Reply to an Application About a Family Law Matter (Form 6)
Quick answer. Form 6 is the court form used in the Provincial Court of British Columbia to respond to an Application About a Family Law Matter (Form 3). In the reply, a party may agree or disagree with the orders applied for, and may also make a counter application asking for an order about a different family law matter.
The deadline is 30 days after the date of service — and where the application is about child support or spousal support, a Financial Statement (Form 4) must be filed with the reply (Rule 28).
At a glance
| Form | Form 6 — Reply to an Application About a Family Law Matter (with Counter Application) (PFA 715) |
|---|---|
| Court | Provincial Court of British Columbia |
| Governing rules | Provincial Court Family Rules, Rules 28 to 34 |
| Used for | Agreeing or disagreeing with the orders applied for in a Form 3 application; making a counter application about a different family law matter |
| Filed by | The party who was served with the application |
| Deadline | 30 days after the date of service (Rule 28(4)) |
| Financial Statement (Form 4)? | Sometimes — where the application is about child or spousal support (Rule 28(2)(b)), and with some counter applications (Rule 30(2)) |
| Served personally? | No — the registry provides a copy to the other party (Rule 33) |
| Filing fee | None — the form instructions state there are no fees for filing Provincial Court family documents |
What a reply can do
Under Rule 29, a party may in a reply agree with one or more of the orders applied for, disagree with one or more of them, or include a counter application. The core filing requirement, in the rule's own words:
"To reply to an application about a family law matter that has been filed in a registry other than an early resolution registry, a party must (a) file a reply in Form 6, and (b) if the application about the family law matter is about child support or spousal support, file a financial statement in Form 4 with the party's reply."
In an early resolution registry, Rule 28(3) requires the Rule 11 early resolution requirements to be met first — see below.A counter application asks for an order about a matter the applicant did not raise. In the rule's own words:
"In a reply, a party may include a counter application to apply for an order about a different family law matter that was not included in the application about the family law matter."
The counter application is made on the same Form 6 by selecting the "with counter application" option on the form.Sometimes. Rule 28(2)(b) requires a Financial Statement (Form 4) with the reply where the application is about child support or spousal support, and Rule 30(2) requires one with a counter application about support. Read the Form 4 guide →
The 30-day deadline
In the rule's own words:
"A reply and, if applicable, a financial statement must be filed by a party within 30 days after the date that the party is served the application about the family law matter."
The period runs from service — not from the date the application was filed at the registry.What the rules provide if no reply is filed
A case does not automatically end, and it does not pause, if no reply is filed. In the rule's own words:
"If a party does not file a reply within 30 days in accordance with rule 28, (a) the party is not entitled to receive notice of any part of the proceedings, including any court appearance, and (b) a judge or family justice manager may make orders in the absence of the party."
Rule 32 preserves a discretion to direct that a party who has not filed a reply receive notice of and attend a family management conference or another conference or hearing.Where Form 6 fits in the process
Form 6 is the document through which a served party formally responds and, if applicable, raises different family law matters. The timeline below shows the general sequence set out in the rules.
Filing requirements by registry type
In an early resolution registry (the registries listed in Appendix 1 of the rules — currently 46 registries, as re-enacted by B.C. Reg. 17/2026), Rule 28(3) requires the replying party to first meet the early resolution requirements in Rule 11 — a needs assessment (Rule 16), a parenting education program (Rule 17), and at least one consensual dispute resolution session (Rule 18), unless the rules provide otherwise — and then file the reply and any required financial statement. A party served with an application in one of those registries faces the same preliminary steps as the applicant did.
In all other registries (parenting education program registries), the reply is filed under Rule 28(2) without the early resolution steps.
When a counter application needs additional documents
Rule 30(2) requires the additional documents described in Rule 25 to be filed with a counter application that is about:
- an existing order or agreement — a copy of the order or agreement;
- child support — a Form 4 Financial Statement, where the child support guidelines require income information, with the applicable documents described in Form 4;
- appointment as a guardian — the guardianship documents described in Rules 25(2) and 26; or
- spousal support — a Form 4 Financial Statement.
How Form 6 is organized
The official form (PFA 715, version 05/2026) consists of a four-page main reply and separate schedules. The main reply includes parts addressing:
- identification of the parties;
- whether the relationship information in the application is correct;
- whether the information about any children is correct, and an acknowledgment of the best-interests-of-the-child test in section 37 of the Family Law Act;
- existing orders, agreements or protective orders not provided with the application;
- the reply itself — for each family law matter in the application, options to agree, to disagree and ask for a different order, or to make a counter application about a matter not raised;
- initial requirements, a lawyer's statement where applicable, and an address for service.
For each matter on which the party disagrees or counter-applies, the form directs the party to a schedule. Which schedule applies depends on the position selected and on whether a final order or written agreement about that matter already exists.
How a filed reply reaches the other party
A reply is filed at the registry where the case is filed — electronically, in person, by mail or by the other methods the form instructions describe. The replying party does not personally serve it. In the rule's own words:
"The registry, within 21 days after a reply is filed under rule 28, must provide a copy of the following to the party who filed the application about the family law matter, as applicable: (a) the reply; (b) the counter application included with the reply; (c) all documents filed with the reply and counter application."
Replying to a counter application
Under Rule 34, a party replying to a counter application must file and serve, within 30 days after receiving the reply with counter application, a Reply to a Counter Application (Form 8) and, if applicable, a Financial Statement (Form 4).
What happens next
The form instructions state that a family management conference is usually the first appearance before the court on a family law matter (see Rules 36 to 38). The rules describe it as an informal, time-limited process in which a judge or family justice manager helps the parties identify issues, explores options for resolution, and may make case management, interim and consent orders.
Common preparation issues
The form instructions and rules address several recurring issues. Stated neutrally, they include:
- the 30-day period in Rule 28(4) runs from the date of service, and Rules 31 and 32 set out what may happen if no reply is filed within it;
- in an early resolution registry, the Rule 11 requirements must be met before the reply can be filed;
- omitting a Financial Statement (Form 4) where Rule 28(2)(b) or Rule 30(2) requires one;
- omitting a schedule that the form directs must be completed for a matter on which the party disagrees or counter-applies;
- a counter application is for a different family law matter not included in the application (Rule 30(1)) — disagreement with an order the other party applied for is addressed through the disagree option and its schedules, not a counter application;
- the reply is not personally served by the replying party — the registry provides it to the other party under Rule 33.
Replying to a support application? Form 4 is due with your reply.
RepMyself's free builder organizes your own income, expense, asset and debt information into the Provincial Court Form 4 layout — everything stays in your browser.
Start your Form 4 — freeFrequently asked questions
Does filing a reply cost anything?
The form instructions state there are no fees for filing Provincial Court family documents.
Can a reply ask for something new?
Yes. Rule 30 permits a counter application, made on the same Form 6, for an order about a different family law matter not included in the application.
Can a reply be changed after it is filed?
Yes. Rule 188 permits a party to change anything in a filed reply without a court order before the first family management conference, and at any time after that with a court order or the consent of the parties. The changed document must be marked as changed, show the additions and deletions, and be served (Rule 189).
Can a reply be withdrawn?
Yes. Rule 191 permits a party to discontinue all or part of a reply or a reply to a counter application by filing a Notice of Discontinuance (Form 50) and serving it within the timelines set out in that rule.
Can Form 6 be filed online?
Yes. The form instructions state that most family forms can be completed and filed electronically using the Family Law Act Online Forms Service, or filed in person, by mail, or by the other methods the instructions describe.
What happens if the 30 days pass without a reply?
Rules 31 and 32 describe the consequences: the party is not entitled to notice of the proceedings, orders may be made in the party's absence, and a judge or family justice manager retains a discretion to direct that the party receive notice and attend. The rules do not provide that the case ends or restarts.
If I already have a lawyer, can I still use RepMyself?
Yes. RepMyself can be used whether or not a person is represented. Organizing and entering your own financial information with the tool can reduce the time — and therefore the billable hours — a lawyer would otherwise spend assembling it. Anything prepared with the tool should be reviewed with your lawyer before it is sworn or filed.
Related guides
- Application About a Family Law Matter (Form 3)
- Form 4 Financial Statement: plain-language guide
- What is a financial statement in BC family law?
Official resources
- Provincial family court forms — gov.bc.ca/court-forms (Form 6 and guidebook, PFA 715)
- Family Law Act Online Forms Service
- Family Justice Services Division
Sources
- Provincial Court Family Rules, B.C. Reg. 120/2020, Rules 6, 11, 16–18, 25, 28–34, 36–38, 188, 189, 191, 192 and Appendix 1 (as amended, including B.C. Reg. 17/2026) — BC Laws. Quoted passages reproduce the rules as published (bracketed rule-title cross-references omitted).
- Reply to an Application About a Family Law Matter, Form 6 (PFA 715, version 05/2026), including form instructions — Government of British Columbia court forms.
- Family Law Act, S.B.C. 2011, c. 25, s. 37 (best interests of the child), as referenced on the form.
Last source review: August 2, 2026. Quotations are from the Provincial Court Family Rules as published on BC Laws; the rules and forms change — always confirm against the current versions before filing.