How to get a copy of your strata's bylaws
You are bound by the bylaws whether or not you have read them. Getting an accurate, complete copy is simple once you know there are two sources, and that only one of them is the official record.
Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
An owner or tenant can ask the strata corporation for the bylaws and rules, and the strata must provide them within one week, for no more than 25 cents a page (Strata Property Act, section 36 and Regulation 4.2). The official record is at the Land Title Office, where anyone can search for bylaws filed against the strata plan. If nothing is filed, the Standard Bylaws apply. Landlords must give tenants the bylaws with the Form K.
Option 1: ask the strata corporation
The strata must keep copies of its bylaws and rules (section 35) and, on request, make them available for inspection and provide copies to:
- an owner,
- a tenant. For bylaws and rules, any tenant may ask, not only one who has been assigned the landlord's rights (section 36(2)), and
- a person authorized in writing by an owner or tenant, such as a real estate licensee or lawyer.
The strata must comply within one week for bylaws and rules. It may charge up to 25 cents per page for copies and nothing for inspection. Many stratas simply email a PDF. Ask the strata manager, or council in a self-managed strata, in writing.
Sample request: Under section 36 of the Strata Property Act, please provide me with a copy of the current bylaws and rules of The Owners, Strata Plan VIS 1234, including all amendments filed at the Land Title Office. I am the owner of strata lot 15.
Option 2: search the Land Title Office
Bylaws take effect only when filed, so the Land Title Office holds the authoritative set. The Land Title and Survey Authority of BC (LTSA) offers online searches for a fee, and many lawyers, notaries, real estate licensees and registry agents can search for you.
- Find the strata plan number, such as VIS1234 or EPS5678. It is on your title, your tax notice and strata correspondence.
- Search the strata plan's common property record (sometimes called the general index), which lists documents filed against the strata corporation.
- Look for bylaw filings. Each amendment appears as its own document with a registration number and date. The developer's original bylaws, if any, appear as a notice of different bylaws.
- Order each document.
- Put them in date order. Later amendments change earlier ones. If a complete replacement set was filed, start from that.
If the record shows no bylaw filings, the strata's bylaws are the Standard Bylaws. If it shows only specific amendments, the Standard Bylaws apply to everything else. See the Standard Bylaws.
StrataMinutes can take this off your plate. Bylaw decisions only hold up when the minutes show the complaint, the hearing and the vote. We prepare those minutes from your notes. Your first month is free.
Option 3: through someone else
- Tenants. Before renting, a landlord must give the prospective tenant the current bylaws and rules and a Notice of Tenant's Responsibilities (section 146). See Form K.
- Buyers. The seller or listing agent normally provides the bylaws with the strata documents. The Information Certificate (Form B) must attach the rules and disclose bylaw amendments not yet filed. Buyers' agents usually obtain the filed bylaws from the Land Title Office as well. See strata documents when buying.
- New owners. Ask the manager for the current set when you take possession, and give the strata your name and mailing address within two weeks (Standard Bylaw 4).
Checking that your copy is complete
The copy a strata hands out is sometimes out of date or includes amendments that were never filed. To check:
- Compare the registration numbers and dates on your copy with the Land Title Office record.
- Look in recent AGM and SGM minutes for bylaw resolutions, and confirm each was filed.
- Ask the manager whether a consolidated set exists and when it was last updated.
- Remember that a bylaw passed but not yet filed has no effect.
Do not forget the rules
Rules are separate from bylaws. They cover the use, safety and condition of common property and common assets, are made by council, and must be ratified by the owners at a general meeting to continue. They are not filed at the Land Title Office, so the strata is the only source. All rules must be set out in a written document capable of being photocopied (section 125). See bylaws and rules.
What to read first
Most disputes come from a handful of topics. When you get the bylaws, look for: pets, smoking, short-term accommodation, alterations and flooring, noise and quiet hours, parking and storage, move-in procedures and fees, fines and interest, insurance deductibles, age restrictions, and council size and quorum.
If the strata does not provide them
The one-week deadline is in the Act. Follow up in writing citing section 36, then request a hearing under section 34.1. The Civil Resolution Tribunal can order a strata to provide records. In the meantime, the Land Title Office search does not depend on the strata's cooperation.
Questions councils and owners ask
How do I get my strata bylaws in BC?
Ask the strata corporation or its manager, which must provide them within one week, or search the Land Title Office for bylaws filed against the strata plan.
Can a tenant get the strata bylaws?
Yes. A tenant may request the bylaws and rules from the strata, and the landlord must provide them before renting.
How much can the strata charge for bylaws?
Up to 25 cents per page for copies. Inspection is free.
What if no bylaws are filed for my strata?
Then the Standard Bylaws in the Strata Property Act apply.
Are strata rules filed at the Land Title Office?
No. Only bylaws are filed. Rules are available from the strata.
Bylaws tell you the rules. Minutes tell you how they are applied
Upload your strata's minutes to our free report card, or if you are on council, let StrataMinutes prepare them.
Free for 30 days, then $29 a month. Cancel anytime.
For a 30-lot strata, that is under $1 a lot each month. Have the strata pay: free council approval kit.
This page is general information for BC strata corporations, not legal advice. Your strata's own filed bylaws may differ from the Standard Bylaws. See the current text of the Strata Property Act and the Strata Property Regulation on BC Laws.
Related guides
The Standard Bylaws
Requesting Records
Strata Documents When Buying
Form K
Amending Bylaws
Bylaws vs Rules