By Order 1.264/C/2026, published in Official Gazette no. 475 of June 8, 2026, new tariffs are introduced for expertise services provided by the National Institute of Forensic Expertise (INEC) and its laboratories.
What does it stipulate?
The normative act entirely replaces the annex that establishes the costs for forensic expertise, updating the tariffs charged by INEC. The new basic tariff for an expertise, whether it is the first or a new expertise (re-expertise), is set at 1,750 lei. This cost covers the analysis for up to three specific objectives (issues) formulated by the court or the criminal investigation body.
For expertises requiring a more complex analysis, exceeding the three objectives included in the standard tariff, an additional cost will be charged. Each additional issue, beyond the three basic ones, will be taxed at 175 lei. This tariff structure allows for a modular calculation of the final cost, depending on the complexity and scope of the requested investigation.
An essential aspect for budgeting litigation costs is the increase clause. The Order maintains the possibility for standard tariffs to be increased. The increase in the final cost can be applied depending on the particular complexity of the case, the volume of work involved, as well as the specific equipment and materials required for carrying out the expertise. This means that the published tariffs represent a minimum threshold, with the actual cost potentially being higher in atypical cases or those of great technical difficulty.
To whom does it apply?
The amendments apply to any natural person or legal entity party to a dispute (civil, commercial, administrative) or criminal case in which the court of law or the criminal investigation body orders a forensic expertise to be carried out by the National Institute of Forensic Expertise or its subordinate inter-county laboratories. Companies involved in contractual disputes requiring verification of signature authenticity, in intellectual property disputes regarding counterfeits, or in any other judicial proceedings that depend on technical or scientific evidence will bear these new costs.
What should you do?
- Evaluate budgets allocated for current and future litigations to reflect the new costs of technical evidence.
- Analyze the cost-benefit ratio before requesting a complex forensic expertise with multiple objectives from the court.
- Request from the court, where possible, a preliminary estimate of the final cost of the expertise, especially in cases that might trigger the application of the tariff increase clause.
Source: Official Gazette, Part I, no. 475 of June 8, 2026.
Note: This material is strictly for informational purposes and does not constitute legal, fiscal, or business advice. As the interpretation and application of legal provisions can vary significantly depending on the specific circumstances of each entity, we recommend seeking specialized legal assistance before adopting any operational decisions based on these amendments.