Can You Get a CCJ Removed From Your Record?

You have three ways to remove a County Court Judgment from your record: pay the full amount within one calendar month of the judgment date, apply successfully to have it set aside, or wait six years for it to drop off the register automatically.¹ Each route works differently, and which one fits depends on how long ago the judgment was made and whether you accept that you owe the money. CCJs apply only in England and Wales.

Pay in Full Within One Month

This is the cleanest route, and the only one that gets the judgment wiped from the register as if it had never been entered. If you pay the full judgment amount within one calendar month of the judgment date, the entry is removed entirely and never reaches your credit file.¹

To trigger the removal, write to the court that issued the judgment and enclose proof of payment from the creditor. You can also file Form N443 to apply formally for a certificate of cancellation.² A small court fee applies. The one-month clock is strict. If you can raise the money in time, nothing else on this page beats it.

Many people miss the window because they only find out about the CCJ after being turned down for credit. If you think a judgment may have been entered against you, you can search the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines through TrustOnline for £6 to £10 per search.³ Worth doing if you’ve moved recently or think court paperwork may have gone astray.

Apply to Have the CCJ Set Aside

If the month has passed, or you never should have had the judgment in the first place, you can ask the court to set it aside. A successful application cancels the judgment as though it was never made. The rules sit in Part 13 of the Civil Procedure Rules, and the court’s approach depends on why the judgment came about.

When the Court Must Set It Aside

Under CPR Rule 13.2, the court is required to cancel a default judgment that was wrongly entered.⁴ The two most common situations: you filed a defence but the court entered judgment anyway, or the claimant couldn’t properly prove the claim form had been served on you. A certificate of service must be filed before default judgment can be entered, so if the papers never reached you, the judgment shouldn’t have been made.⁵ The court must also set aside a judgment if you had already paid the debt in full before it was entered.

When the Court May Set It Aside

Even where the judgment was entered correctly, CPR Rule 13.3 gives the court discretion to set it aside if you can show a real prospect of successfully defending the claim.⁴ You’ll need to explain what your defence would be and convince the court you have a genuine chance of winning if the case is reheard. The court can also act where there is “some other good reason,” which is broad enough to catch situations like serious illness or being out of the country when the claim arrived.

How to File the Application

You apply on Form N244, available from HM Courts and Tribunals Service.⁶ The form asks for the court name, the case number, and the order you want. Include a witness statement covering why you didn’t respond to the original claim, what your defence is, and why you’re only applying now. Act quickly once you know about the judgment; the court expects promptness and delay weakens your case.

The court fee for an N244 application on notice is £313. If it’s made by consent or without notice, the fee drops to £123.⁷ File the form and witness statement with the court, serve a copy on the creditor, and the court will list a hearing where both sides can make their case.

If the fee is beyond your means, you can apply for help with fees. Full remission is available if you receive certain benefits, including income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, or Universal Credit with annual earnings under £6,000. Low income and limited savings can also qualify you even without benefits. Apply at the same time as your court application, using the online service or Form EX160.⁸

Wait Six Years for Automatic Removal

Every CCJ drops off the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines six years after the judgment date, whether or not you’ve paid.¹ Once it’s gone from the register, it no longer shows on credit reports and the credit damage ends.

One boundary worth being clear on: removal from the register isn’t the same as the debt disappearing. The creditor can still chase the money, and in some cases can apply for permission to enforce the judgment even after six years have passed.

If Full Removal Isn’t Possible

If you can’t pay within the month and don’t have grounds to set the judgment aside, the CCJ stays on the register for the full six years. Two things are still worth doing.

First, once you’ve paid the debt, apply to have the judgment marked as “satisfied.” Write to the court with proof of payment from the creditor, or use Form N443 for a formal certificate of satisfaction.² Lenders treat a satisfied CCJ more favourably than an unsatisfied one, so the marking matters if you’re applying for credit during the six-year period.³

Second, if the judgment orders payments you can’t manage, apply to change the terms rather than fall behind. Form N245 lets you ask the court to reduce instalments or suspend enforcement while you sort out payment.⁹ This doesn’t remove the CCJ, but it keeps you from tipping into enforcement action while the six-year clock runs down.

1
Registry Trust. England and Wales CCJ Help and Claimant Guide
2
GOV.UK. Application for a Certificate of Satisfaction or Cancellation – Form N443
3
GOV.UK. County Court Judgments for Debt – CCJs and Your Credit Rating
4
Justice UK. Civil Procedure Rules – Part 13 – Setting Aside or Varying Default Judgment
5
Justice UK. Civil Procedure Rules – Part 12 – Default Judgment
6
GOV.UK. Make an Application to a Court (Application Notice) – Form N244
7
GOV.UK. Civil and Family Court Fees (EX50A)
8
GOV.UK. How to Apply for Help With Fees (EX160A)
9
GOV.UK. Application for Suspension of a Warrant and/or Variation of an Order – Form N245