CRT Extension of Time to Respond in BC

You have been served with a CRT Dispute Notice and the 14-day response deadline is approaching, but you are not ready to file. Maybe you are waiting for documents from a contractor, recovering from an illness, or travelling outside BC. The CRT does allow extensions — but only if you ask correctly and before the original deadline expires.

How to Request an Extension Before the Deadline

Under CRT Rule 3.1(2), you can submit a Request for Extension through the CRT's online portal at civilresolutionbc.ca. The request must be filed before your original 14-day (or 30-day, if served outside BC) deadline runs out.

The CRT considers whether you have a compelling reason. Examples include:

• Acute illness or hospitalization that prevented you from accessing the portal
• Emergency travel with documented inability to respond remotely
• Records essential to your response are held by a third party and genuinely inaccessible within the deadline

The CRT has discretion here. There is no automatic right to an extension, and "I need more time to figure out what to do" is generally not enough on its own. Explain the circumstances that prevented you from responding in time and apply before the deadline.

What If the Deadline Has Already Passed?

Once the 14 or 30 days expire, the extension option closes. At that point, you are in one of two situations:

No default decision yet. Contact the CRT directly at 1-844-322-2292 or through the portal to ask what options remain. The extension rule described here requires you to apply before the original deadline; do not assume a late response will be accepted.

Default decision issued. If the applicant applied for and received a default decision, you cannot simply file a late response. Apply to cancel the default within 28 calendar days after you are deemed to have received notice, and address the CRT's cancellation criteria. This is significantly harder than getting an extension before the deadline.

Provincial Court Extension Rules

If your case is in Provincial Court Small Claims (claims between $5,001 and $35,000) rather than the CRT, the extension mechanics are different:

• You can file a late Form 2 Reply without court leave only if the registry has not entered a default order and has not scheduled a default hearing.
• If a default order has already been entered, you must file a Form 8 (Application to a Judge) and appear at a hearing to ask for the default to be set aside.

Ask the registry whether a default order has been entered or a default hearing scheduled; that status determines whether a late Form 2 may be filed without court leave.

Practical Advice

File the extension request the moment you realize you might not make the deadline — do not wait until day 13. A request submitted on day 3 that says "I am in hospital and expect to be discharged next week" reads very differently from one submitted at 11 PM on the last day that says "I ran out of time."

If you want legal advice, seek it while preparing your response. Do not assume that time needed to consult a lawyer will be enough to obtain an extension.

An extension request does not guarantee approval. Do not assume it will be granted — continue preparing your response in case the CRT says no.

The BC CRT Dispute Response Guide covers extension requests, late filings, and the default cancellation process so you know which path applies to your situation.

See more British Columbia guides →