitles the parties seeking a further order or directions to write to the court requesting it to restore the previous application instead of issuing a new one.