Claim for payment template for the Northern Territory (Word and PDF)

In the Northern Territory there is no statutory payment claim. You claim under your contract, and the Construction Contracts (Security of Payments) Act 2004 (NT) gives you adjudication once a payment dispute arises. A clear, itemised claim makes that dispute easy to prove and the 90-day window easy to count.

When to use it

Every progress claim under an NT subcontract
Your final claim
When a claim has been ignored and you want the dispute date clear

The Northern Territory rules for this claim

"Made under the Act" statement: Not applicable. The NT has no payment claim and payment schedule exchange; the claim is made under your contract.
If the claim is rejected or unpaid: A payment dispute arises. You then have 90 days to apply for adjudication.
Payment terms: No single statutory cap in the Act: the contract's payment terms govern, so check them before you sign.
Adjudication: Registered adjudicators / prescribed appointers (via NT Government). Applications are made to a registered adjudicator or prescribed appointer under the Act.
Watch out for: The NT runs the West Coast model: there is no payment claim / payment schedule exchange. The 90-day window is generous but strict: a dispute older than that is usually confined to contractual remedies or court.

From our Northern Territory Security of Payment notes, checked 20/08/2026. More on NT payment terms and NT adjudication.

In the Word and PDF: The payment claim cover with the correct statement for the NT; An itemised schedule of work with contract value, % complete and value to date; A variations table and a summary with retention, previous payments and GST. Every [placeholder] is highlighted so nothing gets missed.

CLAIM FOR PAYMENT NO. [X]

[Subcontractor company name, ABN]
[Address, phone, email]

Date of claim: [date]
To: [respondent legal entity exactly as named in the subcontract, ABN]
Attention: [contract administrator]
Contract: [subcontract title / number] dated [date]
Project: [project name / site address]
Work claimed: work carried out up to [date]

This claim for payment is made under clause [X] of the subcontract. If it is rejected, disputed or not paid in full by the due date, a payment dispute arises under the Construction Contracts (Security of Payments) Act 2004 (NT).

Amount claimed: $[amount] excluding GST ($[amount] including GST)

SCHEDULE OF WORK CLAIMED
Item | Description of work | Contract value | % complete | Value to date
1 | [e.g. rough-in, levels 1 to 3] | $[amount] | [%] | $[amount]
2 | [e.g. switchboards supplied and installed] | $[amount] | [%] | $[amount]
3 | [add a row for each part of the scope] | $[amount] | [%] | $[amount]

VARIATIONS CLAIMED
Variation | Description | Directed by and date | Amount
[V1] | [description] | [name, date] | $[amount]
[V2] | [description] | [name, date] | $[amount]

SUMMARY
Line | Amount (ex GST)
Value of contract work to date | $[amount]
Value of variations to date | $[amount]
Total value to date | $[amount]
Less retention held ([5]%) | $[amount]
Less amounts previously paid | $[amount]
Amount claimed this claim | $[amount]
GST | $[amount]
Total claimed including GST | $[amount]

Supporting documents attached: [progress photos / delivery dockets / variation register / site instructions].

Payment is due by [date under the subcontract]. Please send any notice disputing this claim to [email address].

Signed: [name, position]
[company]

Download Word (.docx)Download PDF

Free to use and adapt. Replace every [bracketed placeholder] before sending.

Template, not legal advice. Your contract's clauses and your state's Act govern. Check both (especially clause numbers, notice periods and service requirements) before this goes out on a real dispute.

Using it well

Name the right entity

Address the claim to the legal entity that signed your subcontract, with its ABN, not the project name or a related company. Claims fail on service more often than on substance.

Serve it the way the contract says, and keep proof

Use the address and method in the notices clause. Save the sent email or delivery record: every deadline that follows runs from when the builder received the claim.

Diarise the 90 days

If the claim is rejected or not paid by the due date, the 90-day adjudication window starts. Put the date in the diary the day it happens.

The template protects the claim. The contract decides it.

Your notice windows, the clause numbers and whether the bar is absolute all live in your subcontract. The free scanner reads them in about two minutes, benchmarked against real Australian subcontracts.

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Common questions

Is there a payment claim under the NT Act?

No. The Construction Contracts (Security of Payments) Act 2004 (NT) runs the West Coast model: there is no statutory payment claim and payment schedule exchange. You claim under your contract, and a payment dispute arises if the claim is rejected, disputed or not paid by the due date.

How long do I have to apply for adjudication in the NT?

90 days from when the payment dispute arises. The window is generous but strict: a dispute older than that is usually left to contractual remedies or court.

What should a claim for payment in the NT include?

Everything your contract requires: the work, the amount, the period, and supporting documents, served the way the contract says. A clear, itemised claim makes the dispute date, and so the 90-day window, easy to prove.

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General information and a starting-point template, not legal advice. Contracts and state Acts differ and change. Verify clause numbers, statutory sections, notice periods and service requirements before use, and get advice on a live dispute. Nothing on this page is uploaded or stored. Built by Mat Kennedy at The Construction Contracts Co.