PEI Small Claims Electronic Filing: How to File by Email

You do not need to physically visit the courthouse in Charlottetown or Summerside to file your small claims defence. The Supreme Court of PEI accepts electronic filings by email — a practical option if you live outside these cities, are out of province, or simply want a timestamped record of your filing.

How to File Electronically

Send your documents as PDF attachments to [email protected]. Your email must include:

1. Form 9A (Statement of Defence) — completed and signed
2. Form 8A (Designation of Address for Service) — your contact details for court communications
3. Request to File Electronically or by Facsimile Form — this is a separate form the court requires for any electronic submission

All documents must be in PDF format. Electronic signatures are accepted — you do not need to print, sign by hand, scan, and re-attach.

The 4:00 PM Atlantic Time Cutoff

Documents received before 4:00 PM AT are date-stamped for that business day. Anything arriving after 4:00 PM AT is stamped as the next business day.

This matters when you are filing close to your deadline. If your 20-day response deadline falls on a Wednesday and you email your defence at 4:15 PM AT on Wednesday, the court stamps it as Thursday. If Wednesday was your last day, you have technically missed your deadline.

Send your filing well before 4:00 PM AT to leave yourself a margin for email delivery delays.

Filing Fees for Electronic Submissions

A basic Statement of Defence (Form 9A) does not carry a filing fee. If you are filing a Counterclaim (Form 10A) alongside your defence, the counterclaim requires an issuing fee. Payment for electronic filings can be arranged through the court registry — contact the Prothonotary's Office at (902) 368-6067 in Charlottetown or (902) 888-8125 in Summerside for payment options.

Confirming Receipt

After you send your filing email, keep the sent message and any delivery receipt. If you do not receive an acknowledgment from the registry within a business day, call the Prothonotary's Office to confirm your documents were received and filed.

The registry's filing endorsement — or email confirmation — serves as your proof of timely filing. If the claimant later disputes when you filed, this receipt is your evidence.

When In-Person or Mail Filing Is Better

Electronic filing works well for the initial defence, but some situations favour in-person visits:

• If you need to ask the registry staff questions about your court file number or the claim details (they can confirm administrative facts, though they cannot give legal advice)
• If you are paying a filing fee and prefer to handle it immediately rather than coordinating payment separately
• If your deadline is today and you want the certainty of handing documents to a person rather than waiting for email processing

Your Complete Filing Guide

The PEI Small Claims Response Guide covers all three filing channels, deadline calculations, and the full defence process from service verification to the hearing.

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