Skip to content Leave Site Now
Legal Aid Ontario
  • Services
    • Temporary service changes due to COVID-19
    • COVID-19 and the courts: Answers to frequently asked questions
    • Our services
    • Criminal legal issues
    • Domestic violence
    • Family legal issues
    • Mental health legal issues
    • Refugee and immigration legal issues
    • Youth legal services
    • Legal clinics
    • How to apply
    • Find a lawyer
      • Finding the right legal aid lawyer
    • What do you think about our services?
    • Languages
    • Contact us
  • For legal professionals
    • COVID-19: Ongoing list of supports for lawyers
    • LASA 2020 process updates for lawyers
    • Changes to policies and certificate coverage
    • Roster resources
      • Audit & Compliance
      • Billing
      • Case management
      • Forms library
      • Legal Aid Services Act, 2020 policies
      • Legal Aid Online
      • LAO LAW
      • Minimum experience requirements
      • More resources
    • Do legal aid work
    • Mentoring
    • Test case funding
    • News for lawyers
    • B3 Newsletters
    • Contacts for lawyers
  • Corporate
    • About
      • By-laws
      • Our clients
      • Board of Directors
      • Executive Team
      • Board Advisory Committees
      • Sidney B. Linden Access to Justice Award
      • French Language Services
    • Legal Aid Services Act, 2020
      • LASA 2020 Rules and Policies
      • LASA 2020 glossary
    • Consultations
    • LAO Consultation Registry
    • Open Government
    • Reports
    • Publications
    • News
    • Social media
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • FAQ
Français LAO Client Portal
Français LAO Client Portal
  • Services
    • Temporary service changes due to COVID-19
    • COVID-19 and the courts: Answers to frequently asked questions
    • Our services
    • Criminal legal issues
    • Domestic violence
    • Family legal issues
    • Mental health legal issues
    • Refugee and immigration legal issues
    • Youth legal services
    • Legal clinics
    • How to apply
    • Find a lawyer
      • Finding the right legal aid lawyer
    • What do you think about our services?
    • Languages
    • Contact us
  • For legal professionals
    • COVID-19: Ongoing list of supports for lawyers
    • LASA 2020 process updates for lawyers
    • Changes to policies and certificate coverage
    • Roster resources
      • Audit & Compliance
      • Billing
      • Case management
      • Forms library
      • Legal Aid Services Act, 2020 policies
      • Legal Aid Online
      • LAO LAW
      • Minimum experience requirements
      • More resources
    • Do legal aid work
    • Mentoring
    • Test case funding
    • News for lawyers
    • B3 Newsletters
    • Contacts for lawyers
  • Corporate
    • About
      • By-laws
      • Our clients
      • Board of Directors
      • Executive Team
      • Board Advisory Committees
      • Sidney B. Linden Access to Justice Award
      • French Language Services
    • Legal Aid Services Act, 2020
      • LASA 2020 Rules and Policies
      • LASA 2020 glossary
    • Consultations
    • LAO Consultation Registry
    • Open Government
    • Reports
    • Publications
    • News
    • Social media
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
  • FAQ

Annual billing limits

What are the billing limits?

The annual dollar billing limits are as follows:

Tier I Tier II Tier III
$256,479.00 $288,538.88 $320,598.75

When does the year begin?

LAO’s fiscal year runs from April 1 each year to March 31 of the following year. On April 1 each year, every lawyer’s annual billing limit starts over again. Only dollars billed to LAO that are paid in the fiscal year are included in your annual billing limit. If you submit accounts that are not processed for payment by March 31, they will be included in your annual billing limit for the next fiscal year starting April 1, that is, in the fiscal year in which they are processed.

What’s included in the annual billing limit (hard cap)?

Only the dollars paid for work performed by you are included in your annual billing limit. For example, if you acknowledge a certificate, but another lawyer does the work required by the client, the dollars paid will be included in the other lawyer’s annual billing limit, not in yours, even though you are required to sign the account because you acknowledged the certificate. Student or law clerk time is also excluded from dollars allocated to your annual billing limit.

How do I find out my billing status?

You now have access to your annual billing limit under the hard cap status information section on Legal Aid Online. The daily summary of your billing position includes your annual limit, the percentage you have used, the fees that have been paid, the fees scheduled for payment and those still under review. You will be notified of your status electronically instead of by mail when you have reached 50, 75, 90 and 100 per cent of your limit. Online billing limits and hard cap notices

Please note it remains your responsibility to monitor your own legal aid billings. You are in the best position to know what you have billed LAO.

For further information and instructions on how to review the online billing limits, hard cap status information and to manage electronic hard cap notices:

Job Aid: Online Billing Limits and Hard Cap Notices

What happens if I reach my billing limit before March 31?

You should take all necessary steps to ensure that you do not exceed the annual billing limit. If you reach 100 per cent of your annual limit, LAO will pay agents’ fees or other disbursements, but the balance of the accounts, consisting of fees paid to the lawyer, cannot be paid. The unpaid fees cannot be resubmitted for reconsideration or payment at a later date.

If you are at risk of reaching your billing limit, you can wait until the new fiscal year (April 1) to submit accounts. All accounts (whether held back or not) must be submitted within the billing deadlines.

Are there any exemptions to the billing limit?

You can request exemption from the annual billing limit if special circumstances exist. Your request must be in writing, and must provide sufficient details to enable the president to exercise his discretion properly. Please submit your request before the end of January to:

Legal Aid Ontario, Lawyer Services & Payments
Fax: 416-979-8562
ATTN: Regional lawyer payments specialist

Please include the name of your region/district in the attention line. The request should be copied to the district area director and specify:

  • the number of hours and dollars requested beyond your hardcap
  • the number of times you have requested an exemption
  • the reasons for your request

The director of Lawyer Services and Payments will review your letter, consult with the district area director, and make a recommendation to the regional vice-president and president who will decide whether the exemption will be granted. Exemptions are granted in rare circumstances.

  • This form is feedback only.
Go back to top

Site footer

Sign-up for email alerts about upcoming consultations.

Need legal help?

Call us toll free at 1‑800‑668‑8258 Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST) for help in over 300 languages.

Current wait time: The CLSC is currently closed.

Wait times: Monday is our busiest day. For faster service, try calling Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Legal Aid Ontario is a safe and respectful space for our clients and employees. Verbal or threats of physical abuse will not be tolerated. Abusive behaviour may result in refusal of service.

Links

  • Freedom of information requests
    • Privacy policy
  • Accessibility policy
    • Terms of use
  • What do you think about our services?
    • Contact us
  • Sitemap

Legal Aid Ontario on social media

  • Social
    • Facebook
    • Intagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
Legal Aid Ontario

Legal Aid Ontario land acknowledgement

Land acknowledgement: Legal Aid Ontario recognizes that its work, and the work of its community partners take place on traditional Indigenous territories across the province.

Legal Aid Ontario copyright information

Legal Aid Ontario © 2023