How it works

There are different online portals to file documents for a small claims, bankruptcy or family case. Learn about these portals:

A civil case is a lawsuit between individuals and/or corporations. It can address disputes about terms of contracts or claims for:

  • injury to a person
  • their property
  • their reputation

You can file most court documents online in a civil and a Divisional Court case in the Superior Court of Justice. You can also request the issuance of court documents online.

When you are filing documents with the court, it's best to do work with a lawyer. They know what documents you must file at every step in a case and the court processes you must follow as set out in the Rules of Civil Procedure and in the Superior Court of Justice’s Notices or Practice Directions.

A lawyer can provide advice on your options and legal risks, the evidence that should be provided to the court for your case, and the consequences of failing to provide the required information or follow court procedure.

Find a lawyer

If you don't have a lawyer, you can find one through:

Documents you can file online

Civil Claims Online: You can submit the civil court documents listed in Rule 4.05.1 of the Rules of Civil Procedure for automatic filing and issuance through the Civil Claims Online portal.

Civil Submissions Online: You can submit other documents for a civil case or a Divisional Court case in the Superior Court of Justice for filing and issuance through the Civil Submissions Online portal. You will get an email from the court within five business days to tell you if your documents were accepted and successfully filed or issued.

Important:

You cannot submit documents online:

  • to request an urgent court hearing
  • for a court date that is five business days or fewer away
  • if you need to meet a deadline established by legislation or other court rules, court practice direction or a court order that is five business days or fewer away.

How to file online

Before you submit

Before you submit documents online, make sure you have:

  • an online My Ontario account
  • all your court documents completed and saved as individual PDFs or in Word (.docx) format. You need Adobe Acrobat Reader version 5.0 (or higher) installed on your computer to complete these forms in PDF format
  • your Visa, Mastercard, or debit card, if filing fees apply
  • your court file number ready, if you are filing documents for an existing case

Fees

To file court documents online or at a court counter, you need to pay the required filing fees.

File your documents

Your session will expire if you’re inactive for 15 minutes. Your information will not be saved.

File your documents

Important:

  • Civil court documents are public documents. The public can view the information you provide whether you file in person or online. Learn more about public access to civil court files.
  • Be careful when entering personal information online, where people can see and/or capture it on camera. Don’t open an online account or enter your password in public and shield any forms you are filling out.
  • Once you file a document, online or at a courthouse, you cannot change it. You or your lawyer may need to take legal steps to make any changes or corrections.
  • Once you’ve submitted your document(s), you cannot view it online. Keep copies of the documents for your records.

After you submit

After you submit a document through Civil Claims Online

If you file your document(s) through Civil Claims Online on a weekday between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm (excluding holidays):

  • it will be considered filed at that time
  • an online confirmation will be displayed on your screen right away, unless an unexpected system outage occurs

If you file your document(s) outside regular business hours, it will be considered filed on the next business day.

You will receive an email from the court with your issued document attached to the email if you submit a:

  • Statement of Claim
  • Notice of Action
  • Third, Fourth or Subsequent Party Claim
  • Certificate of Action under section 36 of the Construction Act

If you do not receive this email, contact the courthouse where you started your claim.

After you submit a document through Civil Submissions Online

If you submit your document(s) through Civil Submissions Online, you will receive an on-screen confirmation that your documents have been submitted but are not yet filed or issued by the court. Take a screenshot or print a copy of this screen for your records.

Court staff will review your documents within five business days to determine if they are accepted for filing or issuance. If your documents are:

  • accepted, you will receive an email confirming your documents have been filed or issued
  • rejected, you will receive an email stating your documents have not been filed or issued, the reason(s) for the rejection and confirming that your credit/debit card has not been charged

If your documents are rejected, you can address the reason(s) for the rejection by revising your documents and resubmitting the revised documents together with any applicable court filing fee(s) to the court.

If the court issued your document, you will receive the issued document by email.

Contact Us

If you have questions about your case, please contact the court office where your documents were submitted or filed.