County Court Judgment (CCJ) Enforcement Options in England and Wales

Winning a county court judgment is not the same as getting paid. If the defendant ignores the court order, you need to apply for enforcement — and the right method depends on whether the defendant is employed, owns property or has assets worth seizing.

The CCJ and what it means

A County Court Judgment (CCJ) is a court order confirming that the defendant owes you money and must pay it by a specified date or in instalments. If the defendant pays in full within one calendar month of the judgment date, they can ask the court to remove the entry from the Register of Judgments. If they pay after that month, the CCJ stays on the Register for up to six years but can be marked as satisfied once paid in full — a powerful incentive for defendants who care about their credit rating.

But some defendants either cannot or will not pay voluntarily. That is when you need enforcement.

Enforcement methods

Warrant of control (form N323)

A county court bailiff attends the defendant's address and seizes goods (belongings, vehicles, equipment) to sell at auction. The application fee is £96. Bailiffs can only seize goods belonging to the defendant, and certain items are exempt — tools of trade up to £1,350 in value, basic household necessities and clothing.

Best for: Defendants who have valuable moveable assets (vehicles, electronics, stock).

Limitations: County court bailiffs have limited powers compared to High Court enforcement officers. They cannot force entry to residential premises on the first visit. Recovery rates for warrants of control are relatively low — many are returned "nulla bona" (no goods found).

Transfer up to the High Court for a writ of control

For most money judgments of £600 or more (not a debt under a regulated consumer credit agreement), you can transfer the case to the High Court and instruct a High Court Enforcement Officer (HCEO) to enforce it. You apply using form N293A; the current EX50A lists an £82 fee to seal the High Court writ of control and no separate N293A transfer fee. The HCEO has wider powers than a county court bailiff — they can force entry to commercial premises and are generally more aggressive in pursuing payment. HCEOs charge the defendant a compliance fee and an enforcement fee on top of the judgment debt.

Best for: Larger judgments (£600+) against defendants with business premises or valuable assets.

Attachment of earnings order (form N337)

The court orders the defendant's employer to deduct money from their wages and pay it directly to you. The court sets a "protected earnings rate" (the minimum the defendant keeps to live on) and a "normal deduction rate" (the amount taken from each pay packet above that minimum).

Best for: Defendants who are employed with a regular salary. Useless against self-employed defendants, company directors who control their own pay or unemployed individuals.

Application fee: £139.

Third-party debt order (form N349)

If the defendant has money in a bank account or is owed money by a third party, you can apply for an order freezing and then transferring those funds to you. The application is made without notice to the defendant (so they cannot empty the account first), and the court holds a hearing to decide whether to make the order final.

Best for: Defendants with identifiable bank accounts or known debtors who owe them money.

Application fee: £139.

Charging order (form N379)

A charging order secures your judgment debt against the defendant's property — usually their home. It does not force a sale, but it means your debt must be paid when the property is eventually sold or remortgaged. In exceptional cases, you can apply for an order for sale, but courts are reluctant to force the sale of someone's home for a small debt.

Best for: Defendants who own property but claim they have no cash. The charging order sits on the Land Registry record and protects your position for when the property is sold.

Application fee: £139.

Information order (form N316)

If you do not know what assets the defendant has, you can apply for an order requiring them to attend court and answer questions under oath about their income, savings, property and employment. This helps you decide which enforcement method to use.

Application fee: £69.

Which method to choose

You can run multiple enforcement methods at the same time, as long as you do not recover more than the total judgment debt. Each application requires its own fee.

What enforcement costs

Enforcement is not free. Between the application fee and any compliance or enforcement fees charged by HCEOs, costs can add up. The good news is that most enforcement fees are added to the defendant's debt — you do not pay them out of your own pocket beyond the initial application fee.

The County Court Money Claim Guide covers each enforcement route with the exact forms, fees and step-by-step instructions for turning your judgment into actual payment.

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