BC small claims: Start here

First, check what your dispute is about

Ordinary claims can include an unpaid loan, a contract or service dispute, a refund dispute or compensation for property damage. Tenancy, strata, vehicle accidents, family matters, land and other specialist disputes need their own jurisdiction checks. An amount below $5,000 does not automatically make every legal problem a CRT small claim.

The CRT's official Solution Explorer asks about the issue and gives information about the process. A Provincial Court money claim also needs a jurisdiction and venue check. Confirm the correct legal name of the person or business involved before filing. This guide is an entry point for ordinary money disputes, rather than a determination that your individual claim belongs in either forum.

Then, check the amount

The monetary limits are generally considered apart from interest and allowed expenses or costs. For an ordinary eligible claim, the common route is CRT up to $5,000, then Provincial Small Claims Court above $5,000 up to $35,000. Exceptions can allow a smaller claim in Provincial Court. Contractual interest and claims for non-money relief can need a separate valuation check.

Above $35,000, check the Supreme Court process. A person may consider abandoning the excess to bring an eligible claim within the small-claims limit, but that gives up part of what is sought. The calculator does not make that decision or reduce the entered amount.

Plan for more than the initial filing fee

An application fee is only one line in the budget. Think about delivery or service, copies and searches, any expert evidence, legal advice and what you may need if payment is not made. Enter quotes where possible. A $0 allowance in a calculator is an omitted allowance, not a finding that the work will cost nothing.

Use the cost calculator to include the selected application or reply fee and optional later-stage fees. It also explains the Court Services Online package charge and filing a CRT order in Court. Standard fees are shown; an approved waiver, a possible refund or a future costs order can change what you ultimately pay.

Follow the official process for your claim

Settlement and collecting payment are separate decisions

A settlement can save future spending, but a useful comparison also depends on the strength of the case, the evidence and whether the other person can pay. The calculator's optional comparison shows arithmetic using a full recovery assumption. It does not predict the outcome or tell you what offer to accept.

Receiving an order is not the same as receiving money. A CRT order can be filed in Court for enforcement. A Court order can also require later enforcement steps. Find out which remedy fits the debtor's situation before budgeting collection work, and check whether particular expenses can be claimed.

Official Provincial Court small-claims forms · Official CRT forms · Court enforcement guidance