Plaintiff's Claim Form 7A Ontario: How to Fill It Out

Form 7A is the document that starts your Small Claims Court case. The E-Filing Service can issue liquidated money claims automatically; claims that require clerk review may take longer. If a submission is rejected, the limitation clock keeps running.

What Form 7A Is

The Plaintiff's Claim (Form 7A) is the originating document in every Small Claims Court action in Ontario. It's the form that tells the court and the defendant who is suing whom, for how much, and why. The form is prescribed by the Rules of the Small Claims Court, O. Reg. 258/98, and is available from the Ontario Court Forms repository.

Section by Section

Court office information. Enter the full name and address of the Small Claims Court office where you're filing. This must be in the correct territorial division — where the cause of action arose, where the defendant lives or carries on business, or where the court place of sitting is physically nearest to the defendant's residence or place of business.

Plaintiff information. Your full legal name, address, phone number, and email. If you're represented by a paralegal or lawyer, their information goes here too. If there are multiple plaintiffs, attach the Additional Parties schedule (Form 1A).

Defendant information. The exact legal name and last known address of the person or entity you're suing. For individuals, use their full legal first and last names. For corporations, use the exact name from the Ontario Business Registry — not the trade name or storefront sign. For sole proprietors, write "Jane Doe carrying on business as [Trade Name]" per Rule 5.06. If there are multiple defendants, attach Form 1A.

Claim amount. The dollar amount you're claiming, up to $50,000 (exclusive of interest and costs). Be specific — "$12,450" is better than "approximately $12,000."

Interest. If you're claiming pre-judgment interest, check the box and specify whether it's at the Courts of Justice Act rate under Section 128 (the quarterly rate published by the Ministry of the Attorney General) or a legally binding contractual rate agreed upon by the parties. Include the start date for the interest — typically the date of your demand letter or the date the debt became due.

Statement of facts. This is the core of your claim. Write in plain language what happened: the transaction or relationship, what the defendant did or failed to do, and the damages that resulted. The court expects a concise, factual narrative — not legal arguments. Keep paragraphs short and use chronological order.

For example: "On April 12, 2025, I paid the defendant $8,000 as a deposit for kitchen renovations. The work was scheduled to start on May 1, 2025 and be completed by June 15, 2025. The defendant started work on May 3, 2025, completed approximately 20% of the job, and stopped responding to calls and emails after May 20, 2025. No further work has been done. I am claiming $8,000 for the deposit, less $1,600 for work completed, totalling $6,400."

What to Attach

Rule 7.01(2) requires that if your claim is based on a written document, you must attach a copy. This includes:

• Contracts or written agreements
• Invoices and account statements
• Promissory notes
• Receipts showing what you paid
• Demand letters you sent (with proof of delivery)

If you can't attach a required document, explain in the statement of facts why it's unavailable.

Don't attach everything in your evidence folder. The claim only needs the foundational documents — the rest comes at the settlement conference and trial (under the 30-day and 14-day disclosure rules).

Filing Online vs. In Person

Justice Services Online offers two digital filing paths:

The Small Claims Court E-Filing Service handles liquidated (fixed-sum) money claims. You complete the form online, pay the $108 fee by credit or debit card, and the clerk issues the claim electronically with an automatic file number. This is the fastest option for straightforward debt claims.

Small Claims Court Submissions Online handles everything else — unliquidated claims, subsequent documents (defences, motions, default requests), and claims requiring clerk review. Upload your completed Form 7A as a PDF, pay the fee, and wait for the clerk to review and issue.

In-person filing is available at a court office in the correct territorial division. Bring the original form plus copies for every defendant, the filing fee, and your supporting documents.

Common Rejection Reasons

Submissions get kicked back for a handful of predictable problems:

• Missing Form 1A when there are multiple plaintiffs or defendants
• Illegible scanned documents — uploads must be clear, standard letter-size PDFs
• Incorrect party names — trade names instead of legal corporate names
• Missing attachments — the statement of facts references a contract, but no copy is attached
• Payment errors — wrong fee amount or payment processing failure

A rejected submission is not an issued claim. The limitation period keeps running until the clerk accepts and stamps your form with a file number.

After Filing

Once the clerk issues your claim, you have six months to serve it on every defendant. Personal service, alternative service under Rule 8.03, or (if those fail) a court order for substituted service. After service, file an Affidavit of Service (Form 8A) to prove it was done.

For the full filing-to-hearing roadmap, including service methods, default judgment, and trial preparation, see our Ontario Small Claims Filing Guide.

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