(LPDP)Introduction

Introduction

If you have to serve a document on the other person and they live in BC, you must do it either by personal service (having a third person give it to them) or by ordinary service (dropping it off or sending it by mail, email, or fax).

If the other person lives outside BC or outside Canada, see Serve documents outside BC.

If you can't serve the documents (for example, if the other party is avoiding service), see Arrange for alternative (substitutional) service.

Which method of service do you need?

The document you need to serve will usually say how you must serve it. Staff at the court registry can also tell you how you must serve a document.

You must serve the following forms (and any related attachments) by personal service:

  • an Application About a Family Law Matter (Form 3); 
  • an Application About a Protection Order, unless you're asking for an "urgent order without notice"; 
  • a Protection Order (the registry will arrange to serve this document if the person is in BC); 
  • an Application About Priority Parenting Matter (Form 15) (if the court file doesn't have an address for service for the other person).

Check the instructions on the form you need to serve. Other forms may have to be served by personal service if there is no address for service in the court file.

All other documents can be served by ordinary service.

You can serve documents by ordinary service yourself, by delivering or sending them to the person's address for service. This can include a mailing address, email address, or fax number.

You can only serve documents using the information the person provided as their address for service, even if you have other contact information for them.
A document mailed in a Provincial Court case is considered to be served 14 days after the day you mailed it. If you mailed it on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, it's considered to be mailed the next business day.

You can't serve documents by personal service yourself. You must have another adult serve them for you. You can hire a professional process server or ask a friend or relative (who's 19 or older) to serve it for you.

Shop around if you need to hire a professional process server, because prices vary. Make sure they'll provide you with a signed Certificate of Service (Form 7). This certificate is your proof to the court that you had the documents served on the other person.
Updated on 12 May 2021