In short
This law is about charging fees for licenses, permits, and other services provided by government offices or departments. It allows a Minister to set and change these fees.
What it regulates
- The prescription and variation of fees for government services.
- The effective date and parliamentary review of fee regulations.
- The right of an officer to refuse service until the fee is paid.
- The method for recovering unpaid fees.
- The option to pay fees using postage stamps.
- The reduction or remission of fees in cases of hardship.
Who it concerns
- Individuals or entities requiring licenses, permits, or other acts or services from government offices or departments.
- Ministers responsible for government departments and the Minister responsible for finance.
- Officers in charge of public offices or departments.
Key points
- A Minister can set and change fees for licenses, permits, or any other act or service in their department.
- Fee regulations take effect upon publication and must be laid before the House of Representatives.
- All fee-setting powers require the concurrence of the Minister responsible for finance.
- An officer can decline to provide a service until the required fee is paid.
- Fees can be reduced or waived by the competent Minister, with the finance Minister's concurrence, if payment would cause hardship.
📄 Legal text
[CAP. 35.
FEES
1
CHAPTER 35
FEES ORDINANCE
To provide for the levying of fees for licenses, permits and other acts or
services in government offices or departments.
(26th June, 1905)*
Enacted by ORDINANCE X of 1905 as amended by Ordinances: II of
1906 and XXVIII of 1939; Emergency Ordinance XV of I958; Ordinance
XXV of 1962; Act XI of 1963; Legal Notice 46 of 1965; and Acts: XVII of
1967 and VI of 1986.
1.
This Ordinance may be cited as the Fees Ordinance.
2. (1) A Minister charged with responsibility for any
government department or office may make regulations prescribing
the fees to be charged in such department or office or on behalf
thereof in respect of licences, permits or any other act or service
whatsoever, and may from time to time vary or amend such
regulations.
Short title.
Power of Minister
to fix fees.
Amended by:
XV. l958.3;
XXV. 1962.3;
XI. 1963.2;
L.N. 46 of 1965;
XVII. 1967.2.
(2) Any such regulation, unless otherwise provided, shall have
effect from the date of its publication, and shall, as soon as may be,
be laid on the table of the House of Representatives.
(3) The power conferred by subarticle (1) and any other power
conferred by any other law to fix such fees as aforesaid shall be
exercisable with the concurrence of the Minister responsible for
finance.
3.
The officer in charge of any public office or department,
required to do any act or service for which a fee is chargeable under
this Ordinance, may decline to do such act or service until the fee is
paid.
Officer may
decline to do act or
service required
until fee is paid.
4.
The fees prescribed by any such regulation shall, unless
otherwise provided, be recoverable in the manner laid down in the
Code of Organization and Civil Procedure, for the recovery of sums
due to a government department, on the demand or on behalf of the
officer to whom the fee is payable.
Proceedings for
recovery of fees.
Cap. 12.
5.
The competent Minister with the concurrence of the
Minister responsible for finance may by regulations direct that the
payment of all or any of the fees referred to in article 2, or of any of
the fees leviable under any other law in force, shall be denoted by
means of postage stamps in such manner as may be provided in
such regulations.
Payment of fees by
means of stamps.
Amended by:
II. l906.l;
XV. 1958.3;
XXV. 1962.3;
XI. 1963.3;
VI. 1986.2.
*See Proclamation No. X of 1905.
2
CAP. 35.]
Power of Minister
to reduce or remit
fees in certain
cases.
Added by:
XXVIII. 1939.2.
Amended by:
XV. 1958.3;
XXV. 1962.3;
XI.1963.5.
FEES
6.
It shall be lawful for the competent Minister with the
concurrence of the Minister responsible for finance to reduce or
remit any fee to which this Ordinance refers when he is satisfied
that the payment of such fee would cause hardship to the person by
whom the fee is payable.
🔗 Għas-sors uffiċjali
AI explanation based on the official legal text. Indicative, not a substitute for legal advice.