Not legal advice; Ontario information as of October 31, 2026. Source, read on that date: the Government of Ontario's Guide to Procedures in Small Claims Court, “After judgment” (page updated July 2, 2026). The Form 20A PDF, the text of the Small Claims Court Rules and the fee schedule were not read, so this page does not quote a rule, name a form version or give a dollar amount. The court may have issued a newer version of any form.
When you need one
| Your situation | What Ontario's guide says |
|---|---|
| The debtor lives or does business outside the area of the court that gave judgment | A certificate of judgment is required before you can get a notice of garnishment or a notice of examination from the other court. |
| You are asking for a sale of the debtor's land | The sheriff may require the certificate as proof of judgment. |
| You just want one for your records | You can ask the court for one. |
| The debtor is in the same court area and you want to garnish or hold an examination | The guide names the two triggers above. It does not list a certificate for this case, so check with the court office. |
Where to ask and where to file
- Ask the court that gave the judgment. The guide says the certificate must be requested from, and is issued by, the originating court.
- File it where you are enforcing. The guide says it is then filed in the court office where the judgment will be enforced.
- Expect a fee. The guide says there is a fee for issuing each certificate of judgment and gives no amount. Ask the court office for the current figure.
What a certificate does not do
It proves the judgment exists. It does not collect anything. You still need an enforcement step, such as Form 20E garnishment, Form 20H examination of a debtor, or a writ of seizure and sale (see the Forms 20C and 20D guide).
For the whole sequence from claim to collection, see the Small Claims Court process guide.