QCAT Minor Civil Disputes: What They Cover Up to $25,000, How the Process Works and Which Form to Use

The QCAT minor civil dispute limit is $25,000, excluding interest, for debts and consumer or trader claims, and the same stream also hears vehicle damage to property, residential tenancy matters and dividing fence disputes. Under QCAT Practice Direction 1 of 2026, signed on 26 June 2026, claims up to $10,000 are referred to mediation and claims over $10,000 go straight to a hearing, unless the tribunal orders otherwise.

It replaced Practice Direction 4 of 2011, so older guides, and some QCAT web pages, still describe a different mediation line.

If someone owes you money, Claim Done drafts the two documents that usually come first: a Letter of Demand for A$49, then a Tribunal Application for A$97 if they still will not pay. You approve the letter before it is sent, and you lodge the tribunal forms yourself.

What counts as a minor civil dispute at QCAT?

QCAT prints the definition on the last page of Practice Direction 1 of 2026, citing Schedule 3 of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2009. Seven kinds of claim qualify:

• a claim to recover a debt or liquidated demand (a fixed sum of money), with or without interest;
• a consumer and trader, or trader and trader, contract claim for money, relief from paying, work to fix defects, or return of goods;
• a claim for damage to property caused by, or arising out of the use of, a vehicle;
• a claim to repair a defect in a motor vehicle under the Motor Dealers and Chattel Auctioneers Act 2014;
• a tenancy matter;
• a dividing fence or tree dispute under the Neighbourhood Disputes (Dividing Fences and Trees) Act 2011;
• certain matters under chapter 8, part 2A of the Building Act 1975.

For people chasing money, two streams matter: consumer and trader disputes and minor debt. They look similar. They are not. The stream decides your form, whether the other side must respond, and whether they can counterclaim, and QCAT says its registry staff cannot tell you which one to file under.

How much can you claim, and what happens above $25,000?

Limits as shown on QCAT’s pages, checked 27 September 2026:

QCAT says an applicant owed more than $25,000 may choose to reduce the claim to $25,000 so it can be lodged at the tribunal. Do the sum before you decide. On a $27,500 unpaid invoice, that means asking QCAT for $2,500 less than you are owed in exchange for the tribunal route.

What does it cost to file, and where does your claim go first?

Fees change each 1 July; check the current fee on the tribunal’s or court’s website before you file. The practice direction uses a claim-value line to decide where your claim goes first:

The current fee for your claim is on QCAT’s fees and allowances page. Residential tenancy disputes are listed for hearing whatever the amount.

The $10,000 mark is the mediation line. A $10,000 claim goes to mediation; a $10,500 claim goes straight to a hearing. If your figure sits just above $10,000, check every line of it before you lodge, because the number decides the path.

Hardship fee waivers use Form 49, and businesses and corporations are not eligible. Our QCAT fees 2026 guide has the full waiver rules.

Consumer and trader or minor debt: which is your claim?

A minor debt is a fixed or agreed sum. QCAT’s list includes loans not repaid, IOUs, unpaid invoices, accounts or demands, dishonoured cheques, work done or goods supplied when the cost was agreed beforehand, unpaid rental or hire fees (not residential tenancies) and the cost of cutting and removing overhanging branches. There must have been a previous agreement about paying, made no more than 6 years ago.

QCAT says a minor debt application cannot be made where there was no previous agreement for the money to be paid, where the dispute is with a consumer or trader, or where the debt comes from a goods or services contract and the amount was not agreed beforehand. Those go to the consumer and trader stream. QCAT’s page also excludes vehicle defect repairs, vehicle property damage, unpaid wages covered by the Fair Work Act, claims against a builder over residential building work, and bonds held by the Residential Tenancies Authority.

Form names are from QCAT’s forms page and the responding page. For a form-by-form walk-through, read QCAT forms explained.

Read QCAT’s two lists against your own facts before you choose. The 28-day rule is the biggest practical difference: in minor debt, silence from the respondent lets you ask QCAT for a decision by default rather than waiting for a hearing.

How does a QCAT minor civil dispute run from start to finish?

1. Try to settle it. QCAT’s application page tells applicants to try resolving the dispute directly first, including by writing to the other party. Queensland’s Dispute Resolution Centres, run by the state justice department, offer free mediation as an alternative to applying.

2. Name the respondent exactly. Use the precise company or business name with its ACN or ABN. QCAT warns that if a party is named wrongly, you may not be able to enforce an order you win.

3. Lodge and pay. Consumer and trader claims go in through QCase or on Form 1, filed with three copies (plus one for each extra party) at a Magistrates Court or QCAT’s Brisbane registry. Minor debt uses Form 3. The fee is paid when you lodge.

4. Serve it. In consumer and trader disputes, QCAT gives you a sealed copy and you then have 7 days to serve it, personally, by post, or through a bailiff, commercial agent or process server. The person who served it completes Form 9, an affidavit of service witnessed by a Justice of the Peace. In minor debt, serving is also your job, under QCAT’s minor debt application steps.

5. Mediation or hearing. Up to $10,000, mediation first. If it settles, the terms are recorded in writing. If it does not, the case is listed for hearing. Skip mediation without a reasonable excuse and the tribunal can make orders in your absence, including dismissing the application or making final orders in favour of a party. A party who thinks the dispute is unsuitable for mediation can ask by email, with reasons, to by-pass it.

6. Exchange your material. For any matter going to a final hearing, each party must give every other party a copy of everything they file and want to rely on, at least five business days before the hearing. QCAT will not do this for you, and uploading it to QCase is not enough. QCAT’s respondent page separately mentions filing replies up to 7 days before the hearing; count both and work to whichever falls first.

7. The hearing. Parties generally represent themselves. Anyone else needs QCAT’s permission (Form 56), given only if it is in the interests of justice. See what evidence you need for QCAT.

8. After the decision. If the other side ignores a minor civil dispute order, you file a copy of it with an affidavit in the Magistrates Court; QCAT’s enforcement page says this is free to file. Appealing a minor civil dispute decision needs leave from the QCAT Appeal Tribunal, and the appeals page sets 28 days from the written reasons or notice of the decision.

Why does the demand letter come before the application?

Because both streams reward paper. A minor debt claim needs a previous agreement about payment, and a demand letter that restates the agreement, the amount and the due date puts all three in one dated document. In a consumer and trader dispute, it shows the tribunal you tried to resolve it before lodging, which is what QCAT’s application page asks for.

It costs a flat A$49. You review and approve the letter, and it is then sent by email.

Not in Queensland, or on the other side?

If you have been served with a QCAT claim, start with how to respond to a QCAT application. Our overview of the QCAT application covers the Queensland service in one page.

New South Wales and Victoria run different tribunals with different limits and fees. For New South Wales, see the NCAT application guide, NCAT fees 2026, the NCAT application form guide, defending an NCAT application and the NCAT evidence checklist. For Victoria, see the VCAT application guide, VCAT fees 2026, the myVCAT application form guide and responding to a VCAT application.

Facts checked against QCAT pages on 27 September 2026, including QCAT Practice Direction 1 of 2026 (signed 26 June 2026).

What does Claim Done do, and what do you do?

Claim Done is not a law firm. It drafts the documents; you control what is sent and filed in your name.

Owed money? Start with the letter. The Letter of Demand costs a flat A$49. You answer the questions, tell us about the invoice or agreement, review the draft, approve it, and it is sent by email.

Still unpaid? Move to QCAT. The Tribunal Application costs a flat A$97. Choose Queensland and your dispute type, tell us what evidence you have, and review the draft. You then lodge it yourself through QCase or on Form 1 or Form 3, pay QCAT’s fee and serve the respondent.

Your next step: if the debt is fresh, start your Letter of Demand today. If the letter has already been ignored, start your Tribunal Application and have a draft to check and lodge yourself. Every service and price is on the pricing page.

More on QCAT minor civil disputes: small claims in Queensland: limits, fees and steps; QCAT Form 3, the minor debt application; and QCAT Form 6, the request for a decision by default.

Frequently asked questions

What is a minor civil dispute in QCAT?

It is QCAT's stream for everyday claims: debts and agreed sums, consumer and trader contract disputes, vehicle damage to property, residential tenancy matters, dividing fence and tree disputes and a few others. For debts and consumer or trader claims the limit is $25,000, excluding interest. QCAT prints the full definition at the end of its Practice Direction 1 of 2026.

How much can you claim at QCAT?

Up to $25,000, excluding interest, for a minor debt or a consumer and trader dispute, and up to $100,000 for a motor vehicle dispute against a licensed motor dealer. QCAT says an applicant owed more can choose to reduce the claim to $25,000. Otherwise, QCAT's page lists the Magistrates Court for claims up to $150,000.

Does a QCAT minor civil dispute go to mediation?

Under QCAT Practice Direction 1 of 2026, signed on 26 June 2026, claims up to $10,000 are referred to mediation and claims over $10,000 are listed for hearing, unless the tribunal orders otherwise. Residential tenancy disputes are listed for hearing. A party can ask by email, with reasons, to by-pass mediation for a claim under $10,000.

How long does a respondent have to answer a QCAT minor debt claim?

28 days from being served, using Form 7, Response to minor civil dispute – minor debt. If no response is filed in that time, the applicant can ask QCAT for a decision by default on Form 6. In consumer and trader, tenancy and fence disputes, no response form is required.

What if the other side ignores a QCAT order?

You file a copy of the QCAT order with an affidavit in the Magistrates Court, and QCAT's enforcement page says it is free to file. Once filed, the decision is treated as an order of that court and can be enforced in the same ways. Minor civil dispute orders can be enforced this way even when they are not for money.