Who Qualifies for Legal Aid BC Family Law Services?

Legal aid eligibility usually has two parts: what kind of problem you have, and whether your finances meet the program's limits. Both can change, so a chart you found online may be out of date.

This article sets out the tests that apply to the Family Law Centres delivered by Legal Aid BC, explains where financial questions can arise, and lists what to prepare before you reach out.

This article covers the law of British Columbia.

The case-type test

Family Law Centres are law clinics funded by the Province and delivered by Legal Aid BC. They give free, trauma-informed legal help to family violence survivors who cannot afford a lawyer.

For a Family Law Centre, you must be experiencing family violence and have at least one additional eligible legal issue. Parenting arrangements, which means obtaining an initial parenting order or changing one, were added as an eligible issue on June 22, 2026.

Issues commonly seen include protection orders, denial of parenting time, child support, spousal support, property division and divorce.

• Family violence is part of your situation.
• You have at least one other eligible legal issue.
• You cannot afford a lawyer.

The financial test

The Family Law Centres are meant for survivors who cannot afford a lawyer. Legal Aid BC sets income limits for its services, and those limits are updated periodically, so older charts can show different figures. Ask Legal Aid BC for the current limits and how household size and income are counted.

Do not assume that family violence on its own removes the financial questions. Priority is given to survivors who have fled an abusive partner within the past six months, and that is a priority, not a general waiver.

If you do not meet the test

Missing the test does not leave you without options. Family Justice Centres offer free services to parents and other family members dealing with separation or divorce. Some services they refer you to are based on financial need, so you may be asked about income.

Those services include help with parenting arrangements, guardianship, child and spousal support, contact with a child, and property division for a companion animal. Centres also provide a needs assessment, legal information with referrals, safety referrals to VictimLinkBC or police, and a free Parenting After Separation course. You can reach them Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, at the toll-free number 1-844-747-3963.

Lawyer advice at a Family Justice Centre depends on your situation, and staff otherwise refer you elsewhere. Justice Access Centres also offer free family justice services.

Family justice counsellors are accredited mediators who provide mediation. At a Justice Access Centre, mediation is a neutral, informal setting where a trained mediator helps you discuss issues without giving legal advice. If mediation is not suitable, staff help with next steps or referrals.

You might also look into hiring a lawyer for only part of your matter. This is called unbundling, where client and lawyer decide which tasks each will do.

Protection orders and paying for a family case

A court may make a protection order on application by a family member claiming to be at risk, by a person on that member's behalf, or on its own initiative. The order need not be made together with any other proceeding. Unless the court orders otherwise, a protection order expires one year after the date it is made.

When deciding, the court must consider risk factors such as the history of family violence, whether it is repetitive or escalating, and recent separation or intention to separate.

If money is the barrier in a property dispute, the Supreme Court may order an interim distribution of family property to help fund family dispute resolution or part of a proceeding. It can do this only if the order would not be harmful to the other spouse's interests, and it is not a general costs order. Whether this could apply to you depends on your situation, so it is worth confirming with a lawyer.

Documents and information to prepare

Staff will usually ask about your situation and money. Having the following ready can make a first conversation shorter and clearer.

• Government photo identification.
• Recent proof of income for you and, where relevant, your household, such as pay stubs, benefit statements or a tax notice of assessment.
• A list of monthly expenses and any debts.
• Court orders, agreements or filed applications.
• The date you separated, and the date you left, if you fled an abusive partner.
• A short timeline of incidents and any police file numbers, if family violence is involved.
• Names and birth dates of your children and where they live.

What to do next

Start by confirming the current rules with Legal Aid BC. In-person Family Law Centre offices are in Surrey and Victoria, and Kamloops and Prince George offices were expected to open in late summer 2026, so confirm whether they are open. Virtual services are offered in Surrey, Abbotsford, New Westminster, Victoria, Colwood, Duncan, Kelowna, Kamloops, Prince George, Vanderhoof and Mackenzie.

If a court deadline is close, say so early and consider speaking with a lawyer about your options.

Frequently asked questions