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Going to Provincial Court

Last updated on May 1, 2026

Provincial Court can make orders about

You can also get a protection order from the Provincial Court.

The Provincial Court cannot deal with other property or debt division. For a decision, you have to go to the Supreme Court.

Property division matters respecting a companion animal can be resolved in either Provincial Court or Supreme Court.

Provincial Court locations have requirements that must be completed before you can move forward with a court application about family law matters. Important: These requirements do not apply to applications for other orders. This includes protection orders, priority parenting matters, relocation, enforcement, case management, and consent orders.

Where there are children involved, you must file your application in the closest registry to where the children live most of the time. If there are no children involved, the person starting the process files in the registry closest to where they live.

In Early Resolution Registries you must complete the following requirements before you can file an application about a family law matter:

Learn more about the Early Resolution Process or see the Early Resolution Process brochure for more information.

See the list of Early Resolution Registries, filing locations and Family Justice Services Division (FJSD) offices for information about:

  • Which Provincial Court registries are Early Resolution Registries
  • Where to file documents with each registry
  • Where to go to get help with the Early Resolution Requirements

In Parenting Education Program Registries, you must complete a Parenting After Separation course before your Family Management Conference will be scheduled. See Do I have to take the Parenting After Separation course? for the list of court locations with this requirement.

Legal Aid BC's Family Law in BC website has information about going to court, including information about court processes and how to apply for family law orders. The explanations about court processes will interest anyone going to Provincial Court or Supreme Court, with or without a lawyer.

Clicklaw provides user-friendly, searchable access to key legal information in B.C., including information about how to apply for family law orders.

You can access the Provincial Family Court forms and the Supreme Court Family Forms on the B.C. government’s Court Forms page.

Access free family justice services in person or virtually at Family Justice Centres and Justice Access Centres.

  • Staff across B.C. can help you understand your options during separation or divorce. They can talk with you and assess your needs, and provide information about:
    • Parenting arrangements
    • Guardianship
    • Child and spousal support
    • Contact with a child
    • Property division respecting a companion animal
  • See Family Justice Centre and Justice Access Centre locations to find the nearest location

Take a free Parenting After Separation course.

Find more family law information and legal help:

  • Visit Clicklaw for practical legal information and organizations that provide free or low-cost legal services in B.C.
  • Visit the Justice Education Society’s Family Law in BC website for information on Separation and Divorce and other family law issues
  • Contact the BC Legal Referral Service (formerly the Lawyer Referral Service) to consult a lawyer for free

Visit Legal Aid BC which offers free legal help for B.C. residents

In a joint divorce, you and your spouse apply together for a simple, uncontested divorce. You both agree on all family law issues that affect your family and only need to apply for a divorce order.

Apply for a joint divorce

B.C. has a central authority that helps parents when someone takes their children to another country without permission. For details and contact information visit the International child abduction page.