This is a factsheet for people who want to apply to for an instalment order after a judgment has been made against them in the County Court of Victoria.
Throughout the factsheet there are links to documents and helpful resources which will assist you in progressing your matter.
The factsheet contains general information only and is not intended to be legal advice.
If the County Court has made an order that you must pay a sum of money to the other party and you cannot afford to pay the full amount, you may apply to the Court to pay off the debt and interest by instalments.
If your application is granted, the Court will make an ‘instalment order’. This order will specify the amount of each instalment that you must pay to the other party, and the times that you must pay each instalment.
Before you apply to the Court for an instalment order, you should contact the ‘judgment creditor’ – the person or company who you have been ordered to pay – to try to agree on a payment plan for the debt.
If you and the creditor can’t reach an agreement and you are considering applying for an instalment order, think about the following questions:
The purpose of an instalment order is to enable the judgment creditor to recover the debt that is owed to them. If you propose an instalment order that is unlikely to result in payment of the debt because it goes on for too long or there is a risk that you will not stick to the order, then the Court will not grant your application.
You should speak to a financial counsellor before you consider putting a payment plan to the judgment creditor or applying for an instalment order.
The process set out below is contained in Order 61 of the County Court Civil Procedure Rules 2018 (Vic).
Step 1: get the documents you need together
You will need to complete a Form 61A – Application to Registrar for Order for Payment of Judgment Debt by Instalments. This document must contain the following information:
Common reasons for applications being refused include:
Step 2: serve the documents
The application for an instalment order must be served on the other party before it will be accepted by the Court.
After you have completed the application and sworn the affidavit of financial situation, send or deliver a copy of them to the other party. You can then complete and swear the Affidavit of Service which is included in the Form 61A application.
Please read the following documents carefully, as they provide important information and guidance on how to effect service:
Step 3: file the documents
You can file your documents in person at the County Court or by email at
There is a filing fee associated with the application. Please refer to the County Court fee table. If you intend to claim financial hardship you will need to file a Fee Waiver Application.
Once the documents have been filed and sealed, the Registrar will set a date for the application to be heard.
Step 4: the hearing
You do not need to attend the hearing of your application. The Registrar will make a decision based on the documents you have submitted and then notify you and the other party of the outcome.
If you disagree with the Registrar’s decision, you may lodge an objection within 14 days of receiving notification of the decision. The objection application will then be set down for a hearing before a Judge or Judicial Registrar.
What happens if the court makes an instalment order?
You must comply with the terms of an instalment order as you would any other judgment of the Court.
If you do not pay the instalments as required you may be brought back before the Court.
Justice Connect operates a service which assists people representing themselves in the County Court of Victoria. If you would like to apply for assistance from the Service, please lodge an enquiry at
If you are struggling with debt, you can contact the National Debt Helpline for free and confidential financial counselling. The National Debt Helpline can be contacted on 1800 007 007 or via their website.