Warrant of possession (N325): getting bailiffs booked

A warrant of possession is the court's authority for county court bailiffs to evict a tenant who hasn't left by the date in your possession order. You request it on form N325 (outright order) or N325A (broken suspended order), or online if the claim was issued on PCOL. The fee is £152 from 13 July 2026, and the tenant must get at least 14 days' notice of the eviction.

When can you apply for a warrant of possession?

You can apply:

• after an outright order, once the possession date in the order has passed and the tenant is still there;
• after a suspended order, once the tenant has broken its conditions.

After 6 years from the order you need the court's permission (CPR 83.2). You can't get a warrant while the tenant is in a debt respite Breathing Space that covers the arrears, because the court won't issue warrants or continue evictions during it.

If you haven't got an order yet, start with possession orders and the possession hearing.

Which form to use

Your situation	Form	Notes
Outright order, tenant hasn't left	N325	The standard request
Suspended order, tenant has broken the rent or money conditions	N325A	Used for payment breaches
Suspended order, tenant has broken another condition	N244	An application to the court
Claim was issued on Possession Claim Online, arrears only	PCOL	Online request, if no court permission is needed

The forms are on GOV.UK under "Form N325: request for warrant for possession of land" and the N325A equivalent.

What you must certify

Under CPR 83.26, a warrant of possession is how a judgment for recovery of land is enforced in the county court. The application can be made without notice to the hearing centre that made the order. When you apply you must certify:

• that the land has not been vacated; and
• where money is also due, the balance owed and the instalments unpaid.

A money element can go in the same warrant, so you can ask the bailiffs to recover the money order at the same time. There is no additional fee for it. Where a warrant of possession is issued, you may also have execution against goods for the money.

Requesting a warrant is a formal step in the court case, so you make it yourself, in your name, or through a solicitor you've instructed. Our court pack covers the claim stage; we never request warrants or contact the court for you.

The warrant of possession fee

Item	Fee from 13 July 2026
Warrant of possession (N325, N325A or PCOL), including any money element	£152
Warrant re-attempt at a new address	£38
Tenant's application to suspend the warrant (N244)	£16

Watch out: the GOV.UK evicting-tenants guide still said £148 in October 2026. That was the fee before 13 July 2026. The official fee list (EX50) shows £152.

If you are applying for Help with Fees, use the paper form with EX160; Help with Fees isn't available through PCOL. The full fee list is on possession claim court fees.

What happens after you request the warrant

1. The court issues the warrant and passes it to the county court bailiffs.
2. You get a notice of appointment (EX96) with the eviction date, and possibly a risk questionnaire (EX97a) about the tenant and the property.
3. Return them at least 3 working days before the eviction. If you don't, the eviction may be cancelled.
4. The tenant gets a notice of eviction (N54) delivered to the property at least 14 days before the eviction (CPR 83.8A). If a further attempt is needed, at least 7 days' notice (N54A) is given.
5. Eviction day. The bailiffs attend and give you possession. See bailiff evictions.

How long it takes

For private landlords' standard claims in April to June 2026 (Ministry of Justice, provisional; most of those claims rested on notices served before 1 May 2026):

Stage	Median
Claim to warrant	13.3 weeks
Warrant to repossession by county court bailiffs	8.7 weeks
Claim to repossession	24.6 weeks

If the tenant applies to suspend the warrant

The tenant can apply on N244 to suspend the warrant, for a £16 fee. GOV.UK says a warrant can usually only be suspended where a discretionary ground was used, such as Grounds 10 or 11, and the tenant must show a change of circumstances related to the reason for the order. On a mandatory ground such as Ground 8, the court's power to suspend under section 9 of the Housing Act 1988 doesn't apply. If the court lists a hearing on the application, go, and bring your updated rent schedule.

County court warrant or High Court writ?

	County court warrant	High Court writ of possession
Who evicts	County court bailiffs	High Court enforcement officers (HCEOs)
Court fees	£152	£126 or £321 to apply to transfer, plus £82 for the writ
Other costs	None from the court	The HCEO's own fees
Notice to the tenant	At least 14 days	At least 14 days
Speed	Median 8.7 weeks from warrant to repossession	GOV.UK: "You might get a faster eviction this way"

See High Court enforcement officers for evictions for the transfer route.

Common mistakes

• Applying before the possession date in the order has passed.
• Using N325 for a broken suspended order on payment terms, instead of N325A.
• Not returning the EX96 or EX97a in time, so the eviction is cancelled.
• Applying during a Breathing Space, or not telling the court about one.
• Taking matters into your own hands. Changing the locks without bailiffs is illegal eviction; GOV.UK says landlords can be prosecuted or fined up to £40,000.

What to do next

If the tenant is ignoring your order, read bailiff evictions to prepare for the day, and tenant won't leave for the wider picture. If you're still at the claim stage, the possession court pack prepares N5, N119 and the rent schedule for you to sign and file. The full process is on possession claims.