Fees

Like most courts and tribunals, the CRT charges modest fees for services. The Civil Resolution Tribunal Act gives the CRT the authority to make rules, including rules that set fees. For more information see section 62(2)(m) of the Act and CRT Rule 1.6.

How to pay CRT fees:

Pay online with VISA, MasterCard, or American Express.
Pay in cash at most Service BC locations.
Mail a cheque or money order made out to the “Minister of Finance”. It can take up to 14 days for cheques to clear. Don’t send cash by mail.

Fees for applying (making a claim)

This is the fee to file your claim with the CRT. It includes claim processing, CRT Account access to manage your claim, a secure and confidential negotiation page, and facilitation by a case manager to help you try to resolve the claim.

If you settle your claim by negotiation, we can refund your application fee.

Fees for making a counterclaim or third party claim

This is the fee to file your counterclaim or third party claim with the CRT. It includes claim processing, CRT Account access to manage your claim, a secure and confidential negotiation page, and facilitation by a case manager to help you try to resolve the claim.

If you settle your claim by negotiation, we can refund your application fee.

Fees for responding to a claim made against you

This is the fee to respond to a CRT claim made against you. It includes claim processing, CRT Account access to manage your claim, a secure and confidential negotiation page, and facilitation by a case manager to help you try to resolve the claim.

If you settle your claim by negotiation, and you were charged a fee to respond to the claim, we’ll refund the response fee.

Fees for CRT orders

These fees are for the CRT to make an official order. You can file a CRT order in court for enforcement.

Fees for a CRT decision

This fee is for a tribunal member to make a final decision about your claim. It includes a validated copy of the official CRT order, which you can file in court for enforcement.

Other fees (all claim types)

What if I can’t afford CRT fees?

If you have low income, you can ask the CRT to waive your fees. This is called a “fee waiver”.

Only individuals can ask for a fee waiver. Companies, partnerships, societies, cooperative associations, and stratas aren’t eligible.
You might be asked to provide proof of income or other documents about your financial situation.
A fee waiver only applies to CRT fees. It doesn’t apply to any other costs or amounts in a CRT claim.

Applying for a fee waiver is easy:

If you’re making a claim, select “Fee waiver” on the payment screen at the end of the application, and follow the instructions.
If you’re responding to a claim or there are multiple applicants, fill out our online Fee Waiver Request form.

Do I get my CRT fees back if the claim is decided in my favour?

If a tribunal member makes a default or final decision about a claim, they might order the unsuccessful participant to pay the successful participant’s CRT fees and other reasonable expenses.

Learn more about claiming fees and expenses.

Do I get my CRT fees back if the claim participants don’t respond?

A default decision is when a tribunal member makes a decision about the claim even if the other participants haven’t responded to the claim or participated in the CRT process.

As part of a default decision, the tribunal member might order that the other participants must pay your CRT fees and other reasonable expenses.

Learn more about a default decision.

Can CRT fees be refunded?

We generally don’t refund CRT fees, but will consider a refund in these circumstances:

We refuse to process the claim
The participants agree to settle the claim before it’s assigned to a CRT case manager
The applicant withdraws the claim before facilitation starts

There are some more exceptions. See our CRT Fee Refunds Policy for details.

If a CRT fee was overpaid, we’ll refund the difference. We’ll also refund any CRT fees charged in error.