Can a CCJ Be Included in an IVA?

Yes. A CCJ for an unsecured debt can usually be included in an IVA. Once the IVA is approved, the creditor can’t enforce it.

Last updated: November 2026

Check if you qualify →Free, no-obligation checkWon’t affect your credit score

May not be suitable in all circumstances. Fees apply, read more. Your credit rating may be affected, read more.

Things to know about IVAs

An IVA is a formal insolvency procedure. It must be approved by your creditors, stays on your credit file for six years, fees are taken from your payments, and debts are only written off if you complete it. It isn’t right for everyone.

Read the key risks

Creditors must approve it. An IVA only goes ahead if creditors holding at least 75% of the debt that is voted agree. Your proposal can be rejected.
Credit file and public register. An IVA stays on your credit file for six years from the start date and is listed on the public Individual Insolvency Register while it runs. Getting credit will be harder.
Spending restrictions and annual reviews. You live on an agreed budget for the length of the IVA (usually 5–6 years). Your income and spending are reviewed each year, and your payment can go up.
Fees. Fees are taken from your monthly payments, so less of what you pay reaches your creditors. How IVA fees work.
Your home. Under the current IVA Protocol, your home isn’t included in the IVA and you won’t be asked to remortgage. If your share of the equity is £10,000 or more, the IVA usually lasts six years instead of five.
If it fails. If you can’t keep up payments the IVA may fail, you would owe the remaining debt again, and the supervisor may petition for your bankruptcy.
Write-off only on completion. Remaining qualifying unsecured debts are only written off if the IVA is completed successfully. Secured debts, court fines, child maintenance, student loans and some other debts can’t be included.
Other options may suit you better. A debt management plan, DRO or bankruptcy may be more suitable. IVAs are available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland only; different solutions apply in Scotland.

A county court judgment (CCJ) is a court order to repay a debt. Having one doesn’t stop you getting an IVA, and the debt behind it can usually be included like any other unsecured debt.

The short answer

CCJs for unsecured debts such as credit cards and loans can usually be included.
Once your IVA is approved, the creditor can’t enforce the judgment.
That means no bailiffs or attachment of earnings for that debt.
The CCJ stays on the public register and your credit file for six years from the judgment date.
A charging order on your home makes the debt secured, which works differently.

What happens to a CCJ in an IVA?

The creditor who holds the judgment becomes a creditor in your IVA and is paid a share of your IVA payments. They can’t use enforcement methods such as bailiffs, an attachment of earnings order or a new charging order for that debt while the IVA runs. When the IVA completes, the remaining balance is written off.

What if the creditor already has a charging order?

A charging order secures the debt against your property. A secured debt isn’t written off by an IVA in the same way. Your insolvency practitioner will explain how it will be treated, and the creditor may be paid from the property later.

Does a CCJ affect my chances of getting an IVA?

Not usually. Many people in IVAs have CCJs. What matters most is whether you can afford a regular payment. If a creditor is about to enforce, tell your adviser so they can act quickly.

Will the CCJ show on my credit file?

Yes, for six years from the judgment date, unless it was paid in full within a month. Including it in an IVA doesn’t remove it. See our guide to CCJs.

Common questions

Can I get an IVA if I have a CCJ?

Yes. Having a CCJ doesn’t stop you getting an IVA, and the judgment debt can usually be included.

Can bailiffs still come for a CCJ in an IVA?

Not for a CCJ debt included in your IVA, once the IVA is approved.

Does an IVA remove a CCJ from my credit file?

No. The CCJ stays on your file for six years from the judgment date, but it will show the debt is part of an insolvency arrangement.

How IVA Advice Online can help

Every situation is different, and an IVA isn’t right for everyone. We can look at your income, spending and debts with you and set out the debt solutions you could qualify for, including options other than an IVA. To talk it through, get in touch.