Assessments and appeals for the speculation and vacancy tax

When we determine you owe an amount under the speculation and vacancy tax, we send you a notice detailing the amount owing and how to pay it. This may happen as a result of your declaration or from an audit. If you received a Notice of Assessment for the speculation and vacancy tax and believe an error was made you have several options to get help.

To avoid penalties and interest, you must pay the assessment by the due date. 

Collection actions may be taken if you do not pay your outstanding balance. 

On this page

• Check and update your declaration
• Apply for a tax credit
• Pay your assessment
• Contact us for help
• Appeal to the minister
• Consequential assessments
• Reminders by text or phone

Check and update your declaration

If you have not declared yet, complete your declaration. The annual speculation and vacancy tax declaration due date is March 31 each year. It's important to declare on time to avoid interest and penalties. However, the administrator may examine and assess late declarations.

If you do not complete your declaration, you will have to pay tax at the maximum rate of 2 percent of your property's assessed value. 

If you have already declared, review your declaration to ensure you submitted the correct information. To review or correct your declaration, see Correct your declaration.

Note: All exemption claims made under the Speculation and Vacancy Tax Act are subject to audit and compliance review by the ministry.

Apply for a tax credit

If you owe tax and you’re an untaxed worldwide earner (a category of taxpayer that includes satellite families) or you’re not a B.C. resident, see if you’re eligible for a tax credit. If you are, apply for the credit. This may further reduce or eliminate any tax owing. If you’re a B.C. resident and not an untaxed worldwide earner, the tax credit amount would have been automatically applied on your Notice of Assessment.

Pay your assessment

Find out how to pay your assessment.

A 10 percent late payment penalty, as well as interest, applies to any unpaid balance after the due date. 

To make payment arrangements for overdue balances, contact the Receivables Management Office at 1-866-566-3066 or RMBTaxpayerInquiries@gov.bc.ca.

Collection actions

If you do not pay your balance, collection actions may include:

• Notifying the Canada Revenue Agency to set aside money owing to you
• Registering a lien against your property or personal belongings
• Requiring your employer to deduct money from your pay cheque
• Issuing a demand notice to your bank, credit union or trust company to pay money from your account
• Seizing your personal belongings

Contact us for help

Call us if you’re unsure about why you were assessed the tax. We may be able to:

• Answer your questions
• Provide further information on any exemptions or tax credits that may be available to you
• Help resolve your concerns

Note: Contacting us does not start the appeal process. 

Appeal to the minister

If you have taken the above steps and believe that the tax was applied incorrectly in your circumstance, you may be able to appeal to the minister.

Learn more about:

• What you can appeal and the deadline
• The appeal review process and how to file an appeal

Note: Outstanding assessments are payable even if you file an appeal. 

Consequential assessments

You might learn about a decision that changes your income tax status or a relevant person's disability designation for past years. We may need to make a new assessment of your speculation and vacancy tax as a consequence of this change. This is called a "consequential assessment." 

Changes to past income tax status

You may receive a new assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) that changes your income tax status for a past year. If the change in income tax status affects your speculation and vacancy tax assessment for that year, you will need to notify us.

Changes to past Persons with Disabilities status

You may receive new documentation that changes someone’s designation as a Person with Disabilities (PWD) for past years under any of the following:

• The Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act
• Section 42 (2) of the Canada Pension Plan
• Section 152 (1.01) of the federal Income Tax Act

If the change in designation affects your speculation and vacancy tax assessments for those years, you will need to notify us.

Notify now

If you need to notify us about either of the above types of changes, click the button below marked “Notify now” to submit a notification.

You must notify us within 90 days of the receipt of any documentation.

Notify now

Reminders by text or phone

We may contact you by text or phone if you:

• Have not declared, or
• Have an overdue balance and have not made payment arrangements

Our texts and calls will come from 346766 or 778-600-0723.

We will never ask you to send personal or financial information by text or email.