Make a debt claim in the District Court

Where to make your debt claim

Before you apply, you need to find the right District Court office. This depends on either:

• Where the contract was made, or
• Where the person or business you're claiming against (the respondent) lives or works

Once you've decided which address applies to your situation, you'll need to use the Courts Service map to find:

• The correct District Court area
• The district number
• The court office for that area

How to find the correct District Court area

1. Decide whether to base your claim on:
   • The address where the contract or agreement took place, or
   • The home or work address of the respondent
2. Go to the District Court map
3. In the menu on the left of the map, turn on:
   • District Court Districts
   • District Court Areas
4. Enter the address or Eircode in the map's search bar (top right)
5. Click on the location dot that appears on the map
6. The left-hand panel will display the relevant District Court area, district number, and court office

You’ll need this information when completing your debt claim form in the next step.

Complete your debt claim form

Once you've identified the correct District Court area and court office, you (or your solicitor) must complete the Claim Notice form. This is officially known as Form 40.02.

The Claim Notice must include the following information:

1. Details of the parties involved

• Your name and occupation (as the claimant)
• The name and occupation of the person or business you're claiming against (the respondent)
• Addresses for both parties, including where court documents should be sent
• Email addresses for electronic service, if available
• Details of any legal representatives, if known

2. A statement of the claim

Set out the facts of your claim in full. Include:

• A clear explanation of what happened
• A list of any documents or correspondence you may rely on in court
• The total amount of debt you are seeking (or another remedy, such as return of goods)

3. Court location details

Include the District Court area and district number that you identified in Step 1.

4. Legal options for the respondent

You don’t need to write these yourself — they are already included in the Claim Notice template. These explain what the respondent can do after receiving the claim (such as accept, dispute, or counterclaim).

5. Date and signature

The form must be signed and dated by you or your legal representative.

Make sure all information is accurate. Mistakes can lead to delays or your claim being rejected.

Submit your claim notice

Once your Claim Notice (Form 40.02) is complete, you must submit it — along with two copies — to the relevant District Court office. This is called submitting your claim.

How to submit your Claim Notice

• Bring the original Claim Notice and two copies to the correct court office
• Pay the required court fee (see below)

Paying the court fee

You must pay a court fee when submitting your claim. Fees can be paid by card or cash at your local court office. In Dublin, payment is made at the Stamping Office in the Áras Uí Dhálaigh building (Four Courts complex).

The fee depends on the amount you are claiming:

• Claims up to and including €5,000: €25
• Claims over €5,000 and up to €10,000: €70
• Claims over €10,000 and up to €15,000: €80

What happens at the court office

• The court office will check your Claim Notice to ensure it’s complete
• If there are any errors, the form will be returned to you for correction — you can then resubmit it
• Once accepted, the court office will:
  • Assign a case record number
  • Issue the claim (make it official)
  • Return the original Claim Notice to you
  • Keep one copy for court records

After your claim is issued, you must send a copy to the respondent. This is known as serving the claim. For more on this, see

Serve your claim notice

Once your Claim Notice has been issued by the District Court office, you must send a copy of it to the respondent. This is called serving the claim.

Serving the claim gives the respondent official notice of the legal proceedings you have started.

For full details on how to serve documents and provide proof of service, see our Serving and Proof of Service page.

Keep the original document

Do not send the original Claim Notice. You will need it later if the case goes to court.

Endorsing the served document

After the Claim Notice has been served, the person who served it must endorse the original within 3 days. This endorsement must include:

• The time and date of service
• The method used (such as personal delivery or registered post)
• The place where the document was served

This step is essential for confirming that the respondent was properly served with the claim.

After the claim is served

Once the respondent receives the Claim Notice, they can choose to:

• Repay the debt (and legal costs, if applicable)
• Ignore the claim
• Defend the claim and/or make a counterclaim

If the respondent repays the debt

If the respondent pays the full amount within 10 days of receiving the Claim Notice, you can end the case by submitting a Notice of Discontinuance (Form 47B.01) to the court office where the claim was made.

If the respondent ignores the claim

If there is no response, you may apply for a judgment in default of appearance — this allows you to get a court order without a hearing.

You must wait at least 28 days from the date of service before applying. For more information, see our Summary Judgments page.

If the respondent defends or counterclaims

If the respondent disputes the claim or makes a counterclaim, you can ask the court to list the case for a hearing.

How to apply for a court hearing

1. Fill in a Notice of Trial (Form 49.01) — prepare a copy for each respondent
2. Contact the court office where your claim was submitted and get a court date
3. Insert that date on the Notice of Trial
4. Serve a copy of the Notice of Trial on the respondent(s) at least 10 days before the hearing
5. Submit the original Notice of Trial to the court office without delay

See our Serving and Proof of Service page for help with this step.

Important: If there's a long delay

If you haven’t filed any court documents or taken steps on your claim in the past 12 months, you must serve a Notice of Intention to Proceed (Form 39.01) at least one month before resuming your claim.

Preparing for your court hearing

On the day of the hearing, bring all documents relevant to your case, including:

• Claim forms
• Contracts or agreements
• Emails or letters
• Receipts, photos, or other evidence

You must bring a copy for the judge and for each respondent.

For more, see our What to Expect in Court page.

Local procedures may vary

How court hearings are scheduled can vary between District Court areas. The number of sittings and court directions may differ. Contact your local court office for specific procedures in your area.

If the respondent has made a counterclaim

If you do not serve a Notice of Trial, the respondent can serve one instead, especially if they want to proceed with their counterclaim.