Strata move-in fees and user fees: what a BC strata can charge
A $200 move-in fee, $50 for a second parking stall, $25 to book the amenity room. Stratas charge them all the time. Whether they are enforceable comes down to two conditions in the Regulation.
Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
Under section 110 of the Strata Property Act and Regulation 6.9, a strata corporation may impose a user fee for the use of common property or common assets only if the amount is reasonable and the fee is set out in a bylaw, or in a rule that has been ratified by the owners. A move-in fee is a user fee for the use of elevators, hallways and loading areas. A fee invented by council, or far above the strata's actual costs, can be struck down.
The two conditions
Section 110 starts from a prohibition: a strata corporation must not impose user fees for the use of common property or common assets by owners, tenants, occupants or their visitors, other than as set out in the regulations. Regulation 6.9 then permits a user fee only if both are true:
- The amount of the fee is reasonable.
- The fee is set out in a bylaw, or in a rule that has been ratified under section 125(6).
A user fee may be a fixed amount or an amount determined on a reasonable basis, including the user's rate of consumption, the recovery of operating or maintenance costs, the number of users, and the duration of use.
What "reasonable" means
There is no dollar figure in the Regulation. The tribunal looks at the fee objectively, and commonly asks whether it bears a sensible relationship to the cost or burden of the use, and what comparable stratas charge. Factors that support a fee:
- actual costs: elevator padding and lock-off service, extra cleaning, wear to floors and walls, staff or manager time,
- a calculation council can show, and
- consistency: everyone who uses the facility pays the same.
Fees that look like penalties or revenue raising are vulnerable. A fee that applies only to tenants, or is higher for tenants than for owners, is also exposed, because the Act prohibits a strata from restricting rentals (section 141).
StrataMinutes can take this off your plate. Money decisions are the ones owners, buyers and the tribunal read most closely. Have the minutes prepared for you, with every motion and vote count recorded. Your first month is free.
Move-in and move-out fees
A move-in fee is acceptable if it is reasonable, in a bylaw or ratified rule, and charged for the use of common property. Practical points:
- Charge for the event, not the status. A fee for each move that uses the elevator, whether the mover is an owner or a tenant.
- Keep it proportionate. If the strata's real costs for a move are modest, a very large flat fee is hard to defend.
- Furniture deliveries and single items usually should not attract a full move fee.
- Damage deposits are different. A refundable deposit held against damage to common property should also be set out in a bylaw.
- Fines for moving without booking require a bylaw and the section 135 process. They are not user fees.
Sample bylaw wording (have a lawyer review before adopting): An owner or tenant moving into or out of a strata lot must book the elevator with the strata corporation at least 7 days in advance and must pay a user fee of $100 for each move, to cover the cost of elevator protection, lock-off service and cleaning of the common areas.
Other user fees
| Fee | Notes |
|---|---|
| Extra parking stall or storage locker rental | Common where stalls are common property the strata assigns. Needs a bylaw or ratified rule. |
| Amenity room or guest suite booking | Reasonable nightly or hourly rates, with a refundable cleaning deposit. |
| EV charging | May be based on consumption, which the Regulation expressly allows. |
| Fobs, keys and remotes | Cost recovery for extra or replacement items. |
| Bicycle room or kayak rack | Often a small annual fee. |
| Laundry | Coin or card charges for common laundry rooms. |
What is not a user fee
- Records and certificates. Copy charges are capped at 25 cents a page, an Information Certificate at $35 plus copying, and a Certificate of Payment at $15 (Regulations 4.2, 4.4 and 6.10).
- Fines, which need the enforcement process.
- Chargebacks for damage or repairs. See chargebacks.
- "Administration fees" not tied to any use of common property. A fee to process a rental or a Form K, for example, is not a fee for using common property and has no basis in section 110.
- Strata fees and levies, which are shared by unit entitlement.
Bylaw or rule?
A bylaw needs a 3/4 vote at a general meeting and must be filed at the Land Title Office to take effect (section 128). A rule can be made by council, but only about the use, safety and condition of common property and common assets, and it ceases to have effect at the next AGM unless ratified by a majority vote there or at an earlier special general meeting (section 125). A user fee in a rule is enforceable only once the rule has been ratified. Council therefore cannot create a fee by rule and begin charging it the next day. See bylaws and rules.
Collecting and disputing
A valid user fee that is unpaid is a debt, collected by demand and, if necessary, the tribunal. It cannot be liened. An owner or tenant who believes a fee fails either condition can ask council for the bylaw or ratified rule and the basis for the amount, request a hearing, and apply to the Civil Resolution Tribunal, which can order a refund of fees collected without authority, subject to limitation periods.
Questions councils and owners ask
Are strata move-in fees legal in BC?
Yes, if the amount is reasonable and the fee is set out in a bylaw or a ratified rule.
How much can a strata charge for a move-in?
The Regulation sets no amount. It must be reasonable, which usually means related to the strata's actual costs and comparable to similar buildings.
Can council create a user fee on its own?
Only by making a rule, and the fee is not enforceable until the owners ratify the rule.
Can a strata charge tenants a higher move-in fee?
A fee aimed at tenants risks being found unreasonable or a restriction on rentals, which the Act prohibits.
Can an unpaid move-in fee be liened?
No.
Rules and fees must be ratified, and the minutes must show it
StrataMinutes records the ratification of each rule at the AGM, which is the proof a user fee is enforceable.
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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
Bylaws vs Rules
Parking and Storage Rules
Strata Fees
Amending Bylaws
Rental Bylaws
Strata Chargebacks