Form F — Certificate of Payment

A Form F is a certificate issued by a strata corporation under section 115 of the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43) confirming that all strata fees, special levies, and other amounts owing in respect of a strata lot have been paid by the seller up to the completion date. It is a mandatory document in the conveyancing process for strata properties in British Columbia. Without a valid Form F, the Land Title Office will not register a transfer of a strata lot.

Section 115 of the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43) governs the issuance of the Form F — Certificate of Payment. That section requires the strata corporation to provide the certificate confirming all strata-related amounts are paid before a transfer can be registered. The Land Title Office in BC relies on this certificate as a condition of registering a new owner's interest in a strata lot.

The buyer's conveyancer — either a notary public or a lawyer — typically requests the Form F from the strata corporation or its property manager in advance of the completion date. It is usually requested once subjects have been removed and the transaction is proceeding to completion. Obtaining it early allows enough time to resolve any outstanding balances that could delay registration.

If the Form F reveals that the seller owes strata fees, special levies, or other amounts to the strata corporation, those outstanding amounts must be paid out of the seller's sale proceeds at completion. The buyer's conveyancer coordinates with the seller's conveyancer to ensure the strata corporation receives payment so that a clean Form F can be issued. This process protects the buyer from inheriting the seller's financial obligations to the strata.

Under the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43), a strata corporation has the ability to pursue amounts owed against a strata lot, which could potentially affect a new owner if debts are not cleared at completion. The Form F process exists precisely to ensure all financial obligations are settled before a transfer is registered. Buyers and their conveyancers should confirm a valid, current Form F is in hand before completing a transaction.

Yes, the Form F — Certificate of Payment issued under section 115 of the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43) confirms that all amounts owing to the strata corporation have been paid, which includes regular monthly strata fees, approved special levies, and any other charges properly assessed against the strata lot. This comprehensive confirmation is one reason the Form F is essential to a clean transfer of a strata lot in BC.

The Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43) and its Regulation permit strata corporations to charge a fee for providing documents, including the Form F, and the maximum allowable fee is set by the Strata Property Regulation. By convention, this fee is typically treated as a seller's expense, since the Form F relates to the seller's financial obligations to the strata, though the parties may negotiate otherwise in their contract. Consult the current Strata Property Regulation or the BC Government's guidance for the specific maximum fee amount applicable in 2026.

A Form B — Information Certificate, issued under section 59 of the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43), provides a buyer with broad information about the strata corporation, including bylaw enforcement, the contingency reserve fund balance, pending litigation, and current strata fees. A Form F — Certificate of Payment, issued under section 115, has a narrower purpose: it confirms solely that the seller has paid all amounts owing to the strata corporation up to the completion date. Both documents serve distinct roles in a strata lot transaction in BC.

A BC real estate licensee, regulated by the British Columbia Financial Services Authority (BCFSA) under the Real Estate Services Act (RSBC 2004, c. 42) and its Rules, assists clients by ensuring the purchase contract includes appropriate terms and timelines to allow the buyer's conveyancer to obtain the Form F before completion. However, the actual request and review of the Form F is carried out by the notary or lawyer handling the conveyance, not the licensee. Licensees should be familiar with the Form F requirement so they can set realistic completion timelines and advise clients accordingly.

Yes, the Form F requirement under section 115 of the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43) applies to all strata lots in BC, including those within bare land strata plans, which are common in certain subdivision and resort developments. In a bare land strata, owners still pay strata fees and may be subject to special levies, and those amounts must be confirmed as paid via a Form F before the Land Title Office will register a transfer. The nature of the strata plan — conventional or bare land — does not affect this requirement.