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Act of Parliament

Small Claims Tribunals Act 1984

Feedback & supportSmall claims tribunals, their powers and tribunal magistrates

In plain English

Not legal advice

The Small Claims Tribunals Act sets up tribunals for small claims and sets out their powers. It also covers the appointment, powers and duties of tribunal magistrates. Once a claim is lodged with a tribunal, proceedings on that claim cannot be brought in any other court. This does not apply if the court proceedings began before the claim was lodged, or if the tribunal claim is withdrawn or abandoned. A tribunal cannot hear a claim that is pending in, or already decided by, another court.

Summary · Drafted with AI, checked against the official text on 30 Sep 2026.

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Part 1

Preliminary

Official textFrom Singapore Statutes Online, unchanged

s 1Short title

This Act is the Small Claims Tribunals Act 1984.

(1)

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —

“claim” means a claim lodged with a tribunal under section 15;

“claimant” means a person who lodges a claim with a tribunal and includes any person who becomes a party to the proceedings on any claim in the capacity of a claimant;

“Community Mediation Centre” means a Community Mediation Centre established under section 3 of the Community Mediation Centres Act 1997;

“court” means any court of competent jurisdiction in Singapore;

“court‑appointed mediator” means an individual who is appointed by the Presiding Judge of the State Courts to be a mediator for the purposes of this Act;

“party” means a claimant or respondent and any person joined as a third party;

“prescribed extended limit” means $30,000 or such other sum as the Minister may, after consultation with the Chief Justice, prescribe by order in the Gazette;

“prescribed limit” means $20,000 or such other sum as the Minister may, after consultation with the Chief Justice, prescribe by order in the Gazette;

“Registrar” means the registrar, a deputy registrar or an assistant registrar for the tribunals;

“Registry” means the Registry of Small Claims Tribunals established under section 13;

“respondent” means any person against whom a claim is made and any person who becomes a party to the proceedings on any claim in the capacity of a respondent;

“rules” means rules made under section 47;

“specified claim” means a claim specified in the Schedule;

“tribunal” means a Small Claims Tribunal constituted under section 4 of the State Courts Act 1970;

“tribunal magistrate” means a tribunal magistrate designated under section 4(2) or appointed under section 4(3)(a);

“work order” means an order to rectify a defect in goods or any damage to property, or to make good any deficiency in the performance of services, by doing such work or attending to such matters (including the replacement of goods or parts thereof) as may be specified in the order.

(2)

For the purposes of this Act, the value of a claim relating to a contract means —

(a)

in the case where the nature of the claim is for the rescission of the contract — the value of the contract;

(b)

in the case where the nature of the claim is for the recovery of a progress payment due under the contract — the value of the contract; and

(c)

in any other case — the quantum of the claim.

Part 2

Establishment and Jurisdiction of Tribunals

Read on from Part 2

Part 3

Appeal

Read on from Part 3

Part 4

Miscellaneous Provisions

Read on from Part 4

Schedules