BC Small Claims Court Forms: Which Ones You Actually Need for the CRT

You search "BC small claims forms" and land on the provincial government's forms page listing SCL001, SCL002, SCL005, SCL053. You download a few, start filling them in, and then discover that none of them apply to your $4,000 claim. Your claim goes to the Civil Resolution Tribunal — and the CRT does not use any of those form numbers.

This confusion catches people every week. British Columbia has two small claims forums with entirely separate paperwork, and using the wrong set wastes time and filing fees.

CRT Forms vs. Provincial Court Forms

The split is simple:

• Claims up to $5,000 go through the CRT, which uses its own online portal and administrative form titles (Dispute Application, Dispute Response, Proof of Service, Fee Waiver Request).
• Claims from $5,001 to $35,000 go through the Provincial Court Small Claims Division, which uses numbered SCR forms (SCL001 Notice of Claim, SCL002 Reply, SCL005 Application for Default Order).

If your claim is $5,000 or less, you will never touch an SCL-numbered form. Everything happens through the CRT's online portal at civilresolutionbc.ca.

What CRT Forms Look Like

The CRT uses descriptive administrative titles instead of form numbers. Here is how they map to Provincial Court equivalents:

You complete these through your CRT online account, not by downloading PDFs and filing them at a courthouse registry.

The SCL053 Trap

Form SCL053 — "Notice of Civil Resolution Tribunal Claim" — is the form that trips people up most. Despite the name, it is not used to file a CRT claim. It is a Provincial Court form used when the CRT refuses to resolve a claim after issuing an initiating notice, or when Provincial Court orders the CRT not to adjudicate the claim.

For decisions made before July 1, 2022, SCL053 could be used with a Notice of Objection to restart a CRT decision in Provincial Court. That route is no longer available for decisions issued on or after that date. SCL053 remains in use in the limited situations above.

How to File the CRT Way

For a claim of $5,000 or less:

1. Go to the CRT Solution Explorer (civilresolutionbc.ca/solution-explorer) and answer the diagnostic questions
2. Create a CRT online account
3. Complete the Dispute Application through the portal — enter verified party names, addresses, your claim summary, and the amount
4. Pay the application fee ($75 for claims up to $3,000, $125 for $3,001–$5,000) by credit card, or submit a Fee Waiver Request
5. The CRT reviews and issues your Dispute Notice Package
6. Serve the package on the respondent within 90 days, then submit your Proof of Service through the portal

No courthouse visit. No printing. No SCL forms.

When You Do Need Provincial Court Forms

You will use Provincial Court small claims forms only if:

• Your claim is between $5,001 and $35,000
• The CRT formally refused jurisdiction over your dispute
• You are filing a validated CRT order in Provincial Court for enforcement (garnishing order, payment hearing, seizure)

For enforcement, the CRT includes a validated order with a final decision (included in the $50 decision fee). A separately requested validation of a CRT document costs $30. File the validated order at a Provincial Court registry; court enforcement procedures then apply.

Getting the Right Start

The forms confusion is one of the most common early mistakes in BC small claims. Filing the wrong paperwork in the wrong forum costs months and non-refundable fees. The BC CRT Small Claim Step-by-Step Guide includes a forum decision checklist that confirms where your claim belongs before you touch any forms, plus a complete walkthrough of the CRT portal filing process.

See more British Columbia guides →