- A Form F Certificate of Payment is needed at the Land Title Office to register a conveyance of a strata lot, and the strata must issue it within one week of a request once the debts are dealt with.
- The certificate is current for 60 days and the fee is capped at $15, though a rush fee may apply on short notice.
- Once arbitration, a Civil Resolution Tribunal claim or court proceedings have begun, a disputed amount may be paid into court or to the strata in trust, which allows a Form F to be issued despite the dispute.
If you are buying or selling a strata home in British Columbia, you will probably hear about a Form F close to completion. It is a short document, but a sale can stall without it, so it helps to know what it is before your completion date gets close.
This article explains who can ask for a Form F, how long it takes, what it can and cannot show, and how it connects to special levies, liens and your contract. It is general information, not advice on your own sale.
This article covers the law of British Columbia.
What a Form F is and why closing depends on it
A Form F is the Certificate of Payment. In plain words, it is the strata corporation's confirmation that the lot's debts to the strata are paid or properly dealt with. The Land Title Office requires a Form F to register a lease or assignment of a lease, an agreement for sale, or a conveyance of a strata lot.
The strata council issues it, and a strata manager often prepares it. Because it is needed for registration, a delay in getting it can delay the transfer itself.
Who can ask, how fast, and how long it lasts
An owner, a purchaser or a person authorized to act for them can request a Form F. Within one week of the request, the strata must issue it if the owner owes nothing, if any debt has been paid into court or to the strata in trust, or if satisfactory arrangements have been made.
Once issued, the certificate is current for 60 days. If completion slips past that window, you may need to ask about a fresh one, so keep the timeline in mind when you set your dates.
If the strata has sections, you should ask both the strata corporation and the relevant section.
Cost and timing
The Strata Property Regulation caps the Form F fee at $15. That is a ceiling, so a strata may charge less. A rush fee may apply if less than 7 days' notice is given.
| Item | What to know |
|---|---|
| Deadline to issue | Within one week of the request |
| How long it is current | 60 days |
| Fee cap | $15 |
| Short notice | A rush fee may apply under 7 days' notice |
What debts it can show, and what it cannot
Debts include strata fees, special levies, fines, bylaw-remedy costs, work-order reimbursements and the lot's share of a judgment. A Form F may include amounts owing for fines and remedy costs and for liens, but it must not include undetermined damages claims.
This differs from a strata lien. The strata may register a Certificate of Lien against a lot for unpaid strata fees, special levies, certain work reimbursements or the lot's share of a judgment, but no lien may be registered for fines or remedy costs. The strata must remove a lien within one week of payment.
How a disputed amount affects your sale depends on the facts. Once arbitration, a Civil Resolution Tribunal claim or court proceedings have begun, the disputed amount may be paid into court or to the strata in trust, which allows a Form F to be issued despite the dispute.
Special levies, sections and what to do next
If a special levy was approved before the conveyance, the seller owes the part payable before the conveyance and the buyer owes the part payable on or after it. The parties may negotiate how any refund is handled between them. A Form F shows what is owing now, so a levy with later instalments is worth addressing in your contract.
Before completion, settle these points in writing with your lawyer or notary:
- Who requests the Form F, and by what date, allowing for the one-week issue time.
- Who pays the fee and any rush fee.
- Whether the strata has sections, so both certificates are requested.
- How any approved special levy is split, and who gets any refund.
- Whether a disputed debt will be paid into court or to the strata in trust once proceedings have begun.
- That the completion date falls within the 60 days the certificate is current.
- That any lien is removed after payment.
If a debt is disputed or the timing is tight, a lawyer can confirm how these rules apply to your sale.
Frequently asked questions
Who asks for the Form F, the buyer or the seller?
An owner, a purchaser or a person authorized by either can request it. In practice, who does so is often set out in the contract or handled by the lawyer, notary or strata manager involved, so confirm it early.
What if the strata says money is owing that I dispute?
Once arbitration, a Civil Resolution Tribunal claim or court proceedings have begun, the disputed amount may be paid into court or to the strata in trust. That allows a Form F to be issued despite the dispute.
Is a Form F the same as a lien?
No. A Form F is a certificate that debts are paid or dealt with. A lien is registered against the lot for certain unpaid amounts, and none may be registered for fines or remedy costs.
What happens if my closing is delayed?
A Form F is current for 60 days. If completion falls after that, it is worth asking your lawyer, notary or strata manager whether a new certificate is needed, since a request for one is answered within one week of the request.
Sources
- Strata Property Act (BC Laws), Part 6 — bclaws.gov.bc.ca
- Strata Property Regulation, B.C. Reg. 43/2000 — bclaws.gov.bc.ca
- Province of BC – Form F: Certificate of Payment — www2.gov.bc.ca
Links go to official government, court and regulator pages. The law changes — confirm you are reading the current version.
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