NSW SOPA deadlines · Free calculator · General information, not legal advice

Enter your claim date. Get your deadline, with the working shown.

Last checked against the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) on 2026-10-04.

Put in the date the payment claim was served and we count the statutory business days for you, with every step shown: the rule, the section, the days skipped. No black box, no guessing. Then take the 60-second quiz to see where your matter stands.

Tool 1 · Free

Schedule deadline calculator

How long does the respondent have to serve a payment schedule?

Tool 2 · 60 seconds

Your SOPA position, in 60 seconds

Four questions. A plain-English read on where you stand.

Jurisdiction:

This guide covers: Statutory deadline computation for payment claims and payment schedules, with the rule, section and source shown for every date, plus escalation of anything it cannot verify to you and your lawyer.

It does NOT cover: Legal advice. It never recommends a course of action, never assesses merits, never files or acts as your agent. NSW and QLD timelines only; every other jurisdiction is refused, not guessed at.

General information only, not legal advice. Confirm every date with a construction solicitor before relying on it.

Start · A$49/mo

General information only. Not legal or financial advice.

See a sample of the Guardian pack before you decide. Free to open, no email needed.

How this was checked. Every deadline formula is checked against the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW), last verified 2026-10-04. How we verify

Questions before buying? fairformco@gmail.com (replies within one business day).

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Read the legal boundaries

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NSW first; QLD timelines also computed as general information. Confirm every date with your solicitor before relying on it.

01 · The problem

One missed date can decide the dispute

Under security-of-payment law, the respondent's window to serve a payment schedule is short, the rules differ between states, and a schedule served late generally has no effect under the Act, which can leave a respondent barred from raising defences in adjudication. General information only; confirm with your solicitor.

10 BD

NSW schedule window

A payment schedule is generally due within 10 business days after the payment claim is served, or earlier if the contract requires. [verified 2026-10-04: primary Act text, s14(4)]

15 BD

QLD schedule window

Under the Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld), a schedule is due within 15 business days after being given, or earlier if the contract requires. [verified 2026-09-28 against the primary Act text]

2 states

No single national clock

Business-day definitions differ: NSW excludes 27 to 31 December; QLD excludes 22 to 24 December and 2 to 10 January. One rule applied nationally would be wrong most of the time. NSW [verified 2026-09-28, s4 primary text]; QLD [verified 2026-09-28, Sch 2 primary text]

02 · How it works

A calculator that shows its working and refuses to guess

TimeBar is a calculator plus template generator with enforced refusal branches. Where facts are ambiguous it refuses rather than guesses.

1

Enter the dates

You enter the service date and the claim details. The calculator counts the business days under the Act and shows every step: the section, the holidays skipped, the arithmetic. No black box.

2

Dates computed, working shown

Every date comes with its rule, Act section, and source so it is verifiable general information, not an opaque answer. Claims are screened for validity defects before anything is computed.

3

Your diary, then escalation

Copy the T-3 / T-1 / T-0 entries into your calendar the day the claim arrives. If a window may already have passed, the pack says so plainly and points you at a construction lawyer urgently. It never tells you that you are fine.

03 · The diary routine

The diary routine: three entries, four minutes, no excuses

Copy these into your calendar the day a claim arrives. Three entries, four minutes, no excuses. An expired window gets a fourth: an urgent escalation, never reassurance.

Diary templateT-3

Schedule due in 3 business days: Claim 2026-1847

Your payment schedule is due Wed 14 Oct 2026 (NSW, 10 business days after service). The working is in the pack. Serve early: a late schedule generally has no effect under the Act.

Diary templateT-1

Schedule due tomorrow: Claim 2026-1847

Due Wed 14 Oct 2026. If the facts have changed, re-run the calculator with the new dates. It never guesses.

Diary templateT-0

Due today: Claim 2026-1847

The schedule window closes today. If service is not complete, speak to your construction solicitor now. General information only, not legal advice.

Diary templateEscalation

Deadline may have passed: Claim 2026-1847

The schedule window appears to have closed. See a construction lawyer urgently. TimeBar will not tell you that you are fine.

Peek inside: what a computed deadline looks like

Payment schedule due: Wed 14 Oct 2026 (NSW)

  • Claim served: Tue 29 Sep 2026 (your document date)
  • Rule: 10 business days after service, s14(4), Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW)
  • Business-day count: weekends, public holidays and 27 to 31 Dec excluded
  • Confidence: high, if the service date is correct. Confirm with your solicitor before relying on it.

Illustrative excerpt. Every live date shows its rule, Act section and source, and refuses where facts are missing.

04 · Deadline rules: general information

What the Acts say, shown with the working

These are the statutory time periods the engine encodes. They are general information only: legislation changes and the facts of your documents control your actual deadlines. Confirm every date with your solicitor.

RuleNSWQLDStatus
Payment schedule due10 business days after service, or earlier per contract15 business days after given, or earlier per contractNSW [verified 2026-10-04, s14(4)]; QLD [verified 2026-09-28]
Subcontract payment due-date cap20 business days (2018 amendments, s11(1B)(a))25 business days (QBCC Act s67U)[verified 2026-09-28: primary text]
Business day excludesSat/Sun, public holidays, 27 to 31 DecemberSat/Sun, public holidays, 22 to 24 Dec, 27 to 31 Dec, 2 to 10 Jan[verified 2026-09-28: primary text]
Adjudication application after short-pay schedule10 business days after receiving the schedule30 business days after receiving the schedule[likely: secondary sources consistent]
Not legal advice. This table is general information about legislation, not advice on your matter. Deadlines depend on your contract, your documents, and current law. Verify with a construction solicitor before acting.
Refusal rules: the legal strategy is structural. Mixed-jurisdiction projects escalate, never guessed at. NSW rules never leak into QLD matters and vice versa. Missing claim facts produce a refusal, never a comfortable deadline. Expired windows produce an urgent escalation, never reassurance. States other than NSW and QLD are not computed. Full legal boundaries.

05 · Scope

What TimeBar does, and what it will not do

TimeBar does

  • Compute response deadlines for payment schedules and adjudication steps from the dates on your documents (NSW, and QLD as general information)
  • Screen every claim for validity defects before computing anything, and refuse where facts are missing
  • Escalate uncertainty to you and your lawyer; fence NSW and QLD rules so they never leak into each other
  • Give you a validity-screening checklist with refusal branches, so ambiguous documents go to your solicitor instead of into a guess
  • Generate blank-field document templates (payment schedule, s17(2) notice) as drafts, never as filings

TimeBar does not

  • Give legal advice, assess prospects, suggest defences, or act as your agent
  • Cover states or territories other than NSW and QLD: it refuses what it does not know
  • File, lodge, or serve any document on your behalf
  • Promise outcomes or guarantee payments: it cannot, and it does not try
  • Recommend adjudicators, assess claims' merits, or advise whether to litigate or negotiate

06 · Who it is for

An honest fit check

TimeBar is a volume tool. If your claim flow is a trickle, the honest buy is the sprint, or nothing at all.

For you if

  • Your business receives or serves several payment claims a year across NSW (and QLD)
  • You want every schedule and adjudication window watched without relying on memory
  • You have a construction solicitor to confirm dates: TimeBar is the diary, not the lawyer

Walk away if

  • It is a single matter: the A$99 sprint (or the free path below) is the honest buy
  • You need advice on merits, defences, or strategy: speak to a construction solicitor
  • Your project is outside NSW or QLD: TimeBar refuses what it does not know

07 · Pricing

Guardian plans: A$49 or A$79 a month. The sprint is A$99.

A$49 a month is about A$1.60 a day for a disciplined deadline diary: every payment-claim deadline computed with the working shown. One missed payment schedule can decide an entire dispute. All prices AUD, GST incl. Monthly plans cancel anytime.

Construction solicitor

Hundreds of dollars per letter

A solicitor's letter of demand or a single matter review typically costs hundreds of dollars (illustrative range; get your own quote). And it only helps after the problem exists.

Guardian Standard

A$49/month

About A$1.60 a day for the deadline kit: every payment-claim deadline computed with the working shown, plus a diary routine and monthly law re-checks.

Guardian · Standard
A$49 / month, AUD GST incl.

Respondent-side deadline kit: payment-schedule deadline calculator with the working shown, claim-validity screening, T-3/T-1/T-0 diary templates, monthly law re-checks. Built for subcontractors and builders who receive claims.

  • Payment-claim and schedule deadline computation (NSW; QLD general information)
  • T-3 / T-1 / T-0 diary-entry templates
  • Monthly law re-check updates while subscribed
  • Claim-validity screening with enforced refusal

Free updates for 12 months when the source material changes.

Start Standard · A$49/mo

General information only. Not legal or financial advice.

✓ If the pack will not open or the calculator will not run, request a full refund within 7 days of signup: no arguments. No change-of-mind refunds. ACL consumer guarantees apply.

Secured by Stripe · card payments accepted

Guardian · Pro
A$79 / month, AUD GST incl.

Both sides plus adjudication tracking: everything in Standard, plus deadlines on claims you serve and the adjudication steps that follow. For crews with claim flow in both directions.

  • Everything in Guardian Standard
  • Claimant-side deadline tracking
  • Adjudication application / response windows
  • s17(2) notice and payment-schedule draft templates
Start Pro · A$79/mo

General information only. Not legal or financial advice.

✓ If the pack will not open or the calculator will not run, request a full refund within 7 days of signup: no arguments. No change-of-mind refunds. ACL consumer guarantees apply.

Secured by Stripe · card payments accepted

Single-claim sprint
A$99 one-off, AUD GST incl.

One claim, every deadline computed with the working shown: a complete, solicitor-confirmable answer for a single matter. No subscription, no commitment. At fewer than about 6 claims a year the sprint is cheaper than the subscription [illustrative arithmetic].

Start the sprint · A$99

General information only. Not legal or financial advice.

✓ If the pack will not open or the calculator will not run, request a full refund within 7 days of signup: no arguments. No change-of-mind refunds. ACL consumer guarantees apply.

Secured by Stripe · card payments accepted

Our guarantee: if the pack will not open or the calculator will not run, request a full refund within 7 days of signup; it is issued within 5 business days, no arguments. No change-of-mind refunds. ACL consumer guarantees apply. Monthly plans cancel anytime; elapsed months are not refunded. Full terms: terms.html#refund.

08 · Straight answers

No sales talk. Just answers.

Is TimeBar legal advice?
No. TimeBar computes dates from statutory formulas and shows its working: rule, section, source, so you can verify it. It never recommends a course of action, never assesses merits, and never acts as your agent. Confirm every date with a construction solicitor before relying on it.
Can you guarantee I won't miss a deadline?
No, and be wary of anyone who does. TimeBar is a disciplined diary with enforced refusals, not a promise. The guarantee we make is about the product working as described, not about outcomes.
Will you act for me or file anything?
No. TimeBar never files, lodges, or serves documents, and never acts as your agent. Templates are drafts with blank fields; serving is your job or your solicitor's.
Which states does it cover?
NSW first, with QLD timelines also computed as general information. Every other state and territory is refused, not guessed at: the clock rules differ too much to approximate.
What happens if a deadline may already have passed?
TimeBar says so plainly and tells you to see a construction lawyer urgently. It never offers reassurance about expired windows.
Can it draft my payment schedule?
It generates blank-field drafts with the statutory content prompts, including the hard prompt to list every reason for withholding payment. Reasons are your words (or your solicitor's) only; TimeBar never suggests defences, and one click goes to a draft, never to serving.
What data does it hold?
Nothing. The pack runs entirely in your browser and your calendar. No accounts, no uploads, nothing stored anywhere. If you email us, we use your email only to reply.
Who wrote this and why should I trust it?
An independent Australian publisher of compliance checklists. Every deadline formula is checked against the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW), last verified 2026-10-04, and the tracker shows its working: rule, section, source, so you can verify it yourself. It never guesses and escalates anything it cannot verify to you and your lawyer.
Why not just ask ChatGPT or use a free template?
Because a hallucinated deadline costs you the claim. AI invents section numbers and confuses NSW rules with other states'. TimeBar computes from the actual statutory formulas, refuses jurisdictions it does not know, and never offers reassurance about expired windows.
Is this legal advice?
No. General information only. It computes dates and shows the working; it never recommends a course of action, never assesses merits, never acts as your agent. Confirm every date with a construction solicitor before relying on it.
What is the refund policy?
If the pack will not open or the calculator will not run, request a full refund within 7 days of signup: no arguments, issued within 5 business days. No change-of-mind refunds. ACL consumer guarantees apply. Monthly plans cancel anytime; elapsed months are not refunded. Full terms: terms.html#refund.
How am I billed for a monthly plan?
Guardian Standard is A$49 a month and Guardian Pro is A$79 a month, both AUD with GST included. Plans bill monthly and you can cancel anytime. Payment is taken securely through Stripe. The checkout currently uses a TEST MODE payment link, so no real payment is taken until the links are flipped to live.

09 · Honest alternative

The free way to track a deadline

Free ways to do thisWhen the Guardian tracker is worth paying for
  • Read the Act: it is free. The Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) is on austlii.edu.au and legislation.nsw.gov.au. The time limits are short and written in plain-ish English.
  • NSW Fair Trading factsheets. Free payment-claim and adjudication guides that cover the same deadlines this page tracks.
  • eSiteOffice free schedule deadline calculator. Written by a construction lawyer, free with no sign-up, and contract-aware (it asks about your contract's own shorter response period, which TimeBar's calculator does not yet do).
  • Your own diary. The core of deadline protection is a calendar entry made the day the claim is served. A phone reminder costs nothing.
  • You receive or serve several payment claims a year and cannot afford to hand-count business days every time.
  • You want every deadline computed with the working shown: rule, section, source, so a solicitor can confirm it in minutes.
  • You need claimant and respondent directions plus adjudication windows (Pro), a diary routine the site team will actually use, and monthly law re-checks.

If you only have one claim, the free path works, or the A$99 single-claim sprint is the honest buy.

Put every deadline on the board, with the working shown

Guardian Standard: A$49 a month, AUD GST incl. Cancel anytime. General information only, never legal advice.

Start · A$49/mo

General information only. Not legal or financial advice.

See a sample of the Guardian pack before you decide. Free to open, no email needed.

✓ If the pack will not open or the calculator will not run, request a full refund within 7 days of signup: no arguments. No change-of-mind refunds. ACL consumer guarantees apply.

Secured by Stripe · card payments accepted

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Start · A$49/moGeneral information only. Not legal or financial advice.