55+ strata age restriction bylaws in BC: who can live there
Age restrictions are the only kind of residency limit a BC strata can still impose, and since 2023 the exemptions are wider than many older bylaws suggest. Here is the law, the exemptions, and how to read your own bylaw.
Last reviewed November 5, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
Since November 24, 2022, a BC strata bylaw may restrict residents by age only by requiring one or more persons living in a strata lot to be at least 55 (section 123.1). Lower age limits, such as 19+ or 45+, are not enforceable. Even a valid 55+ bylaw does not apply to residents living there lawfully when it was passed, live-in caregivers, and, since May 1, 2023, the spouse of a qualifying resident, children under 19 cared for by one, and adult children they raised (section 123.2; Regulation 7.01).
The rule
Section 123.1 of the Strata Property Act says a bylaw must not restrict the age of persons who may reside in a strata lot, except that a strata corporation may pass a bylaw requiring one or more persons residing in a strata lot to have reached a specified age that is not less than 55. Section 121(2)(c) confirms that a valid 55+ bylaw is not struck down as a restriction on selling or leasing.
Before November 24, 2022, stratas could set other age limits, most commonly 19+ ("adult only") or 45+. Those bylaws became unenforceable on that date, whatever the registered bylaws still say. The Province's change log lists both dates.
Who is exempt from a 55+ bylaw
The regulation calls a person who meets the age requirement, or who was living there before the bylaw passed, a "specified resident." The following people may live in the strata lot even though they are under the age in the bylaw:
| Exempt person | Condition | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Existing resident | Lived in the strata lot immediately before the bylaw was passed, lawfully, and continues to live there | Section 123.2(a) |
| Caregiver | Lives in the strata lot to care for a resident who depends on caregivers because of disability, illness or frailty | Section 123.2(b) |
| Spouse | Married to, or in a marriage-like relationship with, a specified resident | Regulation 7.01(2)(c) |
| Child under 19 | One of the child's caregivers is a specified resident | Regulation 7.01(2)(a) |
| Adult child (19 or older) | Lives with a specified resident who was one of their caregivers before they turned 19 | Regulation 7.01(2)(b) |
Common situations
- A 60-year-old owner and a 50-year-old spouse: both may live there under a bylaw requiring one resident to be 55+, and the spouse is exempt in any case.
- Grandparents raising a 17-year-old grandchild: the grandchild may live there if a 55+ resident is one of the grandchild's caregivers (Regulation 7.01(2)(a)).
- An adult son moving back in with his 70-year-old mother: exempt, if she was one of his caregivers before he turned 19 (Regulation 7.01(2)(b)).
- A 40-year-old live-in caregiver for an 85-year-old owner: exempt under section 123.2(b).
- A 52-year-old buyer moving in alone: may buy the unit, but under a bylaw requiring a resident to be 55+ cannot live in it until turning 55, unless another exemption applies.
- Visiting grandchildren: the bylaw restricts who may reside, so ordinary visits are not caught. Long stays can become residence; the bylaw's wording and the facts decide.
Reading your strata's bylaw
Wording matters. "At least one resident of each strata lot must be 55 or older" lets a qualifying resident live with younger people; "all residents must be 55 or older" is stricter, but is still subject to every exemption above. A bylaw with an age below 55 is unenforceable as an age restriction. Many stratas still have pre-2022 wording registered; owners should treat the Act and regulation, not the old text, as the rule, and council should clean up the bylaws at a future general meeting.
Passing or changing a 55+ bylaw
An age restriction is a bylaw, so adding, changing or removing one requires a resolution passed by a 3/4 vote at an annual or special general meeting (section 128(1)), with the proposed wording in the notice of meeting (section 45(3)). The amendment has no effect until an Amendment to Bylaws is filed in the Land Title Office (section 128(2)). Residents living there lawfully before it passes are exempt for as long as they continue to live there. Record the exact wording and the counts in the minutes; see the sample AGM minutes.
Sample bylaw wording (adapt with advice)
Age restriction: At least one person residing in a strata lot must have reached 55 years of age, subject to the exemptions in section 123.2 of the Strata Property Act and section 7.01 of the Strata Property Regulation.
Tenants, buyers and owners
A 55+ bylaw controls who lives in a unit, not who owns it, so anyone may buy. Rental restriction bylaws are no longer enforceable, so owners may rent their units, but tenants are residents and the age bylaw applies to them in the same way, with the same exemptions. Buyers should read the bylaws on the Form B package and ask about any recent amendments; our buyer's guide to strata minutes explains where amendments show up.
Enforcing an age bylaw
Enforcement follows the same process as any bylaw (section 135): a complaint, written particulars to the owner (and to the tenant and landlord if a tenant is involved), a reasonable opportunity to answer, and a hearing if one is requested, before any fine. Before acting, council should ask whether an exemption applies; many apparent breaches are exempt spouses, children or caregivers. Our guides to bylaw enforcement and hearing templates cover the process.
Questions councils and owners ask
Is it legal to put an age restriction on a strata townhome in BC?
Yes, if it requires one or more residents of each strata lot to be at least 55, passed by a 3/4 vote at a general meeting and filed at the Land Title Office. Age limits below 55 have been unenforceable since November 24, 2022.
Can a 17-year-old grandchild live in a 55+ strata in BC?
Yes, if one of the grandchild's caregivers is a resident who meets the age requirement or was living there before the bylaw passed (Strata Property Regulation 7.01(2)(a)).
Why do some 55+ stratas have residents under 55?
Because the law exempts spouses of qualifying residents, children and adult children they cared for, live-in caregivers, and people who lived there before the bylaw passed. Many bylaws also require only one resident per lot to be 55+.
Can a strata be declared 55+ in BC?
A strata can pass a 55+ bylaw by a 3/4 vote at a general meeting. It takes effect when filed at the Land Title Office and does not apply to people already living there lawfully.
Do age restriction bylaws apply to tenants?
Yes. The bylaw restricts who may reside in a strata lot, so tenants must meet it or fit an exemption, even though rental restriction bylaws are no longer enforceable.
Bylaw votes, recorded properly
A bylaw amendment lives or dies on what the minutes show. StrataMinutes turns your rough notes into complete, Act-compliant minutes with exact resolution wording and vote counts, usually within minutes.
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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
BC Strata Property Act 2026: Changes and Deadlines
Bylaws vs Rules
Bylaw Enforcement
Voting Rules
How to Read Strata Minutes Before Buying
Form B Information Certificate