How to lodge a Notice of Accident Claim Form for a CTP claim in Queensland (2026)
The Notice of Accident Claim Form is the document that starts a CTP injury claim in Queensland. You then send it to the CTP insurer of the vehicle that may have caused the accident. In most cases, it is due 9 months after the accident, or 1 month after you first consult a lawyer, whichever comes first.
Key takeaways
What is the Notice of Accident Claim Form for?
The Notice of Accident Claim Form is the written notice that starts a Compulsory Third Party (CTP) claim in Queensland. Under s 37 of the Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994 (MAIA), you must give this notice before you can sue for damages. It also authorises the insurer to access records relevant to your claim.
In practice, most claims settle without going to court. Even so, the notice is the step that gets everything moving. MAIC explains that the form tells the insurer you wish to claim. It also gives the insurer the information it needs.
There are two versions. First of all, use the Non-Fatal Injury form if you suffered the injury yourself. You also use it when acting for an injured child or adult who can’t act alone. By contrast, families claiming after a death use the Fatal Injury form. For the wider picture of CTP claims, see our guide to car accident claims in Queensland.
When is the Notice of Accident Claim Form due?
The deadline is shorter than many people expect, because seeing a lawyer can bring it forward. The table below sets out the time limits in MAIA s 37.
|
Situation |
Deadline for the notice |
Law |
|---|---|---|
|
Most claims |
The earlier of 9 months after the accident (or first symptoms) and 1 month after you first consult a lawyer about a possible claim |
MAIA s 37(2)(b) |
|
No one can identify the vehicle at fault |
Within 3 months after the accident, to the Nominal Defendant. After 9 months without notice, the law bars the claim |
MAIA s 37(2)(a), (3) |
|
Notice given late (other cases) |
The duty to give notice continues. You must give a reasonable excuse for the delay |
MAIA s 37(3) |
|
Children and people under a legal incapacity |
The obligation pauses until the minority or incapacity ends. You can still give notice earlier |
MAIA s 40 |
What do you need before you start?
You need a few documents before the form will count as complete. MAIC’s pre-claim checklist lists them, and the main items are below.
How do you lodge the form?
You can lodge online or on paper. MAIC says you can register for the Queensland CTP portal, or complete and return the PDF Notice of Accident Claim Form. If the vehicle at fault has interstate registration, MAIC says you must use the PDF version.
Either way, you must print the form and sign it in front of an eligible witness. That is because you verify the form, and the claimant certificate, by statutory declaration. Also, MAIC’s fact sheet explains who can witness it.
The form also asks whether you are ready to settle. Unsure how your injuries will affect you? MAIC says you can select “not ready at this stage”. Finally, keep a full copy of everything you send.
Which insurer do you send the Notice of Accident Claim Form to?
You send the Notice of Accident Claim Form to the CTP insurer of the vehicle that may have caused the accident. MAIA s 31 sets the rules. Generally, if that vehicle had CTP insurance, its insurer handles the claim. Where it had none, or no one can identify it, the Nominal Defendant acts as the insurer.
If the accident involved two or more vehicles, you only need to notify one of their insurers. That insurer must then copy it to the others within 7 days (s 37(4)). One insurer then manages the claim for all of them (s 38).
In addition, there is a safety net near the 3-year court deadline. Unsure which insurer to notify in the last 14 days of the limitation period? You can then validly give notice to MAIC (s 57(3)). For hit-and-run and uninsured vehicles, see our Nominal Defendant claim guide.
What happens after you lodge the Notice of Accident Claim Form?
After that, the insurer must respond quickly. Under MAIA s 39, it has 14 days to tell you in writing whether your notice complies. It must also say whether it will meet the reasonable cost of your rehabilitation, without admitting liability.
If the notice doesn’t comply, the insurer must say why. It must also give you at least 1 month to fix it. However, if the insurer doesn’t respond within 14 days, the law presumes it is satisfied (s 39(3)).
What if your Notice of Accident Claim Form is incomplete or late?
You can still lodge an incomplete Notice of Accident Claim Form, but it has consequences. MAIC explains that the insurer won’t treat your claim as compliant until you provide everything required. As a result, missing details can delay the claim, or lead the insurer to reject it.
Late notice, however, works differently. The form has a section headed “Additional information/excuse for delay” for your explanation. MAIC says the insurer decides, at its discretion, whether to accept that excuse.
There is one hard stop. If no one can identify the vehicle, the law bars the claim unless you notify the Nominal Defendant within 9 months. Neither the Nominal Defendant nor a court can waive that (s 39(8)). So if you are close to any deadline, you may want legal advice promptly.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
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About the author
Marshall Fenech, Editor
Marshall Fenech is the editor of Compare Personal Injury Lawyer QLD. He researches Queensland personal injury law firms and claim rules, checks every fact against public sources such as the Queensland Law Society, MAIC, WorkCover Queensland and Queensland legislation, and dates each check. He does not give legal advice.
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