Discharge Writ of Enforcement Alberta: How to Close a Satisfied Judgment

Why Discharge Is Mandatory

When a judgment debtor pays the full amount owed — through voluntary payment, garnishment, bailiff sale or any combination — the enforcement creditor has a legal duty to clear every public registration tied to that judgment. This is not optional courtesy. Under the Civil Enforcement Act, a creditor who leaves a satisfied writ registered against a debtor's property can face liability for wrongful encumbrance.

A writ registered at the Personal Property Registry affects the debtor's ability to sell vehicles, obtain financing and conduct normal business. A writ registered at Land Titles blocks property sales and refinancing. Once the debt is gone, those encumbrances must come off.

What "Fully Satisfied" Means

Before you discharge anything, make sure the judgment is actually paid in full. The total obligation includes:

• Original judgment principal
• Awarded court costs from the underlying case
• Recoverable enforcement costs — filing fees, PPR registration fees, garnishment costs, bailiff expenses
• Accrued post-judgment interest under the Judgment Interest Act, calculated to the date of final payment

If the debtor has been making partial payments, check your accounting ledger. Payments are applied first to enforcement costs, then to accrued interest, then to principal. The debtor may believe they've paid the original judgment amount, but if interest and costs haven't been covered, a balance remains.

Discharging the PPR Registration

File a discharge through the same authorized registry agent or Alberta Online Services portal you used for the original registration. You'll need your PPR registration number and the debtor's identifying information.

The discharge removes the floating charge from the debtor's personal property. Once filed, the debtor's PPR search results will no longer show your writ — clearing the way for clean financing and property transactions.

Withdrawing from Land Titles

If you registered the writ against real property at the Calgary or Edmonton Land Titles Office, you must file a withdrawal of the encumbrance. The Land Titles process requires a formal discharge document — check the Land Titles Office for the current form requirements (Form 21.1 has been used for this purpose).

Until the Land Titles registration is withdrawn, the debtor cannot sell or refinance the property without dealing with your encumbrance. Given that the judgment is satisfied, there is no legal basis for maintaining it.

Notifying the Court Clerk

If active enforcement proceedings are still in progress — pending garnishee summonses, funds held by the Court Clerk awaiting distribution, or an instructed Civil Enforcement Agency — you need to:

1. Instruct the Civil Enforcement Agency to cease any pending seizure activity
2. Notify the Court Clerk that the judgment is satisfied so held funds can be properly accounted for
3. Cancel any active Garnishee Summonses — notify the garnishee (employer or bank) that the debt is paid and no further remittances are required

Garnishees rely on the creditor's instruction to stop. If you don't notify them, the employer may continue withholding wages and remitting to the court, creating an overpayment situation that requires court intervention to sort out.

The Cost of Not Discharging

Failing to discharge a satisfied judgment can result in:

• Wrongful encumbrance claims. The debtor can apply to court for an order compelling discharge, plus damages for any financial harm caused by the continued registration — failed loan applications, lost property sales, damaged credit.
• Court sanctions. A court may order costs against a creditor who unreasonably delays discharge after receiving full payment.
• Ongoing administrative burden. You'll continue to receive PPR status report reminders and face potential administrative complications if the debtor's property transactions are blocked.

Timing

Discharge promptly after confirming full satisfaction. Once the judgment is satisfied, clear the PPR and Land Titles registrations and notify any active garnishees and Civil Enforcement Agencies.

Keep copies of every discharge filing and the debtor's final payment record. If a dispute arises later about whether the judgment was truly satisfied, your documentation resolves it.

The Full Lifecycle

Discharge is the last step in a process that starts with obtaining a Certificate of Judgment and ends with clearing every registration. The Alberta Judgment Enforcement Guide covers the complete lifecycle — from the first filing through to final discharge — including the accounting worksheets that help you confirm full satisfaction before you file.

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