What Is a Form B Information Certificate in BC?

A Form B Information Certificate is BC's standard strata disclosure document, required by section 59 of the Strata Property Act. It summarizes one strata lot's fees, debts, levies, reserve fund, insurance, and pending decisions — and the strata must provide it within 7 days of a request, for no more than $35 plus copying.

What a Form B is, in plain English

Think of the Form B as the strata's official "state of the union" for a single unit. It's signed by the strata council or the licensed strata manager on the corporation's behalf, and it pulls together the numbers and facts a buyer, their lawyer, and their lender need before a strata purchase closes. Its job is to make sure the person buying knows what they're walking into — the good, the bad, and the expensive.

What's on a Form B

Under section 59, the certificate must give current information on the strata lot and the corporation, including:

• The monthly strata fees for the lot
• Any money the owner owes the strata (arrears, fines, chargebacks)
• Any agreement under which the owner took responsibility for alterations to common property or common assets
• The amount of any special levy still owed on the lot, and when it's due
• Whether the current fiscal year's budget is running a surplus or deficit
• The contingency reserve fund (CRF) balance, minus approved expenditures
• Bylaw amendments that have been passed but not yet filed at the Land Title Office
• 3/4 or unanimous resolutions passed but not yet acted on, and notice of any coming up
• Any resolution to wind up the strata
• Court, arbitration, or Civil Resolution Tribunal proceedings the strata is involved in
• Any outstanding work orders or notices against the strata
• Parking stall and storage locker allocations for the lot
• A summary of the strata corporation's insurance coverage

What must be attached

The certificate travels with several documents:

• The strata corporation's rules (if any)
• The current budget
• The most recent depreciation report, if one has been obtained
• Any documents referenced above, such as alteration agreements or resolutions

The depreciation-report attachment is more important than ever. With BC's reporting rules tightening, a missing or badly outdated report is itself a signal — see the 2026 depreciation-report deadline explained.

What it costs and how fast you get it

The Strata Property Regulation caps the fee at $35, plus up to 25 cents per page for copies. The strata must provide the Form B within 7 days of the request. Some stratas or managers charge a rush fee for turnaround inside that window; the regulated base maximum is still $35, so ask how any rush charge is justified.

Who orders a Form B and why it matters

Most Form B requests come from a buyer's real estate agent during the subject-removal period, and from the buyer's lender. Sellers sometimes order one proactively to speed a sale. Whoever asks, the point is due diligence: the Form B surfaces arrears, upcoming levies, an underfunded reserve, active litigation, insurance gaps, and how parking and storage are assigned — before anyone is committed.

How to read a Form B: red flags

• A thin CRF for an older building points to special-levy risk down the road. See our guide to contingency reserve fund rules.
• A pending special levy or a big 3/4 resolution means a cost is already on the horizon.
• A deficit budget often foreshadows a fee increase.
• An active CRT or court file signals a dispute — and possibly a shared cost.
• A minimal insurance summary or very high deductibles deserve a closer look; read what strata insurance covers and how the deductible works.

A snapshot, not a guarantee

A Form B reflects the strata's information as of the date it's signed. Budgets change, disputes settle, and new levies get proposed. It's a powerful tool, but it's not a substitute for reading the recent meeting minutes, the depreciation report, and the bylaws. Order it fresh and close to your decision — not one that's been sitting in a file for months.

Form B vs Form F

Buyers often confuse the two. A Form B is the detailed disclosure document above; a Form F Certificate of Payment is the short document proving the seller owes the strata nothing, and it's the one the Land Title Office actually requires to register the sale. We break down the difference in Form B vs Form F.

Frequently asked questions

Who fills out the Form B? The strata council, or the licensed strata manager acting on the corporation's behalf.

How much can a strata charge for a Form B, and how fast? No more than $35 plus up to 25 cents per page for copies, provided within 7 days of the request.

Is a Form B legally required to buy a strata? It isn't required to register the transfer — that's the Form F. But it's essential due diligence, and most lenders require it before funding a mortgage.

How long is a Form B valid? There's no fixed statutory expiry, but it's a point-in-time snapshot. Get a recent one and pair it with current minutes.

Related reading

• Form B vs Form F in BC: Which Document Do You Need?
• What Do Strata Fees Cover in BC? A Plain-English Breakdown
• BC Strata Depreciation Reports: The 2026 Deadline Explained
• What Does Strata Insurance Actually Cover in BC?

Accurate, on-time Form B and Form F certificates come from clean books. See how Onehive handles strata financial management. Onehive manages strata and rental communities under 150 units across BC — request a proposal.

This article is general information, not legal advice. The contents and fees for a Form B are set by the Strata Property Act and Regulation, which can change. Confirm current requirements and read the certificate's attachments and your bylaws, or consult a strata lawyer.