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You can remove a CCJ from your business credit file in one of two ways, pay the debt in full within 30 days of the judgment for a complete removal, or apply to the court to have it set aside if it was issued unfairly. If you miss that 30 day window paying the debt will still help, it just gets marked as satisfied rather than wiped from the register. This guide covers both routes, plus what a discharged CCJ means for your credit file afterwards.
For the wider picture of how a CCJ affects your business beyond removal, see our guide on how a CCJ affects your business.
What is a CCJ and how does it affect your business?
A County Court Judgment is a legal order made against your business when a court finds you've failed to repay a debt. Once it's registered, it can affect your business in several ways.
Which ways can you remove a CCJ from your business?
There are two ways to remove a CCJ from your business credit file, pay the debt in full, or apply to the court to have the judgment set aside. Which one applies depends on whether the CCJ is valid and whether you're able to settle it.
Route | What it involves | Form you need | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
Pay the debt | Settle the judgment debt in full, then apply for a certificate | Certificate of satisfaction, form N443 | The CCJ marked as satisfied, or removed entirely if you pay within 30 days |
Set aside the judgment | Ask the court to cancel a CCJ issued unfairly, for example if you never received the original claim | Application to set aside, form N244 | The CCJ cancelled from your record, if the court agrees |
If the debt is genuine and you're able to pay it, settling it is the quicker, more straightforward route. If the CCJ was issued without your knowledge, or the claim itself was wrong, applying to set it aside challenges the judgment rather than paying a debt you dispute.
How does the 30 day window affect CCJ removal?
Paying a CCJ in full within 30 days of the judgment date removes it completely from both the public register and your business credit file, as though it had never been registered. If you miss that window, the debt still shows on your file for six years, though it will be marked as satisfied once you pay.
When you pay | What happens to the CCJ |
|---|---|
Within 30 days of the judgment | Removed entirely from the register and your credit file |
After 30 days, once paid | Stays on file for 6 years, marked as satisfied |
Not paid | Stays on file for 6 years, marked as unsatisfied, and the debt can still be pursued |
What is the difference between a discharged and a satisfied CCJ?
A discharged or satisfied CCJ is one where the debt has been paid off, or otherwise resolved to the creditor's satisfaction. It still appears on your business credit report for six years from the judgment date, but suppliers and lenders view it far less negatively than an outstanding, unsatisfied CCJ, since it shows the debt was dealt with rather than ignored.
How do you get a certificate of satisfaction (N443)?
You can apply for a certificate of satisfaction once you've paid a CCJ in full, and it's the official record confirming the debt has been cleared. To get one, you'll need to:
How do you apply to set aside a CCJ (N244)?
You can apply to set aside a CCJ if you believe it was issued incorrectly, most commonly because you never received the original claim, or because you have a valid defence, such as the amount being wrong or the debt having already been paid.
To apply, complete form N244 under Part 13 of the Civil Procedure Rules and submit it to the county court that issued the judgment. If the court agrees, the CCJ is cancelled from your record rather than marked as satisfied.
How does a discharged CCJ affect your business credit score?
A discharged or satisfied CCJ still affects your business credit score, but far less than one that remains unpaid, and its impact fades the longer you trade well afterwards. It stays visible on your file for six years from the judgment date, but a resolved CCJ signals that your business dealt with the debt responsibly, which matters to how suppliers and lenders read your file. Our guide on how much your business credit score improves after a CCJ is removed covers the recovery timeline in more detail.
How can you avoid future CCJs?
A few habits make it far less likely you'll end up with another CCJ down the line.
These habits keep you from ending up with another CCJ, but staying clear of county court judgments is only one part of your overall business credit score. Our guide on how to improve your business credit score walks through the other factors suppliers and lenders weigh up, from payment history to how long you've been trading, so you're building a stronger file rather than just avoiding a weaker one.
What should you do after a CCJ is removed or discharged?
Once a CCJ is removed, or marked as satisfied, check your business credit file to confirm it's been updated correctly, since errors can occasionally persist even after a court order has gone through. From there, focus on consistent, on time payments and steady trading, as these are what rebuild your credit profile fastest, and their positive effect on your score grows the further you get from the judgment date.
Monitor your business credit file so you catch a CCJ inside the 30 day window
Removing a CCJ is far easier when you catch it early, since every day inside that 30 day window is a day you could still have it wiped from your file completely rather than just marked as satisfied. Sign up to Capitalise for free to check your Experian powered business credit score, and keep monitoring your own credit profile so you're alerted the moment a CCJ is registered against your business, rather than finding out weeks later once the window has already closed.
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