Apply to enter a default judgment (from 1 April 2022)

About default judgments

A default judgment (or a judgment in default) is a judgment made by the court against a party because they failed to do something. For example, failing to file a document required by the court within a given period of time.

Depending on the nature of your claim, a default judgment can be:

• A final judgment.
  • This is the court's final decision in a civil case. For example, the other party has to pay you a fixed amount of money, interest on the amount and legal costs.
• An interlocutory judgment.
  • An interlocutory judgment may be given if you are seeking unliquidated damages from the other party.
  • In this case, an assessment of damages hearing may be arranged, where the amount of money, interest, and legal costs payable to you will be determined by the court.

File a request to enter a default judgment

If you are starting a claim (the claimant) against the other party (the defendant), you can enter a default judgment against the defendant:

• If the defendant fails to file and serve a copy of a Notice of Intention to Contest or Not Contest (enter an appearance) on you within 14 days of receiving the statement of claim (if they are located in Singapore), or within 21 days of receiving the statement of claim (if they are located outside of Singapore).
  • This is known as a judgment in default of a notice to contest or not contest.
• If the defendant fails to file and serve on you a copy of their defence within 21 days of receiving the statement of claim where it is received in Singapore, or within 5 weeks where it is received outside Singapore.
  • This is known as a judgment in default of defence.

A default judgment will not be entered automatically if the defendant fails to file and serve an notice of intention to contest or not contest or defence.

You will have to file a request to enter a default judgment against the defendant and state that the defendant has either failed to file a notice of intention to contest or not contest or their defence within the prescribed time limits.

What you will need

You will need to prepare the following before you file the application to enter a default judgment:

• The Request to Enter Judgment Form in accordance with 11 or 14 of Appendix A of the Supreme Court Practice Directions 2021.
• The Judgments Form in accordance with Form 33 of Appendix A of the Supreme Court Practice Directions 2021 or Appendix A2 of the State Courts Practice Directions 2021. 
• The necessary supporting documents where there is a claim for contractual interest.
• A memorandum of service in Form 12 of Appendix A2 of the State Courts Practice Directions 2021.
• An itemised Note of Costs, stating the costs and disbursements to which he is entitled (if any).
• Where the judgment is for possession of immovable property a certificate by the claimant’s solicitor (or where the claimant is acting in person, an affidavit) stating that no relief is sought in the nature of the reliefs under Order 52, Rule 1 of the Rules of Court 2021.

How to file

You may choose to file the documents personally or through a lawyer. If you are represented by a lawyer, the documents will be filed by your lawyer.

If you are representing yourself, you must file the documents through eLitigation at the LawNet and CrimsonLogic Service Bureau.

You must follow the Rules of Court 2021 and the State Court Practice Directions 2021 or the Supreme Court Practice Directions 2021 to prepare your documents before heading down personally to do the filing.

Estimated fees

Refer to the following to find out the possible fees for filing a request to enter a default judgment. You may also refer to the Fourth Schedule for the Rules of Court 2021 for the full list of court fees.

After you file

If the requirements for the entry of default judgment are satisfied, the court will generally grant the default judgment.

If the defendant does not agree with the default judgment, they may apply to the court to set aside or vary the default judgment.

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