Wondering whether you might have a County Court Judgment against your name? You are not alone. Many people discover they have a CCJ only when they are declined for credit, rejected for a mortgage, or face enforcement action.
Knowing how to check if you have a CCJ is the first step to understanding your financial position and taking control of the situation.
3 Ways to Check If You Have a CCJ
In England and Wales, there are three main ways to find out whether a County Court Judgment has been registered against you.
Search Trust Online
Search the official Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines.
Check Your Credit Report
Check whether a CCJ is showing on your credit file.
Contact the Court
Get further information about a judgment you’ve discovered.
This guide explains each method, what information you’ll need and what to do if you discover a CCJ you didn’t know about.
Why You Might Not Know You Have a CCJ
County Court Judgments are issued when a creditor takes someone to the County Court over an unpaid debt and wins the case. The defendant is supposed to receive a claim form and then a judgment notice — but not everyone does.
The court paperwork was sent to an old address after a house move.
Documents were addressed incorrectly by the creditor.
Paperwork was received but mistaken for junk mail and not opened.
A debt was sold to a new collection company who issued proceedings without proper contact.
The judgment was obtained in your absence (a “default judgment”).
Whatever the reason, a CCJ stays on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines for six years from the date it was issued — and it will show on your credit file for the same period. It can affect mortgage applications, loan approvals, renting a property, and even some employment checks.
Search Trust Online (Registry Trust)
The quickest and most direct way to check if you have a CCJ in England or Wales is to search Trust Online , the official public register run by Registry Trust on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
How to check
Visit Trust Online.
Select Individual or Business, depending on who the CCJ is registered against.
Pay the applicable search fee — check Trust Online for the current price.
Enter your full name and current or previous addresses.
Your search results are returned online.
If a CCJ appears on your Trust Online search, you will see information including the court that issued it, the judgment date, the amount and whether it has been satisfied (paid in full). This information is what lenders see when they run credit checks.
Search all addresses you have lived at in the last six years, as the CCJ may have been registered against an old address.
Check Your Credit Report
All three main UK credit reference agencies — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — record CCJ information sourced from the Register of Judgments. Checking your credit report is a straightforward way to see if any judgments are listed against you.
Equifax
Access your Equifax credit information directly or through services that provide Equifax data.
Visit Equifax →TransUnion
Check your TransUnion credit information directly or through services using TransUnion data.
Visit TransUnion →You can also obtain your statutory credit report
Your statutory credit report is available free of charge. It may not have all the additional features of a paid credit-report service, but it contains the credit information you need to check for a CCJ.
If a CCJ appears on your credit file
The entry will typically include:
An unsatisfied CCJ means the judgment debt has not been paid in full.
Credit agencies update their records from the register, so there can be a short delay between a CCJ being registered and appearing on your credit file. Trust Online is the more direct source for checking the public register.
Contact the County Court Directly
If you have received correspondence from a creditor, a debt collection agency, or HMCTS (HM Courts and Tribunals Service) about a court claim, you can contact the relevant County Court to ask whether a judgment has been entered against you.
Contact the court about a claim
The County Court Business Centre (CCBC) handles many money claims in England and Wales. You can contact them using the details below.
Have this information ready
Your full name
Your date of birth
Your claim or case number, if you have it
The court can confirm whether a judgment has been registered against you and provide details of the claim.
This method is particularly useful if you have received a claim form (an N1 or online claim) and are not sure whether judgment has already been entered.
I Have Found a CCJ — What Happens Now?
Finding a CCJ on your record can feel alarming, but there may be options available. The appropriate next step depends on why the judgment was entered, when it was issued and whether you received the original claim.
Could the CCJ Be Set Aside?
Depending on the circumstances, there are two common routes used when asking the court to set aside a CCJ.
Consent Order
If the claimant agrees, it may be possible to ask the court to set aside the judgment by consent. This can avoid the need for a contested hearing, although the final decision remains with the court.
Find Out About Consent Orders →N244 Court Application
Where agreement cannot be reached, an application can be made to the court using Form N244. Whether a judgment can be set aside will depend on the facts of the case and the court’s decision.
Find Out About N244 Applications →Find Out If Your CCJ Could Be Removed
Every case is different. Our free 15-minute assessment can help you understand the circumstances of your CCJ and the possible routes available.
How CCJ Removal Services Can Help
CCJ Removal Services specialises in helping individuals in England and Wales understand their options when challenging or seeking to remove a County Court Judgment.
We are not solicitors and do not provide legal advice. We can help you understand the CCJ removal process, identify the possible route that may apply to your circumstances, and assist with preparing the relevant application.
Understand why the CCJ was entered and what information may be needed.
Find out whether a Consent Order or N244 application may be relevant.
Get help preparing the appropriate documentation for the court process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I check if I have a CCJ for free?
You can obtain your statutory credit report free of charge from the main credit reference agencies. This can show whether a CCJ is recorded on your credit file. You can also search the official Register of Judgments through Trust Online, which charges a search fee.
How long does a CCJ stay on my credit file?
A CCJ will normally remain on the Register of Judgments and your credit file for six years from the judgment date. If it is paid in full within one calendar month, it can usually be removed from the register rather than remaining for the full six years.
What if the CCJ was registered at an old address?
If the original claim was sent to an old or incorrect address and you were unaware of the proceedings, there may be grounds to ask the court to set the judgment aside. Whether an application is appropriate depends on the individual circumstances.
Read about CCJs sent to the wrong address →What is the difference between a satisfied and unsatisfied CCJ?
A satisfied CCJ means the judgment debt has been paid in full. An unsatisfied CCJ means the judgment debt remains unpaid. Paying a CCJ after the first calendar month normally changes its status to satisfied but does not automatically remove the entry from your credit file.
Can a CCJ be removed before six years?
In some circumstances, yes. For example, a CCJ paid in full within one calendar month can usually be removed from the register. A judgment may also be removed if the court agrees to set it aside. Whether this is possible depends on the circumstances of the case.
How much does it cost to try to remove a CCJ?
Costs depend on the route being used and may include court fees and professional assistance. Consent Order and N244 applications involve different processes and costs.
See our guide to CCJ removal costs →Can an old CCJ still be set aside?
The age of a judgment does not by itself determine whether it can be set aside. Courts can consider factors including why the application was not made earlier and the circumstances surrounding the original claim. Applications should generally be made promptly once the judgment becomes known.
Find Out What Your Options Are
Start with a free 15-minute assessment. We’ll look at the circumstances surrounding your CCJ and explain the possible next steps.