What is the deadline for ontario small claims defence?
An Ontario Small Claims Court defendant normally must file and serve a defence and proof of service within 20 days after the claim is served.
Calculate your deadline
Loading calculator...
Worked example
- Example input
- 03/08/2026
- Expected result
- Monday 24 August 2026
The plaintiff’s claim was served on Monday 3 August 2026.
The Small Claims Court 20-day period nominally ends on Sunday 23 August. Its own computation rule carries the endpoint to Monday.
How this deadline is counted
- Period
- 20 days
- Trigger
- Effective service of the claim
- Direction
- Forward from service
- Counting method
- Ontario Small Claims Court time calculation in the current Canada calculator
Check service, consent, court variation and any related defendant’s claim before using the result.
Ontario Small Claims Court Rules. Ontario Small Claims Court Rules, rules 3.01, 3.02 and 9.01. Ontario Small Claims Court Rules checked 07/08/2026
Exceptions and case facts
- This page is for a defence to the original claim, not an appeal, motion or defendant’s claim.
- The underlying service issue must be resolved before starting the clock.
Deadline Engine is calculation software, not legal advice. Check the current rule, any order and the facts before adding a date to your calendar.