NTCAT Fee Waiver — How to Apply With Form 8

Small Claims Act filing fees range from $129 to $648 depending on the claim amount and whether you're an individual or a body corporate. If you're already chasing money you're owed, paying several hundred dollars upfront to file can feel like salt in the wound. The good news: NTCAT has a formal fee waiver process for people experiencing financial hardship.

What Form 8 Does

Form 8 is an Unattested Declaration (Request for Fee Waiver or Fee Reduction). You lodge it alongside your Form 1 Initiating Application when you first file your claim. It asks the Tribunal to either waive the fee entirely or reduce it based on your financial circumstances.

Unlike a sworn affidavit, an Unattested Declaration doesn't need to be witnessed by a Justice of the Peace. But making a false statement in one is a criminal offence under Section 119 of the Criminal Code Act 1983 (NT), punishable by up to three years imprisonment. Be accurate and honest about your finances.

Who Qualifies for a Fee Waiver

NTCAT's information sheet says you may apply if you receive Centrelink benefits and paying the fee would cause financial hardship, or if your financial situation means paying the fee would cause hardship. The Registrar decides based on the evidence you provide. A concession card or high expenses may support your application, but neither guarantees a waiver.

If you earn a regular wage but have high expenses, you can still apply — the Registrar considers the financial evidence, not just one number.

What Financial Evidence to Attach

Form 8 requires supporting documentation. The stronger your evidence, the better your chances. Gather:

• Income proof: recent payslips, Centrelink income statement, tax return, or a letter from your employer confirming your hours and pay
• Government concession cards: photocopy of your Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
• Bank statements: a recent statement dated within the last month, showing your account balance and regular expenses
• Expense summary: a simple list of your essential weekly or fortnightly costs — rent, utilities, food, transport, medication
• Support letters: a letter from a social worker, financial counsellor, or community organisation confirming your hardship (if you have one)

Organise these as numbered attachments referenced in Form 8; supporting evidence must be recent (dated within the last month). The Registrar reviews paper — make it easy to follow.

How to Lodge Form 8

Complete Part H of Form 1, Form 8, and your supporting financial documents. NTCAT's fee-waiver information sheet says to email all of them to the Registry. If you cannot submit electronically, NTCAT accepts hard copies by post or at its Casuarina or Alice Springs Registry.

Email: [email protected]. If filing hard copies, use NTCAT's Casuarina or Alice Springs postal address or lodge them at either Registry counter.

If your fee waiver is granted, you won't need to arrange payment at all. If it's partially reduced, the registry will contact you with the reduced amount before processing your application.

What If the Waiver Is Refused

If the Registrar declines your fee waiver, the Registry will notify you by email and ask you to pay the full fee before processing your Form 1 application. This doesn't mean your claim is rejected — just that the filing fee is still due.

Getting Help With Your Application

If you need assistance completing Form 8 or gathering financial evidence, contact:

• Darwin Community Legal Service (DCLS) — free legal advice clinics in the Top End
• NT Legal Aid Commission — free initial legal information territory-wide
• Community Justice Centre — free mediation and dispute resolution support

Darwin Community Legal Service and NT Legal Aid may provide advice or representation depending on eligibility and availability. The Community Justice Centre provides mediation and dispute resolution.

Filing a small claim shouldn't be blocked by the fee. If money is tight, Form 8 exists specifically so financial hardship doesn't stop you from accessing the Tribunal. Our NT NTCAT Small Claim Filing Guide walks you through the entire process from demand letter to hearing, including the fee waiver step, so you can file with confidence regardless of your budget.

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