Make a debt claim in the High Court
Serve the claim notice

Where to make your debt claim

You can make a debt claim in the High Court if the amount you're claiming is more than €75,000.

It is technically possible to make a High Court claim for less than this amount, but this is not recommended. High Court costs are significantly higher than in the District or Circuit Court.

Who can make a claim in the High Court

To make a High Court debt claim:

• The contract must have been made in Ireland, or
• The respondent must live or work in Ireland

For exceptions to these rules, see Order 11 of the Superior Court Rules.

Where to submit your claim

All High Court claims must be submitted to the Central Office of the High Court.

The Central Office is located on the ground floor (east wing) of the Four Courts building:

Complete your debt claim form

Once you've decided to make a debt claim in the High Court, you (or your solicitor) must complete a Claim Notice. In the High Court, this is known as a Summary Summons.

The Summary Summons 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)
• The address for service for both parties (where court documents can be sent)
• Email addresses for electronic service, if applicable
• The name and address of any legal representative (if known)

2. A description of your claim

This section is known as the special endorsement of claim. You must clearly explain:

• The background and full details (facts) of your claim
• The amount of debt (or other remedy) you are seeking
• A list of any documents or correspondence you may rely on in court

3. Signature and date

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

Important: Make sure all information is accurate and complete before proceeding to the next step.

Submit your claim notice

To submit your High Court debt claim, you must bring the original Claim Notice (Summary Summons) and one copy to the Central Office of the High Court.

You can submit the documents by post or in person. If submitting in person, you must book an appointment in advance. For more information, see the Appointment Booking Service page.

Paying the court fee

Before submitting your claim, you must pay the court fee on the copy of the Claim Notice. This is done at the Stamping Office in the Áras Uí Dhálaigh building, Four Courts complex, Dublin.

You can pay the fee by card or cash. The amount depends on how much you're claiming:

• Up to €100,000: €150
• Over €100,000 up to €150,000: €170
• Over €150,000 up to €500,000: €190
• Over €500,000 up to €1,000,000: €250
• Over €1,000,000: €400

What happens at the Central Office

• Your Claim Notice will be reviewed by court staff to ensure it's complete
• If there are errors, your documents will be returned for correction and resubmission
• If accepted, the Central Office will:
  • Assign a case record number
  • Issue the claim
  • Return the original Claim Notice to you
  • Keep one copy for court records

After your claim is issued, you must serve a copy on the respondent. This is called serving the claim. See Step 4 for more information.

Important: Keep the original Claim Notice safe — you will need it later if the case proceeds to court.

After the claim is served

Once the Claim Notice (Summary Summons) has been served, the respondent can choose to:

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

If the respondent repays the debt

If the respondent pays the full amount (plus legal costs, if applicable) within 6 days of receiving the Claim Notice, you can end the case by filing a Notice of Discontinuance in the Central Office of the High Court.

If the respondent ignores the claim

You may apply for a judgment in default. For more information on this process, see our Summary Judgments page.

If the respondent defends or counterclaims

If the respondent submits a Memorandum of Appearance, it means they intend to defend the claim. You must then apply to have the case listed before the court.

How to have your case listed for court

1. Complete a Notice of Motion and a supporting Affidavit (template forms available)
2. Pay the court fees at the Stamping Office (Áras Uí Dhálaigh building):
   • Notice of Motion: €60
   • Affidavit: €20
3. Submit the stamped documents and one copy of each to the Central Office
4. If the documents are correct, the Central Office will:
   • Assign a date to appear before the Master/Deputy Master of the High Court
   • Return the stamped copies for you to serve on the respondent
5. Serve both documents on the respondent at least 4 days before the court date

For help with serving, see our Serving and Proof of Service page.

If your claim has been inactive

If you haven’t taken any legal steps or filed documents in the last 12 months, you must serve a Notice of Intention to Proceed on the respondent at least one month in advance before continuing with your claim.

Preparing for your court hearing

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

• Contracts, correspondence, and evidence
• Affidavits, application forms, and court papers
• A copy of each document for the judge and each respondent

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

More information

For additional rules and procedures, see Order 37 and Order 63 of the Superior Court Rules.