South Australia Claim Forms — Form 1, 1S, and Every Form You Need
The Old Forms Are Gone
If you are searching for Form 3 or Form 32, those are from the repealed Magistrates Court (Civil) Rules 2013. Since the Uniform Civil Rules 2020 took effect, all minor civil claims in South Australia use a new set of forms. Any guide or website still referencing Form 3 is out of date.
Which Form You Need
| Form | Name | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1 | Claim | Standard monetary claim up to A$12,000 — unpaid invoices, refund disputes, property damage |
| Form 1S | Statement of Claim | Attached to Form 1 when you need to set out the full factual narrative of your dispute |
| Form 1A | Building Work Claim | Building disputes under the Building Work Contractors Act 1995 |
| Form 1B | Commercial Lease Claim | Disputes under the Retail and Commercial Leases Act 1995 |
| Form 1C | Vehicle Dealer Claim | Claims under the Second-hand Vehicle Dealers Act 1995 |
| Form 2A | Originating Application — Fences Act | Boundary fence disputes under the Fences Act 1975 |
| Form 31 | Multilingual Notice | Mandatory — served with every claim, informing the respondent of translation and legal aid rights |
| Form P1 | Final Notice of Claim | Pre-action notice: A$27.75 online or A$66.50 at the registry |
Most straightforward debt and damage claims use Form 1 + Form 1S + Form 31. Choose Form 1A, 1B, 1C, or 2A only if your dispute falls under the specific legislation listed.
How to Draft Form 1S (Statement of Claim)
Form 1S is where you tell the magistrate what happened. The CourtSA portal gives you the option to either type a short summary (under 100 words) directly into the form or upload a separate PDF document with your full statement.
A well-drafted Form 1S states:
- Who — the parties, identified by correct legal names
- What — the transaction or event (a contract for plumbing work, a purchase of goods, a car collision)
- When — key dates (contract signed, work due, payment deadline, default date)
- Where — location relevant to the dispute
- How much — the total amount claimed, broken into principal, interest, and fees
- Why you are entitled — the legal basis (breach of contract, negligence, Australian Consumer Law guarantee)
Keep it factual. No emotional language, no speculation about the respondent's character, no commentary on what a "fair" outcome would be. The magistrate decides fairness — you supply facts.
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Everything in this article as a printable checklist — plus action plans and reference guides you can start using today.
One Free Amendment
Under Rule 334.4 of the Uniform Civil Rules 2020, you can amend your Form 1S once without leave before the respondent files a defence. The amended document must be labelled "Revision 1," lodged through CourtSA, and served on all respondents. If you discover an error in the amount or a missing party after filing, use this window.
After a defence is filed, any amendment requires the court's permission.
Downloading and Filing
All forms are available through the CourtSA portal. You complete and lodge them electronically, attaching supporting documents (invoices, contracts, photos) as PDFs. Hard-copy lodgement at the registry counter is no longer standard practice for civil matters.
The SA Minor Civil Claim Guide walks through every form field by field, with examples of well-drafted statements of claim for common dispute types.
Get Your Free SA Minor Civil Claim Filing Checklist
Download the SA Minor Civil Claim Filing Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.