British Columbia · Supreme Court

Responding to a notice of family claim: the Form F4 response.

In about 4 minutes, this page sets out the deadline for a response to family claim in BC Supreme Court, what the rules say happens if no response is filed, and the steps that follow: a counterclaim, the Form F8, and the list of documents.

The key steps and deadlines
  1. File a response to family claim in Form F4 and serve it on the claimant and the other respondents within 30 days after being served (Rule 4-3 (1)).
  2. A counterclaim in Form F5 has the same 30 days (Rule 4-4 (2)).
  3. A person who files no response is not entitled to notice of any part of the case (Rule 4-3 (2)).
  4. Where Rule 5-1 applies, a Form F8 is due within 30 days after service of the claim, or 60 days for a party residing outside Canada and the United States (Rule 5-1 (11) (b), (c)).
  5. A list of documents in Form F20 is served within 35 days after serving the response (Rule 9-1 (1) (b) (ii)).

Rules current to October 27, 2026 (Supreme Court Family Rules, B.C. Reg. 169/2009, as amended). Last reviewed November 2, 2026.

What this page does not do.

It describes what the Supreme Court Family Rules provide. It does not advise what to admit or deny, whether to bring a counterclaim, or what position to take. It is legal information, not legal advice, and it does not create a lawyer–client relationship.

On this page

  1. The 30-day deadline
  2. If no response is filed
  3. Claims of the respondent's own
  4. What follows a response
  5. Common problems, stated neutrally
  6. Questions people actually ask
  7. Where this comes from
Step one

1The response and its 30 days.

Supreme Court Family Rules, Rule 4-3 (1)

“To respond to a notice of family claim, a person must, within 30 days after being served, (a) file a response to family claim in Form F4, and (b) serve a copy of the filed response to family claim on the claimant and on the other persons named in the notice of family claim as respondents.”

Both steps sit inside the 30 days: filing the Form F4 at the registry, and serving a copy of the filed response. The period runs from the date the notice of family claim was served, not the date it was filed.

Form F4 here is not the Provincial Court Form 4.

In the Supreme Court, Form F4 is the Response to Family Claim, a pleading. In the Provincial Court, Form 4 is the Financial Statement. The Supreme Court financial statement is Form F8. Which financial statement applies →

Step two

2If no response is filed.

Supreme Court Family Rules, Rule 4-3 (2)

“A person served with a notice of family claim under Rule 4-1 (2) who does not file a response to family claim in accordance with subrule (1) of this rule is not entitled to receive notice of any part of the family law case including, without limitation, any court appearance, hearing, conference or trial.”

This provision removes the entitlement to notice. It is not itself a judgment, and this page does not describe what a claimant may then do or what a respondent in that position may apply for.

Filing a response also proves service: under Rule 6-6 (1) (a) (ii), service of a notice of family claim is proved by the person filing a response to family claim.

Step three

3Claims of the respondent's own: the counterclaim.

A response answers the claimant's claims. It does not make new ones. Rule 4-4 (1) provides that, in addition to filing a response, a respondent may bring claims against the claimant, including under the Divorce Act or the Family Law Act. Rule 4-4 (2) requires that counterclaim to be filed in Form F5 within 30 days after being served with the notice of family claim.

The counterclaim (Form F5) and the response to counterclaim (Form F6) →

Step four

4What follows a response.

  1. Rule 5-1 (11) (b), (c)Where the claim triggers Rule 5-1, a party responding to another party's claim files and serves a Form F8 within 30 days after service of the claim if they reside in Canada or the United States, or 60 days if they reside elsewhere, or another period the court orders.
  2. Rule 9-1 (1) (b) (ii)A person who files a response serves their list of documents (Form F20) on a party within 35 days after serving the response on that party.
  3. Rule 7-1 (1), (2)Any party may request a judicial case conference, and in the ordinary course one must be held before a notice of application or supporting affidavit is served.

The Form F8 has its own page, including the steps that apply when the other party asks for a judicial case conference: the Form F8 in a Supreme Court case →

Watch out for

Common problems, stated neutrally.

  1. Confusing Form F4 with Provincial Court Form 4: Supreme Court Form F4 is the Response to Family Claim; Provincial Court Form 4 is a financial statement.
  2. Filing but not serving: Rule 4-3 (1) requires both, within the 30 days.
  3. Counting from the wrong date: the 30 days in Rule 4-3 (1) run from the date of being served.
  4. Expecting the response to carry the respondent's own claims: Rule 4-4 (2) requires a counterclaim in Form F5.
  5. Overlooking the Form F8: Rule 5-1 (11) runs its own 30-day (or 60-day) period from service of the claim.
FAQ

Questions people actually ask.

How long do I have to respond to a notice of family claim in BC Supreme Court?

Rule 4-3 (1) of the Supreme Court Family Rules provides that to respond to a notice of family claim, a person must, within 30 days after being served, file a response to family claim in Form F4 and serve a copy of the filed response on the claimant and on the other persons named as respondents.

What happens if no response to family claim is filed?

Rule 4-3 (2) provides that a person served with a notice of family claim who does not file a response in accordance with Rule 4-3 (1) is not entitled to receive notice of any part of the family law case, including any court appearance, hearing, conference or trial.

Is Form F4 a financial statement?

No. In the BC Supreme Court, Form F4 is the Response to Family Claim. The Supreme Court financial statement is Form F8. The Provincial Court financial statement is Form 4, a different form under different rules.

Can a response include claims against the claimant?

A response answers the claims made. Rule 4-4 (1) allows a respondent to bring their own claims against the claimant, and Rule 4-4 (2) requires them to be filed in a counterclaim in Form F5 within 30 days after being served with the notice of family claim.

When is the list of documents due after a response?

Rule 9-1 (1) (b) (ii) provides that a person who files a response to family claim must serve their list of documents in Form F20 on a party within 35 days after serving the response on that party, unless all parties consent or the court orders otherwise.

Official sources

Where this comes from.

  1. Supreme Court Family Rules, B.C. Reg. 169/2009, consolidated (table of contents) — https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/169_2009_00
  2. Supreme Court Family Rules, Parts 1 to 9: Rules 4-3, 4-4, 5-1, 6-6, 7-1, 9-1 — https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/169_2009_01
  3. Supreme Court Family Rules, Appendix A: Form F4 Response to Family Claim, Form F5, Form F20 — https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/169_2009_04
  4. Province of British Columbia, Supreme Court Family Rules forms — https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/courthouse-services/documents-forms-records/court-forms/sup-family-forms

This page provides general legal and procedural information for British Columbia. It describes what the Supreme Court Family Rules provide. It does not advise what to admit, deny or claim. It is not legal advice. Rules and forms are amended; always confirm the current requirements against the Supreme Court Family Rules before acting. Rule text on this page was checked against B.C. Reg. 169/2009 as consolidated on BC Laws, current to October 27, 2026 (last amended October 1, 2026 by B.C. Reg. 105/2026). Last reviewed November 2, 2026.

Next step

Keep going.

Next: The counterclaim (Form F5) and its response (Form F6)

Where a respondent has claims of their own, Rule 4-4 sets how the counterclaim is filed and served, and how it is answered.

Read: The counterclaim (Form F5) and its response (Form F6) →

← Notice of family claim (Form F3) · Counterclaim (Form F5) and response (Form F6) →

The Supreme Court family process, in order

  1. How a BC Supreme Court family case works
  2. Notice of family claim (Form F3)
  3. Response to family claim (Form F4) (this page)
  4. Counterclaim (Form F5) and response (Form F6)
  5. Financial statement (Form F8)
  6. Judicial case conference (Form F19)
  7. Interim applications (Rule 10-6)
  8. Documents and examinations for discovery
  9. Settlement conference (Rule 7-2)
  10. Case planning conference (Part 7.1)
  11. Setting a family trial (Part 14)