Can a CCJ Disappear After 6 Years in the UK: What Actually Happens

A County Court Judgment (CCJ) is a court order issued in England and Wales when someone is found to owe a debt. Once issued, a CCJ is recorded on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines — a public register maintained by Registry Trust Limited under statutory authority granted by the Courts Act 2003 and the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines Regulations 2005.

This article explains what happens to a CCJ after six years, what "disappearing" actually means in legal and practical terms, and why the distinction between the register entry and the underlying debt is critical.

This article applies to England and Wales only. Scotland and Northern Ireland operate under separate legal systems with their own registers and rules.

After six years from the date of the judgment, a CCJ is automatically removed from the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines. No action is required from the debtor for this to happen. The entry is removed regardless of whether the debt has been paid.

However — and this is the part most often misunderstood — removal from the Register does not cancel the debt and does not extinguish the judgment itself. The creditor may still be able to pursue enforcement, although doing so after six years typically requires permission from the court.

In short: the public record disappears, but the legal obligation does not.

The Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines is maintained by Registry Trust Limited, a not-for-profit company operating under an agreement with His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). The register exists under the authority of Section 98 of the Courts Act 2003, and its operation is governed by the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/3595).

When a CCJ is issued, the court sends the judgment details to Registry Trust, which records them on the Register. Credit reference agencies receive this information from Registry Trust, and it subsequently appears on the debtor's credit file.

Regulation 26 of the 2005 Regulations requires the Registrar to remove any CCJ entry from the Register six years from the date of the judgment. This removal is automatic. The debtor does not need to apply for it, pay a fee, or take any action. Once the entry is removed from the Register, Registry Trust notifies the credit reference agencies.

The six-year clock runs from the date of the judgment itself, not from the date the entry was added to the Register, and not from the date of any payment or other event.

The underlying legal position does not change at the six-year mark. As one commentary published in The Gazette (the UK's official public record) has noted, even after the six-year period, although the judgment may drop off the Register, the judgment itself does not simply disappear and can still be enforced by the judgment creditor. The debt remains legally owed. Only the public record entry is removed.

The CCJ system involves several specific rules, timeframes, and fees that determine what options are available and when.

The six-year automatic removal rule

Regulation 26(a) of the 2005 Regulations states that the Registrar shall remove any entry registered six years from the date of the judgment. This applies to all CCJs and High Court money judgments recorded on the Register, whether paid or unpaid. No application is needed.

Payment within one calendar month

If the full judgment debt is paid within one calendar month of the judgment date, the debtor is entitled to have the CCJ removed from the Register entirely. This requires an application for a certificate of cancellation, made using form N443, with a fee of £19 payable to HMCTS. "Calendar month" means the period from the judgment date to the same date in the following month. Once cancelled, the entry is removed from the Register and credit reference agencies are notified. The £19 fee may be waived or reduced for those on low income or receiving certain benefits.

Payment after one month but within six years

If the judgment debt is paid in full after the first calendar month but before the six-year mark, the debtor can apply for a certificate of satisfaction using the same form N443 and the same £19 fee. The CCJ will then be marked as "satisfied" on the Register, but the entry itself remains visible for the full six-year period.

Setting aside a CCJ

A debtor can apply to the court to have a CCJ set aside (cancelled by the court) using form N244, which carries a court fee of £313. This fee may be waived or reduced for low-income applicants, and is payable even if the application is unsuccessful. If the court grants the application, the CCJ is removed from both the Register and the debtor's credit file. However, setting aside a CCJ does not extinguish the underlying debt; the proceedings return to the claim stage.

Credit reference agency updates

Registry Trust sends judgment information to credit reference agencies as it is received from the courts. Credit reference agencies then update their own records in accordance with their internal cycles. The exact timeframe for these updates to appear on individual credit files varies by agency.

"The CCJ disappears, so the debt is gone."

This is the most widespread misunderstanding. The removal of the CCJ from the Register after six years is an administrative process affecting the public record. It does not write off the debt, discharge the judgment, or prevent the creditor from seeking enforcement. Citizens Advice confirms that if a CCJ is over six years old, it will no longer appear on the Register, even if it has not been paid — but this says nothing about the legal status of the debt itself.

"Satisfied" versus "cancelled."

These terms describe different outcomes. A CCJ marked as "satisfied" means the debt has been paid, but the CCJ entry remains on the Register for the remainder of the six-year period. A "cancelled" CCJ (via a certificate of cancellation) means the entry is removed from the Register entirely. Cancellation is only available when payment is made in full within one calendar month of the judgment date.

"Set aside" versus "paid off."

Having a CCJ set aside is a court decision to cancel the judgment order itself, usually on procedural grounds. It does not mean the debt has been paid. The claim reverts to an earlier stage. Paying off a CCJ, by contrast, satisfies the debt but does not undo the judgment.

The six-year period starts from the judgment date.

The clock does not begin when the debtor becomes aware of the CCJ, when payment begins, or when the entry appears on the Register. It starts from the date the judgment was issued by the court.

Several situations modify how the standard six-year rules operate.

• Certain judgments are exempt from registration. Certain categories of judgment are exempt from registration under Regulation 9 of the 2005 Regulations, depending on the nature of the proceedings and whether enforcement has commenced. This means some CCJs may never appear on the Register at all.
• Charging orders and the limitation period. While enforcement of most judgment debts after six years typically requires court permission, charging orders create a proprietary security, and applications to realise that security are not treated as actions on the judgment in the same way as other enforcement methods. According to case law, orders for sale under a charging order may be pursued years after the original judgment was made.
• Enforcement after six years requires court permission. After six years, enforcement of a judgment generally requires court permission under CPR 83.2, rather than being barred outright by the Limitation Act 1980. Permission is typically required for certain enforcement methods such as writs of control and warrants of execution. The granting of permission is discretionary. Courts consider factors including the reasons for the delay in enforcement, whether the delay was within the creditor's control, and any prejudice to the debtor. According to available case law analysis, mere neglect or inaction by a creditor is likely to defeat such an application.
• Bankruptcy and winding-up petitions. There is no express statutory limitation period for bankruptcy petitions (for individuals) or winding-up petitions (for companies) based on judgment debts, though excessive delay may be relevant to abuse of process considerations. Minimum debt thresholds apply: £5,000 for bankruptcy and £750 for winding-up.

When a CCJ reaches the six-year mark from its judgment date, the entry is automatically removed from the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines. Registry Trust then notifies credit reference agencies, which update their own records in accordance with their internal cycles — though the exact timing of credit file updates varies by agency.

For a debtor who pays the full amount within one calendar month of the judgment date, applying for a certificate of cancellation (form N443, £19 fee) results in the entry being removed from the Register ahead of the six-year period. For a debtor who pays after one month, the entry can be marked as "satisfied" (same form and fee), but it remains on the Register until the six years expire.

The underlying legal position does not change at the six-year mark. The judgment remains valid, and the debt remains legally owed. While enforcement becomes more difficult after six years — generally requiring court permission under CPR 83.2 for most methods — certain enforcement routes, such as those based on charging orders, may remain open as applications to realise that security are not treated as actions on the judgment in the same way. The removal from the Register is a matter of public record, not a matter of legal discharge.

• Automatic Removal: CCJs are removed from the Register after 6 years. No action needed.
• Legal Status: Removal does NOT cancel the debt. The judgment remains valid.
• Enforcement: Creditors can still enforce after 6 years, but usually need court permission (CPR 83.2).
• Early Removal: Only possible if paid within 1 month (Certificate of Cancellation) or set aside.
• Satisfaction: Paying after 1 month marks it "satisfied" but it stays for 6 years.
• Region: Applies to England and Wales only.