Strata rules in BC: how they are made, ratified and enforced

Last reviewed November 13, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.

What a strata rule is

A rule is a written direction about how people use the shared parts of the strata: the hallways, the parking garage, the pool, the gym, the garden, the elevator and the things the strata owns, like a guest suite or a pressure washer. Section 125(1) limits rules to the use, safety and condition of the common property and common assets. That is the whole scope.

Bylaws are different. Section 119 lets bylaws cover the control, management, maintenance, use and enjoyment of strata lots, common property and common assets, and the administration of the strata corporation. So the dividing line is simple:

Most of what people call "strata rules" in conversation, like no smoking on balconies or quiet hours inside units, are actually bylaws, because they reach into strata lots. Our bylaws vs rules guide goes through the choice in detail.

How council makes a rule

1. Decide it at a council meeting. A rule is a council decision, so it is moved, voted on and recorded in the minutes like any other. Write down the exact wording.
2. Put it in writing. Section 125(3) requires every rule, including one posted on a sign, to be set out in a written document capable of being photocopied. A sign alone is not enough.
3. Tell owners and tenants as soon as feasible. Section 125(4). The council minutes help, but a separate notice or an updated rules document works better, especially for tenants who never see the minutes.
4. Put it on the next AGM agenda for ratification. Section 125(6). Miss this step and the rule lapses at the end of that AGM.
5. Keep it with the strata's records. Section 35(2)(d) requires the strata to keep its bylaws and rules, and section 36 lets owners ask for copies, which the strata must provide within one week.

Ratification: the step most councils forget

Section 125(6) says a rule ceases to have effect at the first annual general meeting held after it is made, unless owners ratify it by a resolution passed by a majority vote at that AGM, or at a special general meeting held before it. Section 125(7) adds that once ratified, a rule stays in force until it is repealed, replaced or altered, without any further vote.

In practice this means:

• Every rule council made since the last AGM belongs on the next AGM agenda as a ratification resolution.
• If the AGM ends without ratifying it, the rule is gone. Fines under it after that date are unsupportable.
• A majority vote means more than half of the votes cast by eligible voters present in person or by proxy, with abstentions not counted.
• The AGM minutes should record the exact rule text and the vote count. Years later, those minutes are the only proof the rule was ratified.

A simple safeguard is a running list in the council minutes or the rules document showing each rule, the date council made it, and the date owners ratified it.

Common rules councils make

Rules suit operational details that change from time to time and only concern shared areas. Typical examples:

• Amenity room booking times, deposits and cleaning expectations.
• Pool, hot tub and gym hours, guest limits and age supervision for safety.
• Moving procedures: booking the elevator, protective pads, permitted hours.
• Visitor parking time limits and how to register a visitor's vehicle.
• Bicycle room and storage locker use, and what may be left in hallways.
• Garbage and recycling room sorting, bulky item disposal.
• Barbecue use on common patios, where the bylaws and fire safety allow it.
• Use of a guest suite owned by the strata, including fees if the Regulation's user fee conditions are met.

Things that need a bylaw instead: anything inside strata lots (pets kept in units, smoking in units, renovations, noise from units), fines and their amounts, and anything about governance or money. If council has been using rules for any of these, see turning rules into bylaws.

Enforcing a rule and fining for it

Rules are enforced through the same process as bylaws. Section 129 gives the options, and section 135 sets the procedure: a written complaint, written particulars to the owner or tenant, a reasonable opportunity to answer, including a hearing if requested, and written notice of the decision as soon as feasible.

Fines need two things. First, section 132 requires the strata's bylaws to set the maximum fine for each contravention of a rule. A rule cannot set its own fine. Second, the amount must stay within Regulation 7.1, which caps rule fines at $50 per contravention. If your strata still uses the Standard Bylaws, Standard Bylaw 23 sets a lower default of $10 for a rule. A continuing contravention can be fined every seven days at most.

Section 125(2) also says a rule is unenforceable to the same extent a bylaw would be under section 121(1): if it contravenes the Act, the Regulation, the Human Rights Code or any other law, or restricts an owner's right to sell, lease or mortgage. See unenforceable bylaws.

Questions councils and owners ask

Can a strata council make rules without a vote of the owners?

Yes. Council can make a rule about the use, safety or condition of common property and common assets. It takes effect right away, but it lapses at the next AGM unless owners ratify it by majority vote.

How long does a strata rule last in BC?

Until the first AGM after it was made, unless owners ratify it at that AGM or at an earlier SGM. Once ratified, it lasts until it is repealed or changed.

Can a strata rule apply inside my unit?

No. Rules only govern common property and common assets. Anything inside a strata lot needs a bylaw passed by a 3/4 vote and filed at the Land Title Office.

What happens if a rule conflicts with a bylaw?

The bylaw prevails (section 125(5)).

What is the maximum fine for breaking a strata rule?

Up to $50 per contravention under Regulation 7.1, if the strata's bylaws set that amount. Under the Standard Bylaws the default is $10.

Do rules have to be in writing?

Yes. Every rule, including one posted on a sign, must be in a written document that can be photocopied (section 125(3)).

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

Bylaws vs Rules
Rules into Bylaws
The Standard Bylaws
Strata Fines
Bylaw Enforcement
Unenforceable Bylaws