---
title: "Separate AI licence fees and prompting time before a bill is drawn"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/obligations/client-facing-and-access-to-justice-ai-tools/separate-ai-licence-fees-and-prompting-time-before-a-bill-is-drawn"
type: "task"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "A43-JU20261022-9"
practice_area: "Client-facing & access-to-justice AI tools"
tier: "yellow"
lawyer_review: "required"
last_reviewed: "2026-10-22"
---

# Separate AI licence fees and prompting time before a bill is drawn

> From the time entries and the invoices for the tool, separate a per-user, lump-sum or annual licence fee from time spent prompting and checking output on one client's matter, and from any fee charged per matter.…

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/obligations/client-facing-and-access-to-justice-ai-tools/separate-ai-licence-fees-and-prompting-time-before-a-bill-is-drawn  
Last reviewed: 2026-10-22

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Practice area | [Client-facing & access-to-justice AI tools](https://ailawframework.com/obligations/client-facing-and-access-to-justice-ai-tools.md) |
| Human involvement | Yellow: Lawyer and AI draft together |
| How AI is used | From the time entries and the invoices for the tool, separate a per-user, lump-sum or annual licence fee from time spent prompting and checking output on one client's matter, and from any fee charged per matter. Do not draw the bill. |
| What the lawyer must review | The lawyer decides what is a practice overhead, what may be billed as time on that matter, and whether a per-matter fee is a disbursement under the costs agreement. |
| Written for / versions | 1 jurisdiction versions below |

## Checking plan

**Source-by-source verification**

Split overhead, matter time and per-matter charges before the lawyer draws the bill.

- What the AI does: From the time entries and the invoices for the tool, separate a per-user, lump-sum or annual licence fee from time spent prompting and checking output on one client's matter, and from any fee charged per matter. Do not draw the bill.
- What the lawyer does: The lawyer decides what is a practice overhead, what may be billed as time on that matter, and whether a per-matter fee is a disbursement under the costs agreement.
- Who reviews: Responsible lawyer with competence in the matter
- Basis: Practical workflow informed by the linked primary sources; the traffic light and working checks are editorial guidance, not a court classification.
- Why: The level reflects what the work is, the consequence of an error, and how much of the output the lawyer must independently re-derive.

## Checks the lawyer makes

1. On the Queensland guidance, most due diligence, supervision and a licence charged per user, as a lump sum or annually is a practice overhead and cannot be billed to a client.
2. Time spent prompting a tool and checking the output for a specific client's matter can be recorded and billed to that client if the retainer is time-based. A time entry is not adjusted upwards to the time the work would have taken manually.
3. A licence charged per matter can fit a disbursement more easily if the costs agreement defines it as one. A fixed fee must remain fair and reasonable.
4. On the joint regulators' statement, time and work items billed to a client accurately represent legal work done by law practice staff, and use of a tool does not unnecessarily increase the client's costs above traditional methods, including extra time spent verifying or correcting output.

## Notes

- These are suggested working checks. Confirm the required checking with the responsible lawyer before work starts; the checking approach does not establish permission to use AI.

## Sources

- [Queensland Law Society, Guidance Statement No 37: Artificial intelligence in legal practice](https://www.qls.com.au/practising-law-in-qld/ethics/guidance-statements/no-37-artificial-intelligence-in-legal-practice) (checked 2026-10-22)
- [Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner, Statement on the use of artificial intelligence in Australian legal practice](https://lsbc.vic.gov.au/news-updates/news/statement-use-artificial-intelligence-australian-legal-practice) (checked 2026-10-22)

## Jurisdiction versions

| Jurisdiction | Level |
| --- | --- |
| [United States](https://ailawframework.com/obligations/client-facing-and-access-to-justice-ai-tools/separate-ai-licence-fees-and-prompting-time-before-a-bill-is-drawn/united-states.md) | Yellow |

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*