How to File a QCAT Response Online Through QCase

QCase Is QCAT's 24/7 Digital Filing System

The QCase portal is QCAT's online case management platform. It lets you file responses, upload evidence, track your case status, and receive tribunal notifications — all without visiting a registry in person.

For respondents racing a 28-day deadline, QCase removes the friction of business-hours-only counter service. You can file at 11pm on a Sunday if that is when you finish your Form 7.

Setting Up Your QCase Account

Before you can file anything, you need a QCase account. Go to the QCAT website and follow its current registration instructions.

Once registered, you can link your case using the QCAT case number printed on the papers you were served (formatted like MCDOxxxxx/26). Linking the case gives you access to filed documents, hearing dates, and tribunal correspondence for that matter.

Filing Your Response Through QCase

To file a Form 7 response for a minor debt claim:

1. Log into QCase and navigate to your linked case
2. Select the option to file a response
3. Complete the required fields — your contact details, the response position (full admission, partial admission, or full dispute), and your grounds for disputing
4. Upload your completed Form 7 and any supporting documents

Upload documents in a file format accepted by QCase. All uploads are subject to a 10MB total attachment limit. If your evidence bundle exceeds 10MB, you have a few options:

• Compress images before uploading (reduce resolution, convert to PDF)
• Use the manual hard-copy filing option if your evidence bundle exceeds the portal limit

Common QCase Mistakes to Avoid

Filing does not equal serving. Uploading your Form 7 through QCase files it with the tribunal, but it does not serve a copy on the applicant. You are still legally required to serve a sealed copy on every named applicant within the 28-day period. Once QCAT accepts your filing and stamps it, download the sealed copy and deliver it to the other party yourself — by post, email (if they have nominated an email address for service), or personal delivery.

Watch the file size limit. The 10MB cap is strict. Check your total attachment size before hitting submit.

Do not wait until day 28 to file. While QCase is available 24/7, technical issues can happen. If the portal goes down on your deadline day and you cannot file, the deadline does not automatically extend. Give yourself at least a day or two of buffer.

When to Use Paper Filing Instead

QCase works well for straightforward responses with modest evidence. But if you have a large evidence bundle — dozens of photographs, multi-page contracts, or physical items — paper filing may be more practical. QCAT accepts hard-copy filings at the Brisbane Registry (Level 11, 259 Queen Street) or any regional Magistrates Court registry.

For paper filings, you need the original plus three copies, plus one extra copy for each additional party, plus a stamped self-addressed A4 envelope for the registry to return your sealed copies.

Tracking Your Case After Filing

Once your response is filed, QCase becomes your case dashboard. You can:

• See when the tribunal acknowledges your filing
• Check whether mediation or a hearing has been scheduled
• View any directions issued by the adjudicator
• Upload additional evidence as directed by the tribunal

For a complete walkthrough of the response process — from identifying your papers through to the hearing — the Responding to a QCAT Minor Civil Dispute guide covers both online and paper filing paths with checklists for each step.

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