The Building Code Appeal Board provides rulings to settle disputes over the interpretation or application of the BC Building Code.

Submission Requirements | Appeal Board Decisions | Application Form
Submission Deadline Dates

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Submission Requirements

The submission of an Appeal application must conform to the following rules and procedures:

1. The Appeal must involve a dispute or disagreement between an Authority Having Jurisdiction (Building Official) and an owner or his agent (designer, builder, etc.) over interpretation or application of the B.C. Building Code.
2. The Appeal must be a written submission and include six (6) copies of the following:
   1. Application form completed by appellant and building official,
   2. Written details of the dispute, and
   3. Sufficient data such as drawings and reports to support the Appeal.

Only under extenuating circumstances would an Appeal be conducted in the form of a hearing.

The appellant will receive written confirmation that the Appeal has been received and accepted along with the date of the meeting at which it will be considered. Submissions which do not conform to the rules and procedures will be returned to the appellant by the secretary with an explanation as to why it cannot be accepted as an appeal.

An application form is available on-line, from the building official or from the Building Policy Branch of the Housing and Building Policy Division. Six copies of this form along with 6 copies of your Building Code Appeal submission are required. The applicant must complete Section 1 of the application form and the building official must complete Section 2 to acknowledge the dispute. Both sections must be completed and signed before the application is submitted to the Appeal Board.

Mail completed forms and submission to:

Secretary, Building Code Appeal Board
Office of Housing and Construction Standards
PO Box 9844 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC V8W 9T2

or Courier to:

Office of Housing and Construction Standards
609 Broughton - 5th Floor
Victoria BC V8W 1C8

Download PDF version of application form

Appeal Board Decisions

The Appeal Board cannot relax, waive or alter any part of the Code nor is it the function of the Appeal Board to approve or reject equivalencies proposed under Section 2.5 of the Building Code. The authority to approve an equivalency rests with the local authority having jurisdiction.

The Appeal Board does not "approve" building materials, products or systems. The authority having jurisdiction may approve these items based on their compliance with or equivalency to Code requirements.

The decision of the Appeal Board is final and binding. Both parties are expected to accept the decision. If, however, one or both parties feel that the decision was arrived at improperly they can request the courts to conduct a Judicial Review under the Judicial Review Procedure Act. A Judicial Review would only strike down the Board's decision if it could be shown that the basic principles of administrative law had not been followed.

Go to Appeal Decisions by Number

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