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Ontario Small Claims Court · For either side · rule 14.04

Form 14A: Offer to Settle

Form 14A is the Offer to Settle, the written offer one party serves on another in the Ontario Small Claims Court (Form 14A). An offer that is not accepted is served, not filed, and the trial judge must not learn of it until liability and relief are decided (rule 14.04). A party who beats their own offer, served at least 7 days before trial, can get up to double costs (rule 14.07). A self-represented party in that position can also get up to $1,500 (rule 14.07(3)).

Open the Conference screen The official PDF (ontariocourtforms.on.ca)

When you use it

  • • Use it at any time before the trial to make a written offer the other side can accept [VERIFY rule 14.01].
  • • Serve it at least 7 days before the trial to get the costs benefit (rule 14.07).
  • • Use it as a plaintiff: a judgment that matches or beats your offer can bring up to double costs (rule 14.07).
  • • Use it as a defendant: an offer the plaintiff does not beat can bring you double costs from its date (rule 14.07(2)).
  • • Do not file an unaccepted offer, and do not show it to the trial judge (rule 14.04).

The facts

Rule
rule 14.04, O. Reg. 258/98
Court fee
No court fee (O. Reg. 332/16, as stored 2026-01-06)
Official revision
Jan 2014
Who files it
For either side

How this site fills it

The Conference screen fills Form 14A from the case record: the parties, your capacity, and the terms you enter. It records the date you served the offer and never files it (rule 14.04). The Settlement Conference Package ($99) includes an offer strategy.

Open the Conference screen

How to complete and file Form 14A

  1. 01

    Decide the amount and the terms you accept, with interest and costs.

  2. 02

    Complete Form 14A with the parties, your capacity, and the terms (Form 14A).

  3. 03

    Sign and date the offer.

  4. 04

    Serve it on the other party, at least 7 days before trial for the costs benefit (rule 14.07).

  5. 05

    Keep proof of the date of service.

  6. 06

    Do not file the offer, because the trial judge must not see it before the decision (rule 14.04).

  7. 07

    After judgment, show the offer to the judge when costs are decided (rule 14.04; rule 14.07).

Questions people ask about Form 14A

What happens if the other side does not accept my offer?
The case continues. The offer stays open until you withdraw it or it expires [VERIFY]. You must serve it at least 7 days before trial (rule 14.07). If the judgment is as good as or better than your offer, the court can award up to double costs from the offer date (rule 14.07). A self-represented party can also get up to $1,500 (rule 14.07(3)). All costs stay subject to the 15% cap (rule 19.07; Courts of Justice Act s. 29).
Do I file my Offer to Settle with the court?
No. Serve it on the other party, and keep proof of service. An offer that is not accepted is never filed, and no one tells the trial judge about it until liability and relief are decided (rule 14.04). After the decision, you show the offer when the judge decides costs (rule 14.07). An accepted offer is different: the parties can record the settlement on Terms of Settlement (Form 14D) [VERIFY].
Can I withdraw an Offer to Settle?
Yes. Serve a Notice of Withdrawal of Offer to Settle (Form 14C) on the other party before they accept [VERIFY]. To get the costs benefit at trial, the offer must not be withdrawn or expired before the trial starts (rule 14.07). Think before you withdraw: a new offer must again be served at least 7 days before trial to count (rule 14.07).
How do I accept an Offer to Settle?
Serve a written acceptance, Form 14B, on the party who made the offer before it is withdrawn or expires (rule 14.05(2)) [VERIFY]. Once both sides agree, the case can end without a trial. Keep a copy of the offer and the acceptance, because they record what each side must do. The Conference screen tracks the offers you served and received.

Legal information, not legal advice. Rules are from the Rules of the Small Claims Court, O. Reg. 258/98; fees from O. Reg. 332/16 as stored 2026-01-06. Items marked [VERIFY] have not been checked against the current consolidation. Legal services provided by Mithril Law — Jonathan Kleiman, licensed Ontario lawyer.