What can a bailiff seize in Ontario?

A bailiff can seize and sell the debtor's personal property, such as vehicles, equipment, and inventory, under a writ of seizure and sale (rule 20.06). Some property is exempt under the Execution Act, such as necessary clothing and tools of the trade up to set values [VERIFY current amounts]. The bailiff acts only on your written Direction to Enforce (Form 20O) (rule 20.06). Name the goods and say where they are.

How long is a writ of seizure and sale valid?

6 years. The writ expires on its 6th anniversary unless you renew it (rule 20.06). Renew it with a Request to Renew Writ of Seizure and Sale (Form 20N) before that date (rule 20.06). You need leave of the court to issue a writ more than 6 years after the judgment (rule 20.06). The 6-year term came with the October 6, 2025 amendments (O. Reg. 222/25).

Do I need a certificate of judgment before a writ?

Not in the court that gave the judgment: the clerk issues the writ there on your Form 20P affidavit (rule 20.06). To have a bailiff act in a different Small Claims Court area, get a certificate of judgment (Form 20A) and file it there first (rule 20.04) [VERIFY]. The Collect screen fills the affidavit and the writ from your case record.

Form 20O is the Direction to Enforce Writ of Seizure and Sale of Personal Property. The bailiff acts only on your written direction, which names the debtor's goods and where they are (rule 20.06). You pay a bailiff fee each time the bailiff tries, and a higher fee when there is a sale (O. Reg. 332/16). The bailiff sells the goods and pays the proceeds toward the judgment, after the costs of the seizure [VERIFY].

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Ontario Small Claims Court · After judgment · rule 20.06

Form 20C: Writ of Seizure and Sale of Personal Property

Form 20C is the Writ of Seizure and Sale of Personal Property, issued by the Ontario Small Claims Court (rule 20.06). It lets a bailiff seize and sell the debtor's goods to pay the judgment (rule 20.06). The clerk issues it to the bailiff on an Affidavit for Enforcement Request (Form 20P), and it stays in force for 6 years (rule 20.06). To act on it, you give the bailiff a Direction to Enforce (Form 20O) and pay the bailiff's fee (rule 20.06; O. Reg. 332/16).

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

When you use it

• Use it when the debtor owns goods of value, such as a vehicle, equipment, or inventory [VERIFY exemptions under the Execution Act].
• Use it after judgment for the balance owing: the judgment plus interest and costs, less payments (Form 20C).
• Renew it with Form 20N before its 6th anniversary, when it expires (rule 20.06).
• Get leave of the court to issue a writ more than 6 years after the judgment (rule 20.06).

The facts

Rule: rule 20.06, O. Reg. 258/98
Court fee: $68 to issue; bailiff $38 per attempt, $64 with a sale (O. Reg. 332/16, as stored 2026-01-06)
Official revision: May 2025
Who files it: After judgment

How this site fills it

The Collect screen fills Form 20C and the Form 20P affidavit from the case record. It calculates box A of the writ as the judgment plus prejudgment interest, then lists costs, payments, and the balance.

Open the Collect screen

How to complete and file Form 20C

01
Complete the Affidavit for Enforcement Request (Form 20P) with the balance owing (rule 20.06).
02
Complete Form 20C with the judgment amount, the interest, the costs, and the balance (Form 20C).
03
File both with the court, and pay the fee to issue the writ (rule 20.06; O. Reg. 332/16).
04
Give the bailiff a Direction to Enforce (Form 20O) that says which goods to seize and where (rule 20.06).
05
Pay the bailiff's fee each time the bailiff tries to seize (O. Reg. 332/16).
06
Renew the writ with Form 20N before it expires on its 6th anniversary (rule 20.06).

Questions people ask about Form 20C

What can a bailiff seize in Ontario?: A bailiff can seize and sell the debtor's personal property, such as vehicles, equipment, and inventory, under a writ of seizure and sale (rule 20.06). Some property is exempt under the Execution Act, such as necessary clothing and tools of the trade up to set values [VERIFY current amounts]. The bailiff acts only on your written Direction to Enforce (Form 20O) (rule 20.06). Name the goods and say where they are.
How long is a writ of seizure and sale valid?: 6 years. The writ expires on its 6th anniversary unless you renew it (rule 20.06). Renew it with a Request to Renew Writ of Seizure and Sale (Form 20N) before that date (rule 20.06). You need leave of the court to issue a writ more than 6 years after the judgment (rule 20.06). The 6-year term came with the October 6, 2025 amendments (O. Reg. 222/25).
Do I need a certificate of judgment before a writ?: Not in the court that gave the judgment: the clerk issues the writ there on your Form 20P affidavit (rule 20.06). To have a bailiff act in a different Small Claims Court area, get a certificate of judgment (Form 20A) and file it there first (rule 20.04) [VERIFY]. The Collect screen fills the affidavit and the writ from your case record.
What is Form 20O?: Form 20O is the Direction to Enforce Writ of Seizure and Sale of Personal Property. The bailiff acts only on your written direction, which names the debtor's goods and where they are (rule 20.06). You pay a bailiff fee each time the bailiff tries, and a higher fee when there is a sale (O. Reg. 332/16). The bailiff sells the goods and pays the proceeds toward the judgment, after the costs of the seizure [VERIFY].

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.

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