Form 18: Consent Order
Form 18 puts an agreement into the wording of a proposed court order. Both sides sign the draft, but it becomes a court order only when the court approves it. Check the issued order’s effective date and exact terms.
Form 18 is the proposed order. The parties sign the draft, but it is not an issued court order until approved by the court.
Form 18 is not a stand-alone application
Use Form 18 to set out the exact order the parties want the court to make. For an agreed family-law matter order, file it with Form 17 under Rule 81. For certain consent case-management orders sought without a hearing, Rule 83 uses Form 10 plus signed Form 18. If the parties reach an agreement during a hearing, Rule 85 permits a consent order during that appearance.
How to draft Form 18
- Use the official Form 18 structure and correct BC Provincial Court registry and court file information.
- Identify all affected parties accurately and provide each child’s name and date of birth when a child-related order is sought.
- Set out each agreed court order as a specific direction, identifying who must do what, when it starts and (where relevant) exact dates, amounts or arrangements.
- For child support, provide relevant income findings, payor/recipient, payment amount, date, and other particulars requested by the prescribed form.
- Have each agreeing party or their lawyer sign the draft in the proper location. File it with the appropriate application and supporting documents.
Who signs and what makes it enforceable?
The prescribed draft has signatures for each consenting party or their lawyer and a separate “By the Court” section. The court may sign without attendance, request evidence, require attendance or reject the proposed order. Under Rule 84(3), the clerk provides filed copies after an order is made. Do not treat an unsigned or unapproved draft as an enforceable court order.
Check the details before submitting
Pay particular attention to child support start dates and monthly payment dates, parenting schedules, holiday changes, travel or exchange arrangements, any conditions to a guardianship order, and whether the new order changes an earlier one. Avoid confusing the parties’ agreement with the court’s findings and directions; both appear in the official Form 18 template.
Worked example
The parties agree to monthly support beginning November 1. They complete the required Form 17 information, supply the required income basis and prepare Form 18 naming the payor, recipient, children, monthly amount, due date and effective date. They sign the draft; the judge decides whether to approve it.
Common mistake
Do not submit only a signed Form 18 to seek a new family-law matter order. The Form 17 application and any supporting materials required under Rules 25 and 26 may also be necessary. Court approval is separate from the parties’ consent.
Official sources
- Official prescribed Form 18 (PDF)
- BC Provincial Court Family Rules — Rules 81, 83–85
- Province of BC: Provincial Family Forms
Targeted review of current rules and forms: October 13, 2026. This is not a complete legal review of every exception or future change.