Guide
Strata documents to read before you buy in BC
Form B, the depreciation report, minutes and special levies, in plain words.
Short answer: Get the Form B, the latest depreciation report, two years of minutes and the bylaws before your offer is firm. The Form B costs at most $35 plus 25¢ a page, and it shows approved special levies and upcoming 3/4 votes. Those are where surprise bills come from.
Add the strata fee to your monthly cost, then check what you’ll need at completion.
The short list
| Document | What it tells you | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Form B | Fees, money owed, approved levies, reserve fund, lawsuits, pending votes | Within 7 days, max $35 plus 25¢ a page |
| Depreciation report | What needs fixing over 30 years and how it could be paid for | Attached to Form B; every 5 years for 5+ lots |
| Minutes | What owners and council are arguing about: leaks, levies, insurance | Strata keeps them 6 years |
| Bylaws and rules | Pets, rentals, renos, parking | Within 1 week of a request |
| Financial statements and budget | Whether fees cover the bills | Within 2 weeks of a request |
| Form F | The seller’s fees are paid up | Max $15; good for 60 days |
You don’t own the strata records yet, so you can’t ask for most of them yourself. The seller can, or can authorize you in writing to get them. Ask early, ideally as a condition of your offer, so you have time to read before you’re locked in.
Form B: start here
The Form B is a snapshot of one unit. It lists the monthly strata fee, anything the seller owes, special levies already approved and their due dates, the contingency reserve fund balance minus spending already approved, bylaw changes not yet filed, notices of upcoming 3/4 votes, court or tribunal cases, outstanding work orders, which parking and storage go with the unit, and an insurance summary. The rules, the current budget and the most recent depreciation report come with it.
Two lines matter most. Approved levies tell you what’s already been voted. Pending 3/4 votes tell you what might be voted next, often a levy.
The depreciation report
This is the long-range repair plan. It looks 30 years out at roofs, envelope, elevators, pipes and so on, shows the reserve fund balance, and gives at least three ways the strata could fund the work. The strata doesn’t have to pick any of them, so read the funding models against the actual fees and reserve.
Since July 1, 2024, stratas with five or more lots must get a new report every five years and can’t vote to waive it. Since July 1, 2025, only qualified people can write one. If the report is old or missing, ask why. Older stratas with no report, or one from before 2021, have deadlines of July 1, 2026 (Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Capital Region) or July 1, 2027 (the rest of BC).
Minutes and special levies
Read at least two years of council and general meeting minutes. Look for repeat leaks, insurance claims, deductible changes, contractor quotes and owners pushing back on a levy. That’s where a future bill shows up first.
A special levy needs a 3/4 vote of owners. The resolution must say what it’s for, the total, how it’s split, each unit’s share and when it’s due. If it’s approved before your completion date, the seller pays installments due before completion and you pay the ones due on or after. If you know a big one is coming, deal with it in the contract: price, a credit, or who pays what. A lawyer or notary can word it.
Put the fee in your budget
The strata fee is a monthly cost like your mortgage. Add it to the down payment planner to see the real monthly number, and the closing costs calculator covers strata document fees at completion.
Common questions
What is a Form B in BC?
It’s the strata’s information certificate for one unit. It shows the monthly fees, any money owing, approved special levies, the contingency reserve fund balance, pending votes, legal proceedings, parking and storage, and an insurance summary. The current budget, rules and latest depreciation report come attached.
How much does a Form B cost?
The strata can charge at most $35, plus up to 25 cents a page for copies of the attachments. It has to hand it over within 7 days of the request.
Who pays a special levy when a strata unit sells?
If the levy was approved before the sale completes, the seller pays the parts due before the completion date and the buyer pays the parts due on or after it. You can agree to something different in the contract.
Does every BC strata need a depreciation report?
Stratas with five or more lots do, every five years, and they can no longer vote to skip it. Older stratas with no report, or one done before 2021, must have one by July 1, 2026 in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and the Capital Region, and by July 1, 2027 elsewhere.
Sources
- Form B: Information Certificate, Government of BC. Checked October 2026.
- Paperwork for buyers and sellers, Government of BC. Checked October 2026.
- Information and record keeping, Government of BC. Checked October 2026.
- Depreciation report requirements, Government of BC. Checked October 2026.
- Special levies, Government of BC. Checked October 2026.
- Form F: Certificate of Payment, Government of BC. Checked October 2026.
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Estimates only. Not tax, legal or financial advice.
Rough numbers, not a quote or a lender’s decision. Check with a lawyer or notary and your lender before you rely on them. See Disclosures and Methodology.