How to file a class action claim (step by step)
How to file a class action claim step by step: find the official form, enter your claim ID, sign the attestation, pick a payment method and track it to payout.
To file a class action claim, go to the official settlement website (or use a filing app), open the claim form, enter your contact details and any claim ID from your notice, answer the eligibility questions truthfully, attach proof only if the settlement requires it, choose how you want to be paid, sign the attestation and submit before the deadline. That's how to file a class action claim in one sentence; it's always free and usually takes 10–15 minutes. Save the confirmation number, then expect payment roughly 3–18 months after the claims deadline. Owed pre-fills the form, files it and tracks it for you at no cost.
Before you start: what to have ready
Most claim forms take ten minutes if you have three things in front of you: the notice (if you got one), the email address or account details the company would have on file, and — only for proof-required settlements — your receipts or statements. Check two dates first: the claims deadline (the last day to file) and the earlier opt-out deadline, which only matters if you're thinking of suing on your own. And confirm you're actually in the class by reading the class definition — our guide on how to check if you're part of a class action covers that in five steps.
| Item | Where to find it | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Claim ID / notice ID | Postcard or email from the administrator | Usually optional — most forms have an "I don't have an ID" path |
| Name, mailing address, email, phone | You | Yes |
| Account email / username / phone used with the company | Account settings, old confirmation emails | Often — it's how the administrator matches you to records |
| Dates or counts (e.g. when you joined, how many orders) | Account history, order history, statements | Sometimes; estimates are accepted where the form says so |
| Proof (receipts, statements, screenshots) | Inbox, bank app, order history | Only for proof-required settlements or documented-loss tiers |
| Payment details (PayPal/Venmo email, bank info, or mailing address for a check) | You | Yes — pick one |
| Your signature / e-signature on the attestation | You | Yes |
How to file a class action claim: step by step
Settlement websites differ in design but almost all follow this sequence, whether the administrator is Epiq, Kroll, Angeion, JND, Verita, Rust or Simpluris.
- Go to the official settlement website. Use the URL on your notice, the link from the administrator's "active cases" page or ClassAction.org, or the official-site link on our settlement pages. Never file through a site that asks for a fee.
- Click "Submit a claim" / "File a claim". Most sites offer an online form; a printable PDF to mail is the fallback.
- Enter your claim ID — or choose "I don't have one". With an ID the form often pre-fills from the administrator's records. Without one, you'll be asked for the email, phone number or account details the company would recognise.
- Fill in your contact details. Use the address where you'll be living in 6–18 months; that's when the check arrives. You can usually update it later on the site.
- Answer the eligibility questions honestly. Dates, number of orders, whether you lived in a particular state — these determine your tier. Estimates are fine where the form says "approximately".
- Upload proof only if required. For no-proof settlements, skip this; for documented tiers, attach receipts, statements or screenshots (PDF/JPG). Proof of purchase for class action claims lists what's accepted.
- Choose a payment method. Check, prepaid card, PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or direct deposit — see the section below.
- Read and sign the attestation. You're certifying under penalty of perjury that your answers are true. E-signature (typing your name) is standard.
- Submit and save the confirmation. Screenshot the confirmation page and keep the confirmation email; you'll need the number to check status or fix a deficiency.
- Calendar the key dates. Final approval hearing date and estimated payment window are on the site's FAQ; set a reminder to check status after the hearing.
The attestation: what you're signing under penalty of perjury
Every claim form ends with a declaration that the information is true and correct, made under penalty of perjury — federal law lets an unsworn written declaration carry the same weight as a notarised oath (28 U.S.C. § 1746). This is what makes "no proof" claims possible: your signature is the evidence. It's also why you should treat the questions seriously. Administrators audit claims — they compare against the defendant's records where they exist, flag duplicate names and addresses, catch impossible dates and bulk submissions from the same IP, and reject what doesn't hold up. Inflating the number of orders or claiming a state you never lived in can void the whole claim, not just the extra tier.
Practical rules: one claim per eligible person (one per household only where the form says so), file under your own name, and for a child's claim file as the parent or guardian. If you realise you made a mistake, contact the administrator with your confirmation number — corrections are routine before the deadline.
Choosing how to get paid
Most settlements now offer digital payment alongside a paper check. Digital options (PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, virtual prepaid card, direct deposit) arrive the same day the administrator releases funds and can't get lost in the mail; the trade-off is that some expire if unclaimed, and a typo in the email means the payment bounces. Paper checks still work fine for larger amounts — but they're mailed to the address on the form, typically expire after 90–180 days, and a reissue costs you weeks. Whatever you choose, keep your contact details current on the settlement site until you're paid.
If you file through Owed, you can also choose to receive settlement money into your Owed wallet and cash out to your bank, a check, or a gift card with a 5% bonus. Our guides on how class action settlement payments are sent and check vs. digital payment go into speed, fees and what to do about a lost or expired check.
After you submit: confirmations, deficiencies and the wait
You'll get a confirmation number immediately and usually an email within minutes; if neither arrives, check spam, then the site's "check claim status" tool. Nothing else happens until the claims deadline passes — administrators process claims in bulk, not as they arrive. After the deadline, expect one of three things: silence (good — your claim is in the queue), a deficiency notice asking you to fix or supply something within a cure window of a few weeks (respond promptly, with your confirmation number), or a rejection you can usually dispute once.
Payment comes after the court grants final approval and any appeals are resolved — typically 3–18 months after the claims deadline, faster for flat-payment settlements and slower when an objector appeals. Status pages update at each milestone, and Owed's tracker mirrors them as filed → approved → paid. For what drives the timeline, read how long it takes to get a class action settlement check; if you missed the window entirely, what happens if you miss a claim deadline explains your remaining options.
Filing yourself vs. using a settlement app
Filing directly on the settlement site is free and takes 10–15 minutes per claim; the cost is the finding, the repetition (your details entered again for every settlement) and the tracking. Apps remove that: Owed matches you to open settlements with a 9-question quiz, pre-fills each administrator's form from details you enter once, can pull receipts from a connected inbox for documented tiers, files the claim and reminds you before deadlines — free, with no cut of self-filed payouts. Paid apps like Claim ($2 trial, then $49/yr) and Settlemate ($11.99/mo or $34.99/yr) offer similar filing for a subscription. Whichever route you take, the money comes from the administrator, not the app; our filing yourself vs. using a settlement app comparison has the honest trade-offs.
Mistakes that get claims rejected (and how to avoid them)
- Filing after the deadline. Online forms typically close at 11:59 p.m. in the time zone stated on the site; mailed forms must be postmarked by the deadline.
- Duplicate claims. Filing once with a claim ID and again without one gets both flagged. File once; fix mistakes by contacting the administrator.
- Wrong class period. Account opened after the period ended, purchase before it began — check dates before you attest.
- Identifiers that don't match. Use the email or phone the company actually had; a new email the administrator can't match often means the lowest tier or a deficiency notice.
- Unreadable or irrelevant proof. Upload the page that shows your name, the date and the purchase; cropped screenshots without dates get bounced.
- Ignoring deficiency emails. They come from the administrator's domain and have short cure windows. If you filed, read everything that arrives from that domain.
- Stale address. Checks go to the address on the form; moving without updating it is the most common reason payments never arrive.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. The settlement website's FAQ and the administrator's phone line are the authoritative sources for any specific case — and our directory pages for open settlements such as TikTok, DoorDash and Bank of America link straight to each official form.
Glossary
- Claim form
- The online or paper form you submit to receive your share of a settlement; some require proof of purchase.
- Claim ID / notice ID
- A code on your postcard or email that links your claim to the administrator's record; usually optional.
- Attestation
- The signed declaration at the end of the claim form certifying your answers are true under penalty of perjury.
- Deficiency notice
- A message from the administrator saying your claim is incomplete, with a short cure window to fix it.
- Cure period
- The deadline — often 2–4 weeks — for responding to a deficiency notice before the claim is rejected.
- Confirmation number
- The reference issued when you submit; needed to check status, fix deficiencies or dispute a rejection.
FAQ
Choose the "I don't have a claim ID" option on the official claim form and enter the email, phone number or account details the company would have on file. Most consumer settlements allow this; a few data-breach settlements limit claims to people who received a notice.
No — never. Class counsel is paid from the settlement fund with court approval. Anyone charging a fee to file or to release your payment is running a scam.
Almost always. Settlement websites offer an online form; a printable PDF you can mail is the alternative. Apps like Owed file the online form for you.
You get a confirmation number; the administrator reviews claims after the deadline, may send a deficiency notice if something's missing, and pays approved claims after final court approval — typically 3–18 months after the claims deadline.
Usually not — it's one claim per eligible person (sometimes per household or per account, as the form states). Duplicates are rejected. If you have multiple eligible accounts or devices, the form will ask about them within one claim.
No. Class counsel already represents the class; the claim form is designed to be completed by you in minutes. You'd only need your own lawyer if you opt out to pursue an individual case.
- 28 U.S.C. § 1746 — unsworn declarations under penalty of perjury (Cornell LII)
- Federal Judicial Center — Judges' Class Action Notice and Claims Process Checklist and Plain Language Guide
- Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 23 (Cornell LII)
- ClassAction.org — open settlements and official claim-form links
- FTC — refunds from FTC cases (how FTC refund programs pay)
- FTC — report fraud (for fake settlement sites and fee scams)
This article is based on public information as of Aug 22, 2026; features, prices and deadlines change. Owed is not a law firm and nothing here is legal, tax or financial advice. Corrections →
Keep reading
How to check if you're part of a class action lawsuitHow to check if you are part of a class action lawsuit: read the class definition, find your claim ID, search administrator sites and your inbox in 5 steps.
Class action claim ID vs. notice ID: what if you don't have one?What a class action claim ID and notice ID are, where they come from, how to file without one, what to do if you lost the postcard, and how duplicates work.
Proof of purchase for class action claims: what counts, where to lookProof of purchase for a class action claim: what counts (receipts, order emails, statements, screenshots), where to find it fast, and what to do without it.