Not legal advice; Ontario information as of October 23, 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 20H PDF itself and the text of the Small Claims Court Rules were not read, so this page quotes no rule number and no form version, and states no fee amount. The court may have issued newer versions of any form.
What an examination is
An examination hearing is one of the ways Ontario's guide lists for enforcing a Small Claims judgment. A creditor can ask for one when there is a default under an order to pay or recover money. The debtor (or, for a company, an officer, director, partner or sole proprietor who has the needed information) attends, is questioned under oath, and the public is generally excluded unless the court orders otherwise. Both the creditor and the person being examined must attend.
The forms in an examination
| Form | What it is | Who handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Form 20H | Notice of Examination. Names the person to be examined, usually the debtor. | Creditor files; creditor serves |
| Form 20P | Affidavit for Enforcement Request: the order, payments made, and the amount still owing. | Creditor files it in support |
| Form 20I | Financial Information Form. A blank copy is served with the notice when the debtor is an individual. Not needed if the debtor is a business. | Debtor completes |
| Form 8A | Affidavit of Service, proving the notice was served. See our Form 8A guide. | Whoever served |
The clocks
- 30 days. Serve the notice of examination on the debtor at least 30 days before the hearing. If you cannot serve in time, the guide says to call the court office.
- 3 days. File Form 8A with the court at least 3 days before the date set for the examination.
- Before the hearing. An individual debtor must fill out Form 20I and serve it on the creditor before the hearing. The debtor also brings a copy and supporting documents to the hearing and gives the form to the judge. The form is not filed with the court.
If the debtor does not attend
The guide describes a contempt route, not an automatic arrest. The judge may order the person to attend a contempt hearing; the creditor must serve notice of that hearing by personal service and file proof of service at least 7 days before it. At the contempt hearing the judge may order jail of up to five days, and only then does the clerk issue a Warrant of Committal (Form 20J) to the police. Paying the debt does not remove the contempt, and a person who wants the contempt hearing cancelled must file a motion (Form 15A) before its date; see our Form 15A guide. Form 20L, sometimes mixed up with this process, is the notice of default of a court-ordered periodic payment, not a missed-examination form.
Mistakes to avoid
- Serving late. Under 30 days before the hearing does not meet the guide's requirement.
- Forgetting Form 20I. For an individual debtor, a blank copy must go with the notice.
- Filing the debtor's Form 20I with the court. The guide says it is not filed; the debtor brings it to the hearing.
- Assuming a no-show means jail. It means a contempt hearing first.
The guide says there is a fee for filing the notice of examination but gives no dollar amount, so check the court's fee page. Examination is not the only option: the same guide also lists garnishment, a Certificate of Judgment and writs of seizure and sale. Related walkthroughs: Form 20E (garnishment), Form 9B (noting default), and the Small Claims Court process guide.