ACAT Civil Dispute Application: How to File a Claim Step by Step

You've sent a letter of demand, the other side hasn't paid, and you're ready to take the matter to ACAT. The civil dispute application is the form that gets your claim into the tribunal system — but filing errors are one of the most common reasons applications get bounced back, costing you days or weeks while limitation periods keep running.

Before You File: The Checklist

Three things must be in order before you touch the application form. First, you need the respondent's correct legal name — not a business trading name, but the actual person or registered company behind it. A sole trader operating as "Capital Plumbing" needs to be named as "John Smith trading as Capital Plumbing." A company needs its full registered name and ACN or ABN.

Second, your claim must be within ACAT's $25,000 jurisdictional limit. If your dispute is worth more, you can formally abandon the excess on the application form — but that abandonment is permanent.

Third, you should have already sent a letter of demand and kept proof of delivery. ACAT expects parties to have attempted direct resolution before filing.

How to Lodge the Application

ACAT accepts civil dispute applications online, in person, by post, or by email where no filing fee is payable:

Online: The ACAT web portal at acat.act.gov.au has an online application form. You upload supporting documents and pay by Visa or Mastercard (no AMEX). This is the fastest route for most claims.

In person: Walk into the ACAT Registry at 15 Moore Street, Canberra City, weekdays 9am–4:30pm. You can pay by EFTPOS, debit card, credit card, bank cheque, or money order.

By post: Mail your completed form with a bank cheque, money order, or credit card authorisation form to ACAT, GPO Box 370, Canberra ACT 2601. Never include credit card numbers in an email — ACAT's security filters automatically delete any email containing payment details without processing it.

The 40-Page Email Rule

If you're filing by email, no filing fee can be payable, and ACAT enforces a strict limit: your total submission cannot exceed 40 pages and must have no more than 3 attachments. Exceed either limit and your application must be lodged as hard copies with the registry. If a fee is payable, file online or in person instead. For document-heavy claims (construction disputes, consumer complaints with extensive correspondence), file online or in person.

What the Application Form Asks For

The Civil Dispute Application requires your full contact details, the respondent's legal name and address, a selection of dispute category (debt, breach of contract, damages, consumer law), a factual summary of what happened, and the specific orders you want — stated precisely. "An order that the respondent pay the applicant $8,500.00 plus pre-judgment interest and filing fee reimbursement" is what the tribunal needs, not "I want compensation."

If you're claiming interest on a debt, you also need to lodge a separate Statement of Interest Claimed form showing the daily calculation.

Filing Fees (2026 Rates)

Individual filing fees under the Court Procedures (Fees) Determination 2026 (DI2026-112):

• Claims up to $3,000: $93
• Claims $3,001–$15,000: $392
• Claims $15,001–$25,000: $707

Corporate fees are roughly double unless the company had turnover under $200,000 last financial year or is a registered non-profit.

Can't afford the fee? You may qualify for an exemption if you hold a Health Care Card, Low Income Health Care Card, or Pensioner Concession Card, or are represented by an approved legal assistance organisation. A waiver may also be available on hardship grounds. Lodge a Request for Exemption from Paying Fees or Request About Payment of Fees alongside your application.

What Happens After You File

The registry reviews your application within 3–10 business days. If it's complete and jurisdictionally valid, they accept it and issue a Notice of Directions Hearing. ACAT then serves the application on the respondent, who has 21 days to file a response.

If your application is incomplete or names an invalid entity, you'll get a correction notice — and those days count against your limitation period.

The complete ACAT filing guide includes a pre-filing checklist, the full application walkthrough, and a deadline calendar to keep every step on track.

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