VCAT Civil Claims List: How to File a Goods and Services Claim in Victoria

What the VCAT Civil Claims List Actually Covers

The Civil Claims List is the part of VCAT that handles disputes between consumers and traders — or between traders — over goods and services supplied in Victoria. If someone owes you money for unpaid work, sold you a faulty product, or walked off with your deposit, this is the list you file in.

The jurisdictional basis comes from the Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 (Vic). VCAT's Civil Claims List has no cap on the amount you can claim under the ACLFTA, unlike the Magistrates' Court, which stops at $100,000. Claims up to $15,000 are classified as "small claims" and attract lower filing fees. Under section 62 of the VCAT Act, legal representation generally requires leave unless an exception applies or all parties agree.

What does not belong in the Civil Claims List: residential tenancy bond disputes (Residential Tenancies List), domestic building work covered by the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 (Building and Property List — first obtain a conciliation certificate from Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria), fencing disputes (Fences Act 1968), and disputes that require VCAT to exercise federal jurisdiction.

The Filing Process Step by Step

1. Send a letter of demand. Give the other side at least 14 calendar days to pay before you file. A letter of demand is not strictly required by the rules, but tribunal members routinely ask whether you tried to resolve it first, and skipping this step can cost you fee reimbursement under section 115C of the VCAT Act.

2. Verify the respondent's legal identity. Search the ABN Lookup or ASIC register to find the correct legal entity. A trading name like "Quick Fix Plumbing" is not a legal person — you need the individual or company behind it (e.g. "John Smith trading as Quick Fix Plumbing" or "Quick Fix Holdings Pty Ltd, ACN 123 456 789"). Filing against the wrong entity makes any order unenforceable.

3. Lodge through the myVCAT portal. myVCAT is the standard online pathway for goods and services applications. If you cannot use it, request a paper application from VCAT's Principal Registry. You'll enter the parties' details, select the Civil Claims List, describe your dispute in numbered paragraphs (your Points of Claim), upload supporting documents, and pay the filing fee.

4. Pay the filing fee. For claims up to $15,000, the standard rate is $202.10. Concession card holders pay $67.40. Corporates (turnover above $300,000) pay $612.40. If you can't afford the fee, you can apply for a fee waiver on hardship grounds.

5. Serve the respondent. Once VCAT accepts your application and issues a case number, you are responsible for serving a copy of your application and supporting documents on the respondent. Personal delivery, registered post, or email (if the respondent has expressly or impliedly consented to email service) may be used.

6. File proof of service. Complete an Affidavit of Service or Declaration of Service and upload it to myVCAT before the hearing date.

After You File: Directions, Evidence, and Hearing

VCAT typically issues a timetable order about 16 weeks after your application is accepted. This sets deadlines for exchanging evidence bundles and witness statements — usually a 9-to-12 week window. You'll need to assemble a paginated hearing bundle with a chronology, a financial breakdown, and indexed copies of your contracts, invoices, correspondence, and photos.

Hearings run by telephone, video (Microsoft Teams), or in person. You present your case first — a short oral summary, then your evidence. The respondent gets the same opportunity. The tribunal member may ask questions directly. After closing submissions, the member either decides on the spot or reserves their decision for later written delivery.

If the respondent doesn't show up, VCAT does not hand you an automatic win. You still have to present your evidence and prove your claim on the balance of probabilities.

What Happens If You Win

A VCAT order is legally binding, but VCAT does not collect the money for you. If the respondent doesn't pay, a monetary order of up to $100,000 can be registered in the Magistrates' Court of Victoria under section 121 of the VCAT Act. For an order over $100,000, register it in the County Court or Supreme Court. You can then use the court's enforcement tools — garnishee orders, attachment of earnings, or sheriff's warrants.

Our VCAT Civil Claim Filing Guide walks through every stage from the demand letter to the hearing folder, with fillable worksheets for your Points of Claim, a service tracking log, and a directions-to-hearing calendar so you don't miss a deadline.

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