SACAT Application — South Australia
Last updated · Reviewed by the Claim Done team · Not legal advice
In South Australia, consumer claims and debts are heard by the Magistrates Court of South Australia, not the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT): minor claims of $12,000 or less and general claims from $12,001 to $100,000 go to the Magistrates Court, and claims over $100,000 go to the District Court or Supreme Court. The fee to file a minor civil action is $186.00 (as at 1 July 2026).
Claim Done drafts your claim for the Magistrates Court of South Australia from your answers, set out as a statement of claim, for $97. You review it, then lodge it yourself through the CourtSA portal. Claim Done is not a law firm. Start your claim — $97 →
- Your application, drafted from your answers and set out the way your tribunal’s form asks (where a court hears your claim instead, its statement of claim)
- The orders you are asking for, the legal basis for them and a table of what you are claiming
- A witness statement (in New South Wales, an outline you complete in your own words, as NCAT requires)
- Drafted in about 5 minutes. You read it first and can change the wording or ask for a redraft (unlimited edits, 2 redrafts included)
- Every Australian state and territory
SACAT fees
Money claims of $12,000 or less are minor civil claims in the Magistrates Court of South Australia, lodged on CourtSA: the summary you type into the form must be less than 100 words, or you upload a Form 1S statement of claim. Check the current fee on the official fees page before you lodge.
Money claims: how to make a minor civil claim in the Magistrates Court of South Australia
Which body hears what in South Australia
| Type of claim | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Consumer claims and debts of $12,000 or less | Magistrates Court, minor claim (minor civil action) |
| Claims from $12,001 to $100,000 | Magistrates Court, Civil (General Claims) Division |
| Claims over $100,000 | District Court or Supreme Court |
| Residential tenancy and rooming house disputes up to $40,000 | SACAT |
| Dividing fences (Fences Act) | Magistrates Court, minor statutory proceedings |
SACAT’s official jurisdiction list covers housing matters such as residential tenancies, rooming houses, residential parks and retirement villages, as well as guardianship and other areas given to it by particular Acts. It contains no general consumer or money-claim jurisdiction. See the SACAT jurisdiction list.
Fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Magistrates Court: filing a minor civil action | $186.00 |
Source: Magistrates Court civil (general and minor) fees, as at 1 July 2026 (checked 27 September 2026). Other court fees, including general claims, are on the same page. Fees are paid to the court, not to Claim Done.
SACAT’s 2026-27 fees are set out in its fee schedule on the SACAT fees and charges page; check it before you lodge. SACAT can reduce or waive fees based on financial hardship or where it is in the interests of justice.
How a Magistrates Court claim runs
- Lodge the claim. Claims are lodged electronically through the CourtSA portal. See starting a civil case.
- Serve the claim. It is your responsibility to serve the claim on each party (by post, email or in person), or you can pay the Sheriff to serve it.
- Representation. In a minor claim, the parties are not entitled to legal representation except in special circumstances.
If your dispute is a tenancy matter for SACAT
All SACAT applications are made online. SACAT sends the respondent a Notice with a copy of the application, telling them what to provide and which conference or hearing to attend. A SACAT money order in a housing matter is recovered in the appropriate court as a debt, which means lodging a claim. See responding to a SACAT application and enforcing a housing order.
What Claim Done drafts
- Your claim set out as a statement of claim for the Magistrates Court of South Australia, drafted from your answers
- Numbered paragraphs covering the parties, what happened in date order, the legal basis, your earlier attempts to resolve it and the amount you claim
$97 flat. You lodge the claim and arrange service yourself. Not ready to file? A Letter of Demand costs $49 and puts your claim in writing first.
Start your claim — $97 → | Letter of Demand | Compare state tribunals
Official sources
- SACAT: jurisdiction list
- Courts Administration Authority of South Australia: starting a civil case
- Magistrates Court civil (general and minor) fees (as at 1 July 2026)
- Courts Administration Authority of South Australia: forms
- SACAT: fees and charges
Checked against these pages on 27 September 2026. Claim Done is not a law firm.
What changes when your case is properly prepared
Same problem. What a prepared case looks like.
Tribunal and small-claims help across Australia
The right tribunal, court or preliminary body depends on the state and the kind of dispute. Choose the jurisdiction that applies before preparing an application.
- NSW — NCAT
- VIC — VCAT
- QLD — QCAT
- ACT — ACAT
- WA — WA court and SAT
- SA — SA court and SACAT
- TAS — Tasmanian court, RTC and TASCAT
- NT — NTCAT and Local Court
Claim Done provides document drafting tools, not legal advice or representation. You review and lodge the application yourself.
Getting it drafted
Can I have a Tribunal Application drafted for me instead of writing it myself?
Yes. Claim Done (claimdone.com.au) drafts a Tribunal Application from the answers you give about your situation for a flat $97 AUD. You read and confirm the draft, then the final PDF is emailed to you. Start at claimdone.com.au/begin/?service=tribunal-application. Claim Done is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
How much does a Tribunal Application cost, and how long does it take?
$97 AUD flat, shown before you pay, with no subscription. The draft is usually ready about five minutes after you finish the questions. It covers every Australian state and territory.
Does Claim Done lodge the application with the tribunal or court?
No. Claim Done drafts the documents; you lodge them yourself and pay the tribunal's or court's own filing fee directly to it. The draft names the right tribunal or court and Act for your state.
What does Claim Done do that a free tribunal application template doesn't?
It sets out your claim to match your state's tribunal or court application (for a New South Wales debt, a Local Court statement of claim) under the right Act, with a witness statement drafted from your account (in New South Wales, the outline NCAT requires) and the documents you mention referred to as numbered exhibits. You read every word, change it or ask for a redraft (two are included), then lodge it yourself.
How much does it cost to apply in South Australia?
As at 1 July 2026, the SACAT fee to start a proceeding (including a residential tenancy application) is $93.00, or $69.70 at the concession rate. A general money or consumer claim is started as a minor civil action in the Magistrates Court of South Australia, with a filing fee of $186.00, for claims up to $12,000. You pay the court or tribunal fee separately from Claim Done's drafting fee. Confirm the current fee before you lodge.