Default Judgment Singapore: What to Do When a Debtor Company Ignores Your Claim

Short answer: If a debtor company served with your originating claim in Singapore files no notice of intention to contest or not contest within 14 days, or no defence within 21 days, your solicitor can apply for default judgment under Order 6 of the Rules of Court 2021. The court does not enter it automatically, and you must prove service.

A default judgment in Singapore lets a creditor obtain a court judgment without a trial when the debtor company does not respond to the claim. It is often the quickest and cheapest result in litigation, but only if the claim was served properly and the application is made in the right form at the right time. This guide explains, from the creditor’s side, how the deadlines run, what your lawyer files and how the judgment leads into enforcement. For choosing the court and issuing the claim, see how to sue a company in Singapore.

Raffles Corporate Services works with a panel of experienced Singapore law firms who offer cost-effective and efficient legal service and advice. This article is general information only and is not legal advice.

What is a default judgment in Singapore?

A default judgment is a judgment the court gives against a party because that party failed to take a required step in time, most commonly failing to respond to an originating claim. For a creditor, it means you can obtain judgment on your debt without proving your case at a trial.

Under the Rules of Court 2021 (ROC 2021), a debt claim is usually started by an originating claim, which with the statement of claim sets out what is claimed and why. The Singapore Courts explain that a default judgment can take two forms:

• A final judgment, where the claim is for a fixed sum such as unpaid invoices, with interest and costs.
• An interlocutory judgment, where the claim is for unliquidated damages (an amount the court still has to assess), followed by an assessment of damages hearing.

Trade-debt claims are usually for a fixed sum, so a final judgment is typical. The Singapore Courts guide to entering a default judgment summarises the process for litigants.

Which provisions of the Rules of Court 2021 allow a creditor to apply?

The core provisions are Order 6, Rule 6 (default of the notice of intention to contest or not contest) and Order 6, Rule 7 (default of defence) of the Rules of Court 2021, read with the service rules in Orders 6 and 7.

The State Courts Practice Directions 2021 (paragraph 78) and the Supreme Court Practice Directions 2021 (paragraph 108) set out the filing mechanics. You can read the Rules on Singapore Statutes Online, and the service provision in s 387 of the Companies Act 1967.

Who can apply for default judgment, and when?

The claimant can apply once the defendant’s time to file and serve a notice of intention to contest or not contest, or a defence, has passed. The clock runs from service of the statement of claim, so proof of service is the foundation.

The notice of intention to contest or not contest (Form 10) tells the court and the claimant whether the defendant will fight the claim.

There are two default points: no notice within 14 days, or a notice to contest but no defence within 21 days.

The same 14-day and 21-day periods apply in the simplified civil process under Order 65, which covers all originating claims in the Magistrate’s Court and District Court claims where all parties consent, according to the Singapore Courts’ guidance.

How does a creditor apply for default judgment, step by step?

The application is filed through the Electronic Filing Service (eLitigation) with proof of service, and the Singapore Courts state that the court will generally grant default judgment if the requirements are satisfied. In practice your solicitor runs these steps.

1. Confirm the debtor’s exact legal name, Unique Entity Number (UEN), registered office and current officers from an ACRA business profile, so the right entity is sued and served.
2. Your solicitor files the originating claim with a statement of claim, and the court issues it.
3. Serve the claim promptly, either by leaving it with an officer such as the company secretary, or by leaving it at or registered-posting it to the registered office under s 387 of the Companies Act 1967. Keep evidence of the date, time, place and method.
4. Diarise the deadlines: 14 days for the notice and 21 days for the defence, counted from service of the statement of claim (longer if served abroad).
5. After the deadline passes, check the case file to confirm nothing has been filed. A case file search can be done at the Service Bureau.
6. File the request for judgment in Form 11 or Form 14, the memorandum of service in Form 12 (if not already filed), a draft judgment, an itemised note of costs and, if you claim contractual interest, the documents proving the agreed rate.
7. Respond if the court asks for an affidavit stating when and how service was effected and what steps were taken to confirm the default (State Courts Practice Directions, paragraph 78(3)).
8. Once the judgment is entered, extract it and serve it on the debtor company, which starts the clock for enforcement.

What documents does a default judgment application need?

Paragraph 78(2) of the State Courts Practice Directions 2021 lists what must be filed. Gaps in the service evidence or the draft judgment are the usual problems.

How long does it take and what does a default judgment cost?

Where service goes smoothly, a creditor can usually apply within a few weeks of issuing the claim. Court fees for the request are modest; the larger cost is the solicitor’s work.

Fees below are from the Singapore Courts’ default judgment page; fixed costs are from Appendix 1 to Order 21. Service Bureau charges and the cost of issuing the claim are extra.

Fixed costs are what the debtor is ordered to pay you, not a cap on your own solicitor’s fees, and they do not apply where damages are still to be assessed. Your actual spend depends mainly on how hard the company is to serve (substituted service or service abroad adds cost) and whether the debtor applies to set the judgment aside.

On interest, the court may award 5.33% per year from the date of the originating process to judgment, or a contractual rate you prove. After judgment, interest runs as agreed or, failing agreement, at simple interest of 5.33% per year until payment (O 17 r 5). Our guide to post-judgment interest in Singapore explains the calculation.

What does the company secretary prepare, and what does the solicitor file?

Court proceedings are conducted by a Singapore Advocate and Solicitor, who drafts and files the claim, arranges service and files the default judgment papers. The company secretary or corporate service provider handles records and authorisations, not court work.

On the creditor’s side, the company secretary typically prepares:

• a directors’ resolution authorising the company to start proceedings, appoint solicitors and sign documents;
• an up-to-date ACRA business profile of the debtor company, confirming its exact name, UEN, registered office address and current officers;
• a statement of account with invoices and correspondence in date order; and
• later, the accounting treatment of the debt, such as a provision for doubtful debts.

There is no ACRA lodgement for obtaining a default judgment. Our sister site Singapore Secretary Services covers company secretarial practice. If the matter needs advocacy, speak to a lawyer early so the claim is drafted with enforcement in mind.

What happens after the default judgment is entered?

If the debtor company still does not pay, the creditor moves to enforcement. Under O 22 r 2(3), the judgment creditor may apply by summons without notice in Form 38, not earlier than 3 days after the judgment has been served. An enforcement order can authorise the Sheriff to seize and sell the debtor’s property or to attach debts owed to the debtor, including bank deposits (O 22 r 2(2)). If more than 6 years have passed since the judgment, the supporting affidavit must explain the delay (O 22 r 2(4)(e)). The process is covered in our guide to enforcing a court judgment against a Singapore company.

If enforcement fails, the judgment opens the insolvency route. Under s 125(2)(b) of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018 (IRDA), a company is deemed unable to pay its debts if an enforcement order or other process issued on a judgment is returned unsatisfied in whole or in part. Alternatively, a creditor owed more than S$15,000 can serve a statutory demand at the registered office under s 125(2)(a); if the company neglects to pay for 3 weeks, it is likewise deemed unable to pay. Our guide to winding up a company by creditor’s application explains that process.

The debtor may apply to set the judgment aside, especially if service was defective; see setting aside a default judgment in Singapore.

What mistakes cost creditors their default judgment?

Most failed or overturned default judgments trace back to service, timing or overclaiming.

• Serving the wrong entity or an old address. Check ACRA records first.
• Letting the claim expire. It is valid for service in Singapore for 3 months, and except in a special case can be extended only twice, by not more than 3 months each time (O 6 r 3(4)).
• Applying too early. Count the 14 or 21 days from service of the statement of claim, not from issue of the claim.
• Leaving the file dormant. Under O 16 r 2(6), an action is deemed discontinued against a defendant if no memorandum of service is filed within 12 months after the claim’s validity for service expires, and in that time no notice has been filed and no judgment obtained.
• Claiming sums or interest you cannot document, which invites a setting-aside application.
• Ignoring recoverability. A judgment against a company with no assets recovers nothing.

For routine company compliance, see our free tools.

Frequently asked questions

Does the court enter a default judgment automatically if the debtor company ignores the claim?

No. The claimant must file a request in Form 11 or Form 14 with a memorandum of service in Form 12, and the court may ask for an affidavit proving service and the default.

What is a notice of intention to contest or not contest?

It is the defendant’s formal response to an originating claim, in Form 10 under the Rules of Court 2021, stating whether it will contest the claim. A defendant served in Singapore must file and serve it within 14 days after service of the statement of claim, or 21 days if served out of Singapore.

Can my company apply for default judgment without a lawyer?

Generally no. Under Order 4, Rule 3 of the Rules of Court 2021, a company must be represented by a solicitor. The court may give permission for an officer to act for the company if it is satisfied the officer is duly authorised and has sufficient executive or administrative capacity or is a proper person to do so.

What if the debtor company files a defence after the deadline but before I apply?

Once a defence is on the court file, a default judgment application is unlikely to succeed and the claim proceeds as a defended action. If the defence has no real merit, your solicitor may consider an application for summary judgment instead.

Last reviewed: 27 October 2026. The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services.