Register ACAT Order in the ACT Magistrates Court

ACAT made a money order in your favour, but the tribunal can't enforce it. Before you can garnish wages, freeze bank accounts, or send in the Sheriff, you need to register your ACAT order in the ACT Magistrates Court.

Registration is what converts a tribunal order into a court judgment — and court judgments come with enforcement powers that tribunal orders don't.

The Legal Basis: Section 71 of the ACAT Act

Section 71 of the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2008 allows any party with an ACAT money order to file it in the "appropriate court." Under Section 69A, that court is the ACT Magistrates Court for virtually all civil money orders.

Once registered, the order is treated as if the Magistrates Court made it. You gain access to every enforcement tool under Part 2.18 of the Court Procedures Rules 2006 — earnings redirection orders, debt redirection orders, seizure and sale orders, and enforcement hearings.

What You Need to File

Two documents:

1. A sealed copy of your ACAT order. Request this from the ACAT Registry at Allara House, 15 Constitution Avenue, Canberra City. The seal proves authenticity.

2. An affidavit stating the unpaid balance. Swear this before a Justice of the Peace or solicitor. It must state the original order amount, any payments received, and the exact sum still owing.

Where to File and What It Costs

Lodge both documents at the ACT Magistrates Court Civil Registry, 4–6 Knowles Place, Canberra City. Registration of an ACAT order under Section 71 is free — there's no filing fee.

This is an administrative process, not a hearing. Registry staff check your paperwork, accept the filing, and enter the order into the court record. No magistrate reviews it.

What Happens Next

Registration doesn't trigger enforcement automatically. You still need to:

1. Serve the debtor with a copy of the registered judgment and Form 2.49 (Notice about Court order and enforcement options)
2. Wait seven days after service before filing any enforcement application
3. Choose an enforcement tool — an enforcement hearing to discover assets, a redirection order to garnish income or bank funds, or a seizure and sale order to seize property

The seven-day waiting period is mandatory. Applications filed before it expires get rejected by the registry.

Timing: When Can You Register?

You can register as soon as the payment deadline in your ACAT order passes without payment. If the order says "pay within 28 days" and day 29 arrives with no payment, you're clear to register.

One thing to watch: if the debtor lodges an appeal under Section 79 of the ACAT Act, filing an appeal alone does not automatically stay enforcement. You can still register and enforce unless the tribunal or court issues a specific stay order. Check with the registry to confirm no stay is in effect.

The Full Registration-to-Collection Roadmap

The Enforcing an ACAT Order in the ACT guide walks through every step from registration through to closing the case. It maps each enforcement tool to the right form, fee, and service rule — so you don't have to piece it together from scattered court websites and legislation.

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