How to File a Small Claim in BC Through the Civil Resolution Tribunal

A contractor took your deposit and ghosted. An invoice has been sitting unpaid for months. A private car seller lied about the engine. Whatever brought you here, you need to know how to actually file the claim in the CRT — not just that you can, but the exact sequence from start to finish.

The CRT handles claims up to $5,000, and the entire process happens online. Here is every step, in order.

Before You File

Two things need to happen before you touch the CRT portal:

Verify the respondent's legal name. If you are suing a business, search BC Registries and Online Services through the Service BC Connect portal. You need the full legal name — the corporation name (e.g., "1234567 B.C. Ltd."), not the trade name on the storefront. For sole proprietorships, name the individual owner personally. Getting this wrong can make your decision unenforceable.

Send a demand letter. Not legally required, but strongly recommended. A written demand establishes the factual baseline, shows you tried to resolve the dispute, and gives the respondent a clear deadline to pay. Keep it neutral and professional: state who owes what, itemize the amount, set a 10-to-14-day deadline, and note that you will file with the CRT if the matter is not resolved.

Step 1: Solution Explorer

Go to the CRT's Solution Explorer on civilresolutionbc.ca. It asks diagnostic questions about your dispute — what type, how much, who is involved. Based on your answers, it provides free legal information, self-help resources, and confirms whether the CRT is the right forum. If it is, it routes you to the claim intake path.

The Solution Explorer is informational. Its classification is not a jurisdictional ruling — the tribunal can still determine later that your claim does not fit CRT jurisdiction.

Step 2: Create Your Account and Complete the Application

Create or log into a CRT online account. The Dispute Application asks for:

• Applicant details — your legal name, contact information, mailing address
• Respondent details — the verified legal name, contact information, and physical address for each respondent
• Statement of claim — a concise factual summary: what happened, when, what the respondent owes, and what remedy you are seeking
• Monetary amount — the exact dollar figure, up to $5,000

Keep your statement focused on facts and dates. The CRT reviews applications for completeness, not legal merit, but a clear narrative helps at every later stage.

Step 3: Pay the Fee

Application fees depend on your claim amount:

• Up to $3,000: $75 online ($100 by paper/mail/email)
• $3,001–$5,000: $125 online ($150 by paper)

Pay by credit card through the portal. If you cannot afford the fee, submit a Fee Waiver Request with details about your household income, monthly expenses, and assets. Only individuals qualify — corporations, partnerships, and societies cannot get fee waivers. You are limited to three waivers in any 12-month period.

Paying the fee (or submitting the waiver request) pauses the limitation clock. Demand letters and Solution Explorer usage do not.

Step 4: CRT Issues Your Dispute Notice

CRT administrative staff review your application. Once accepted, they issue an official Dispute Notice Package — the formal document that tells the respondent they have been sued and sets their deadline to respond.

Step 5: Serve the Respondent

You have 90 calendar days from the date the Dispute Notice was issued to serve it on every named respondent. You can:

• Serve it yourself — personal delivery or registered mail (not XpressPost) or courier with signature confirmation. For an individual or sole proprietor, service by email, text, or another messaging platform is also allowed if the respondent confirms receipt.
• Ask the CRT to serve it — the CRT mails it by regular mail, deemed served 20 days after issuance (but if the respondent claims non-receipt, a default order may be harder to hold)

Service rules vary by entity type. For a corporation, you can send the package by registered mail or courier to its official office address filed with the BC Corporate Registry, deliver it in person there, or hand it to an eligible recipient at that address or the company's place of business.

Step 6: File Proof of Service

Within 10 calendar days of completing service on each respondent, submit a Proof of Service form through the portal. Include the method, date, location, and supporting evidence (Canada Post tracking confirmation, delivery signature, or the respondent's message confirming receipt).

Missing this deadline can stall your claim. The CRT will not move the dispute forward without proof that the respondent was properly notified.

What Happens Next

If the respondent files a Dispute Response within 14 days (30 days if served outside BC), the claim moves to negotiation, then facilitation, then adjudication if no settlement is reached. If they do not respond, you can apply for a default decision ($25 online).

The CRT's default format is a written hearing — no courtroom appearance. The Tribunal Member reviews all evidence and arguments submitted through the portal and issues a final, binding decision.

The BC CRT Small Claim Step-by-Step Guide covers each of these stages in detail, with fillable worksheets for tracking service deadlines, organizing evidence, and preparing for adjudication.

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