Form 110 UK: Enforce a Judgment Overseas (2026)

What this document is

Form 110 is a court-issued certificate that sets out the essential details of a judgment given in England or Wales, in a format designed to be understood by a court in another jurisdiction. It is not the judgment itself. Think of it as a passport for the judgment, confirming that it is genuine, final in the relevant sense, and ready to be relied on abroad.

The form is typically used where enforcement is sought under the Administration of Justice Act 1920, the Foreign Judgments (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1933, or the Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982, depending on the country involved. The procedure sits within Part 74 of the Civil Procedure Rules and its Practice Direction 74A, which set out how the certificate is applied for and what supporting material the court expects to see.

Whether a foreign court will actually enforce the judgment once it receives the certificate depends on the reciprocal arrangements between the UK and that country. Form 110 opens the door, but the destination country decides who walks through.

How to use this document

1. Check whether the destination country will recognise the judgment. Before spending time on the certificate, confirm that the country where enforcement is sought has a reciprocal arrangement with the UK, or operates a recognition process you can use. Without some form of mutual recognition, a UK certificate may carry limited weight, and you could end up starting fresh proceedings abroad instead. 2. Gather the underlying court documents. You will need a sealed copy of the judgment, the claim form, and evidence of how the claim was served on the defendant. If the judgment was given in default, or after a contested hearing, make sure the paperwork reflects that accurately. The receiving court will want to see a clean paper trail showing the case was properly conducted. 3. Complete the certificate details. Form 110 is structured into distinct sections covering the parties, the nature of the claim, the judgment sum, any interest and costs, and whether the defendant raised a jurisdictional challenge. Fill in each section carefully, as inconsistencies between the certificate and the underlying documents are a common reason for delays. 4. Apply to the court that gave the judgment. The application for the certificate goes back to the court where the judgment was obtained. You may need to pay a court fee, so check gov.uk for the current amount. The court will review the application and, if satisfied, issue the sealed certificate for onward use. 5. Send the certificate to the appropriate foreign authority. Once you have the sealed Form 110, it needs to reach the court or authority in the destination country that handles recognition of foreign judgments. The exact route varies, some countries require local lawyers to file it, others accept direct submission. Translation into the local language is often required too.

Common questions