Small Claims Online Northern Ireland

The Right Portal — And the Wrong Ones

Northern Ireland has its own online filing system for small claims, accessed through the Department of Justice website. If your search has led you to "Make a Court Claim for Money" on GOV.UK or "Civil Money Claims" — stop. Those are for England and Wales only and do not work in Northern Ireland. Filing through the wrong portal wastes time and achieves nothing.

The correct entry point is Small Claims Online on the Department of Justice website (justice-ni.gov.uk, under Online Services). This is the digital front door to the Civil Processing Centre (CPC) at Laganside Courts in Belfast, which handles every small claim in Northern Ireland.

Setting Up Your Account

Before you can file, you need to register for an account on the portal. The registration process asks for identity verification details — this is specific to the NI system and catches some people off guard. Have your personal details ready and allow a few minutes for the verification step.

Once registered, you can start, save, and return to applications outside standard court office hours. The portal accepts Visa and MasterCard debit or credit cards for fee payment, or you can pay through an Integrated Court Operations System (ICOS) account if you have one.

Filing Your Application Online

The application form asks for the same information regardless of whether you file online or on paper:

• Party details: your full name and address, and the respondent's full legal name and address (including postcode)
• Preferred hearing venue: the local County Court where you want the case heard if the respondent disputes it
• Claim type: liquidated (fixed sum like an unpaid invoice) or unliquidated (estimated, like repair costs)
• Statement of facts: a plain-language description of what happened, when, and why the respondent owes you money
• Amount claimed: principal debt, any interest calculated, and the court fee

You do not need to write in legal language. The statement of facts is a narrative, not a formal pleading.

After You Submit

Once you submit and pay, the CPC receives the application, verifies it, and registers the case in the ICOS system. You get a claim reference number. The CPC then posts a Small Claims Pack to the respondent — you do not need to arrange service yourself.

The portal lets you track your case status: whether the pack has been sent, whether the respondent has replied, and what the next step is.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Wrong respondent name. If you are claiming against a company, use the exact name registered with Companies House, not a trading name or abbreviation. A decree against the wrong entity is unenforceable.

Missing the fee. The online system calculates your fee based on the claim amount. If the payment does not go through, the application stalls.

Using England & Wales forms. The system will not accept references to Form N1, CPR Part 27, or any other English court process.

Skipping the demand letter. You should have sent a Letter Before Claim before filing. The judge may ask about this at the hearing.

Is Online Filing Right for You?

Online filing is faster than posting a paper form. You avoid the three-copy paper requirement, you can pay instantly by card, and you get electronic tracking. For most straightforward claims — an unpaid invoice, a withheld deposit, a refund the retailer will not give — the online route is the simplest path.

If you want a detailed walkthrough of the full filing process, including what to write in the statement of facts and how to prepare for what happens after filing, the Northern Ireland Small Claims Filing Guide covers it step by step.

See more Northern Ireland guides →