No longer just a small claims Court: The Disputes Tribunal’s New $60,000 Threshold - What It Means for Commercial Disputes

17 Feb 2026

Significant changes have arrived for how some commercial disputes are resolved in New Zealand.

On 24 January 2026, the Disputes Tribunal’s claim limits doubled from $30,000 to $60,000 under the Disputes Tribunal Amendment Act 2025, meaning a much broader range of disputes can now be resolved outside the formal Court system. A list of the types of claims the Disputes Tribunal can and cannot deal with can be found here.

Previously, it was generally seen as uneconomic to bring civil claims between $30,001 and $60,000 to the District Court due to the significant legal costs. Accordingly, this lead to some parties limiting the amount of their claim to $30,000 so it fell within the Disputes Tribunal jurisdiction, or in some cases, accepting a loss by not making a claim.

For parties wishing to recover such a sum under $60,000, the increase in claim limits now allows for a low cost, less formal forum that avoids the time and expense of District Court proceedings.

The Tribunal’s process still remains less formal than a court. For example, lawyers still cannot appear, there are no judges, and the hearings are run by an experienced and legally trained referee, who will listen to both sides, identify the issues, and review the evidence. The referee will assist the parties to reach a settlement. If the dispute cannot be resolved by agreement, the referee will make an order determining the matter.

There is a new $468 filing fee for claims between $30,001 and $60,000. Despite the increase in fees, this fee is still less than typical Court costs for similar-sized claims. A full schedule of fees can be found here.

For commercial clients, the expanded claim limits opens up a realistic option for seeking recovery of mid value claims that were previously uneconomic to pursue. This reform is designed to close the so-called “justice gap” where viable claims went unheard because Courts were too costly relative to the claim size.

The flip side is that more complex disputes will now sit before the Tribunal, making proper preparation, and evidence more important than ever.

In short, parties should now consider how the Disputes Tribunal fits within their recovery or dispute resolution strategies, as it is no longer limited to “small claims”.

Whilst lawyers cannot appear in the Tribunal, our team can still assist by advising on the merits of your claim, assisting with the preparation of your claim, and ensuring you are properly prepared before appearing in the Tribunal. This is especially recommended for claims which are within the new increased threshold.