When you file a document or application at QCAT you are also required to ‘serve’ documents to a person or business (such as a copy of an application you have made about them).
When an application is filed, QCAT will return copies of your application and/or documents stamped with the QCAT seal (official stamp). You must then deliver (serve) a copy of the stamped documents to the other person or business.
In limited cases QCAT will a serve a copy of an application on your behalf, for example:
- residential tenancy matters
- adult guardianship and administration matters
- children and young people matters.
A full list of applications is available by referring to QCAT Rules 2009,rule 19, 20, 20A and 21.
In these cases QCAT may require you to make further enquiries about the contact details of the other party if the details you provide are not up-to-date.
How do I serve the documents?
Generally you can serve documents on the respondent by personally giving the documents to them, or by post. If the other party has specified an address for service in documents already filed in QCAT, you can serve documents in the way specified in the address for service.
Different requirements may apply if you are serving a company; a copy of the corporations search by ASIC may be required.
You can pay a fee to have the documents professionally served by a Magistrates Court bailiff, commercial agent or process server.
Please refer to the instructions on your application form for service requirements for your type of application.
For more information:
- personal service – QCAT Practice Direction 8 of 2009
- general service requirements – QCAT Rules 2009, rule 39.
*Disclaimer – The above information was taken from the Court website as accurate in August 2022. If any changes are made by the court from that date they may not be reflected in this post.
