Form N293A: How to Transfer a CCJ to the High Court for Enforcement

If your CCJ is for £600 or more and the debtor has goods worth seizing, transferring to the High Court lets you instruct a High Court Enforcement Officer instead of waiting for a County Court Bailiff. Form N293A is how you make that transfer. Here is the process from start to finish.

What Form N293A does

Form N293A — officially the Combined Certificate of Judgment and Request for Writ of Control — serves two purposes in one document. It asks the County Court to certify the outstanding balance on your judgment and simultaneously requests the High Court to issue a Writ of Control. Once the writ is sealed, an authorised HCEO can attend the debtor's premises and enforce.

The minimum debt threshold

You need at least £600 outstanding (principal plus awarded costs and accrued interest) to transfer. Below £600, High Court enforcement is prohibited — you must use a County Court Warrant of Control (Form N323) instead.

For debts above £5,000, transfer to the High Court is generally required unless the judgment arises from a Consumer Credit Act 1974 regulated agreement. CCA debts must remain in the County Court regardless of the amount — the statute bars High Court transfer.

How much it costs

The N293A transfer process has two steps:

County Court certification: The CNBC or issuing court certifies the judgment balance. There is no separate fee for the certification itself — it is included in the process.

High Court writ sealing fee: £82 (EX50 Fee 7.1), payable when the certified form is submitted to the High Court Enforcement Section.

The £82 sealing fee is added to the judgment debt and recoverable from the debtor if enforcement succeeds. The creditor also pays the initial £79 compliance fee; if the HCEO fails to collect, both fees may remain unrecovered.

Step-by-step process

1. Download Form N293A from the HMCTS form finder on GOV.UK.

2. Complete the form. You need the case number, the original judgment date, the debtor's full name and address, and the outstanding balance (principal, costs, interest and any payments received to date).

3. Submit to the County Court. File it at the Civil National Business Centre (CNBC) in Northampton if the claim was issued through Money Claim Online or OCMC, or at the local County Court hearing centre where the case sits. The court certifies the outstanding debt.

4. Receive the certified form. The court stamps and signs the N293A, confirming the balance.

5. Submit to the High Court. Send the certified N293A to the High Court Enforcement Section along with the £82 sealing fee. The High Court seals and issues the Writ of Control.

6. Instruct an HCEO. Choose an authorised High Court Enforcement Officer and send them the sealed writ. They issue a Notice of Enforcement giving the debtor seven clear days to pay, then attend if payment is not made.

Common mistakes

Forgetting to update the balance. If you have received partial payments since the judgment, the certified balance must reflect the current figure — not the original award. Overstating the debt can lead to enforcement being challenged.

Filing for CCA-regulated debts. If the underlying claim is a regulated consumer credit agreement, the transfer will be refused. Check the original claim form.

Not checking for stays. If the debtor has applied to set aside the judgment or the court has granted a stay of execution, enforcement cannot proceed until the stay is lifted. Verify the case status before filing.

After the writ is issued

The Writ of Control is valid for 12 months from the date of issue. If enforcement is not completed within that period, you can apply to extend it under CPR Rule 83.3. The HCEO collects stage fees from the debtor (£79 compliance, then £200 plus 7.5% above £1,200 at first attendance). The creditor pays the £82 sealing fee and initial £79 compliance fee, which may remain unrecovered if enforcement fails.

The CCJ enforcement guide covers the full N293A procedure alongside the other five enforcement methods, helping you decide whether High Court transfer or a different route (attachment of earnings, third-party debt order, charging order) is the strongest option for your debtor's particular circumstances.

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