QCAT Form 3: how to fill in the minor debt application (debts up to $25,000)

QCAT Form 3 is the Application for minor civil dispute – minor debt. You use it to claim a fixed or agreed sum of up to $25,000 (excluding interest) that a person, business or company owes you in Queensland. You fill in who the parties are, the amount and why it is owed, attach your documents, pay the fee, then serve it personally within 90 days.

This is general information, not legal advice. For where Form 3 sits among the other forms, see our QCAT forms guide.

When to use Form 3, and when not to

The form’s instructions say a minor debt is where someone “owes you $25,000 or less (excluding interest) and the amount is a fixed or an agreed sum of money.” Its examples are money you lent, an IOU, a cheque that bounced, and “the cost of work done under a written or verbal contract.” QCAT’s website adds unpaid invoices and accounts, and unpaid rental or hire fees other than residential tenancy.

Form 3 says do not use it if:

• you are owed more than $25,000, excluding interest;
• your application is not for a fixed amount;
• you are a consumer having problems with a trader about goods or services (that is Form 1);
• you are in conflict with another trader about goods or services (also Form 1);
• you have a claim against a builder for losses from residential building work;
• you have a dispute about a bond held by the Residential Tenancies Authority.

QCAT also says the agreement must have been made no more than 6 years ago, and that unpaid wages covered by the Fair Work Act cannot be claimed as a minor debt. If you are owed more than $25,000 you can reduce the claim to $25,000 to stay in QCAT; otherwise claims up to $150,000 start in the Magistrates Court.

Before you fill it in

Send a letter of demand first, with a date to pay by. Form 3 asks for “the date when the amount owing became due” and for every relevant document, and a dated demand that went unanswered is one of them.

The current form is Form 3 (version 5), made under section 33 of the QCAT Act. Download it from QCAT’s forms page, or complete and lodge it online; the form itself gives the online address.

How to fill in Form 3, part by part

1. Part A, applicant’s details. You, or your business. If the applicant is not an individual, use the proper full company or business name and the ACN or ABN. Full contact details are required. If there is more than one applicant, all must be named and all must sign.
2. Part B, respondent’s details. The person or business that owes the money. Get this exactly right. The form says: “To ensure that you are taking action against the right organisation you MUST include the correct ABN/ACN for the company or business name. If you do not correctly name a party you may not be able to enforce any order made against them if you succeed in your claim.” An ASIC search will give you the registered name; the search fee can be added to your claim.
3. Part C, the amounts. The amount owing and the date it became due. Tick whether you claim interest at a rate you agreed with the respondent (attach the agreement) or, if there was no agreement, leave the rate to the tribunal and use the Queensland Courts interest calculator. Work out interest up to the date of the application. The sub-total of debt and interest is the figure your filing fee is based on.
4. Part C, the extra amounts. You can also claim the filing fee, a bailiff or process server’s fee for serving the documents, and an ASIC business name or company search fee. Add them to reach “the total amount of my claim”.
5. Part C, why you are seeking payment. The form says: “You MUST provide as much detail as possible, including details of any written or verbal agreement.” Set out, in date order, what was agreed, what you did or supplied, what was paid, what is still owing and when you asked for it.
6. Attach your documents. Agreements, contracts, invoices, receipts and colour copies of photographs. The form warns that if you do not provide this information “your application may be dismissed.”
7. Part D, assistance at the hearing. Tick whether you need an interpreter or have access needs.
8. Checklist and signature. You need a copy of the form and attachments for each party, plus one for the tribunal. Signing confirms the information is true to the best of your knowledge; knowingly giving the registry false or misleading information is an offence (QCAT Act, section 216).

If a witness supports your claim, the form says that person “should complete an affidavit setting out their evidence and attach it to your claim”, and must be available by telephone if they cannot attend the hearing.

The fee

The fee is based on the sub-total in Part C. From 1 July 2026: $96.30 for not more than $1,000; $164.30 for more than $1,000 but not more than $10,000; $405.60 for more than $10,000. It must be paid when you lodge. If paying would cause financial hardship, apply for a waiver on Form 49. See QCAT fees in 2026.

Where to lodge

Online, or at the QCAT registry (Floor 11, 259 Queen Street, Brisbane Qld 4000, or GPO Box 1639, Brisbane Qld 4001), or at your local Magistrates Court.

After you lodge: serve within 90 days

You must give a copy of the application to each respondent “no later than 90 days after you lodge the application.” Check the date stamp on your form. A minor debt application has to be served personally: you can do it yourself or pay a Magistrates Court bailiff, commercial agent or process server. If the respondent is outside Queensland, a SEPA Form 1 notice must be attached.

Once it is served, the person who served it completes Form 9, the affidavit of service. If you cannot serve in time, apply on Form 42.

What happens next

The respondent has 28 days from service to file Form 7. They cannot make a counter-application in a minor debt dispute.

• No response in 28 days: you can ask for a decision by default, made on the papers with no hearing. See QCAT Form 6.
• They respond: QCAT says a claim under $1,500 is listed for a hearing; a larger claim goes to mediation first, then to a hearing if it does not settle.

Allow for time. As at 16 March 2026, QCAT reported that about three quarters of minor debt disputes were finalised within 51 weeks.

Where Claim Done fits

The part of Form 3 people get stuck on is Part C: the reasons. Claim Done drafts your Tribunal Application from your answers: the claim text for QCAT’s form from $49, or the full application pack for $97. You review it before anything is final. If you have not yet sent a demand, the Letter of Demand is $49. Claim Done does not lodge the application or serve it for you.

Start your QCAT application

Frequently asked questions

What is QCAT Form 3?

Form 3 is the Application for minor civil dispute – minor debt. It starts a QCAT claim for a fixed or agreed sum of $25,000 or less, excluding interest.

What is the difference between QCAT Form 1 and Form 3?

Form 3 is for a fixed or agreed debt, such as a loan or an unpaid invoice. Form 1 is for a consumer and trader dispute about goods or services, or property damage caused by a vehicle. Form 3 says not to use it for a dispute with a trader about goods or services.

How long do I have to serve a Form 3 application?

No later than 90 days after you lodge it. It must be served personally, by you or by a bailiff, commercial agent or process server, and proved with a Form 9 affidavit of service.

How much does it cost to lodge Form 3?

From 1 July 2026: $96.30 for a claim of not more than $1,000, $164.30 for more than $1,000 up to $10,000, and $405.60 above $10,000. You can add the filing fee to the amount you claim.

Can I claim interest on Form 3?

Yes. Part C lets you claim interest from the date the debt became due, either at a rate you agreed with the respondent, with the agreement attached, or at a rate the tribunal determines.

What happens if the respondent does not reply?

If no Form 7 response is filed within 28 days of service, you can lodge Form 6 with proof of service and ask for a decision by default, which is made without a mediation or hearing.

Can a business use Form 3?

Yes. QCAT says anyone can make a minor debt application, including businesses and corporations. Use the full company or business name and the ACN or ABN.

General information about QCAT’s forms and rules, checked against QCAT’s website, Form 3 and the QCAT Act in November 2026. It is not legal advice.