Substitute Service at the CRT in BC: When You Can't Serve the Respondent

You've filed your CRT claim and received the Dispute Notice Package, but the respondent isn't at the address you have, the registered mail came back unclaimed, and personal delivery failed. You have 90 days to complete service. What now?

When Substituted Service Applies

Substituted service is a fallback when the standard methods have genuinely failed. For an individual or sole proprietor, those methods include hand delivery, registered mail or courier requiring a signature, and email, text, or another messaging platform when the respondent confirms receipt. The CRT also offers direct service by regular mail. The CRT won't grant another method just because standard service is inconvenient; you need to show reasonable attempts using approved methods.

Situations that typically justify a substituted service request:

• Registered mail was returned unclaimed or the addressee refused delivery
• Multiple personal delivery attempts at the respondent's known address found nobody home
• The respondent moved and you can't locate a current address despite reasonable search efforts
• The respondent is actively evading service

How to Apply

Submit a Request for Directions on Service through your CRT online account before the 90-day service deadline. In your request, explain:

1. What service methods you already tried, with dates and results
2. What steps you took to locate the respondent (registry searches, address verification)
3. Why you believe the standard methods won't work
4. What alternative method you're proposing

The CRT reviews the request and, if satisfied that standard methods have been exhausted, issues an order specifying the permitted alternative method.

Alternative Methods the CRT May Authorize

The tribunal has broad discretion. Authorized alternatives commonly include:

• Email or messaging — the standard method requires the respondent to confirm receipt; if you use another method, follow the CRT's order exactly
• Service on a co-worker or adult household member — leaving the package with someone at the respondent's workplace or home who can reasonably be expected to bring it to their attention
• Another method stated in the CRT's order — follow the order's exact instructions

If you need more time, submit a Request for Extension to Serve before the deadline. The CRT decides whether to extend the service period.

CRT Direct Service as an Alternative

When you first file, you can choose CRT direct service — the CRT mails the Dispute Notice Package to the respondent by regular mail. It is usually considered served 20 days after the day the CRT issued the Dispute Notice. Because regular mail has no signature or proof of delivery, the respondent might claim they did not receive it.

The advantage is that the respondent does not have to sign for the package. If the respondent says they did not receive it, a default order may be vulnerable to a request for cancellation.

For important claims where enforcement matters, registered mail with tracking confirmation is a stronger foundation.

Proof of Service Still Applies

Whichever method the CRT authorizes, you still need to file a Proof of Service within 10 calendar days of completing the substituted service. Include whatever evidence confirms delivery — screenshots of sent emails or messages, photos of the posted package with a timestamp, or a signed statement from the person who accepted the package.

The BC CRT Small Claim Filing Guide includes a service tracking log that covers standard and substitute methods, with fields for dates, tracking numbers, and proof documentation.

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