NCAT Is a “Watered-Down Magistrates Court”?

27 Aug 2026 · 1 min

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NCAT is a simplified magistrates court where you still need to handle evidence like a lawyer would, with pages numbered and indexed. You file an application, both sides get notice, and you have to clearly state your reasons. It operates across multiple NSW locations.

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These days it's a watered-down version of a magistrate's court, to be honest. Evidence needs to be paginated, indexed. Not lawyers, but they want to make us act like lawyers. But anyway, so what do you need to know when you go to NCAT? NCAT, typically someone will apply. Both parties will receive a notice of application. So the person applying needs to state the reasons what they're applying for and the reasons why. There are several NCAT locations through New South Wales.