What is the deadline for bc response to civil claim?

A BC response to civil claim is normally due within 21 days after service in Canada, 35 days after service in the United States and 49 days after service elsewhere, unless the court orders otherwise.

Supreme Court Civil Rules, BC Reg 168/2009, rule 3-3Reviewed 7 August 2026

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Effective service of the notice of civil claim

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The period is defined by PLACE OF SERVICE, not by method of service - contrast New York, which keys some answer periods to the method of service. The obligation is to file AND serve within the period (r 3-3(1)), so a filed but unserved response does not comply. At 21 days the short-period rule in r 22-4(1) does not apply, so all days including Sundays and holidays are counted and only the endpoint moves under Interpretation Act s 25(3) and (4). Failure opens default judgment under r 3-8(1).

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21 days from Service of the notice of civil claim on the defendant

Supreme Court Civil Rules, BC Reg 168/2009, r 3-3(3)(a)(i)Binding

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Example input: 03/08/2026
Expected result: Monday 24 August 2026

The notice of civil claim was served in Canada on Monday 3 August 2026.

The calculator excludes the service day and applies the 21-day in-Canada period. The service location, not merely the service method, selects this branch.

How this deadline is counted

Period: 21, 35 or 49 days by place of service
Trigger: Effective service of the notice of civil claim
Direction: Forward from service
Counting method: BC Supreme Court time calculation in the current Canada calculator

Use the effective service date and check an order, consent, jurisdictional response or other pleading before relying on the date.

Supreme Court Civil Rules. Supreme Court Civil Rules, BC Reg 168/2009, rule 3-3. BC Supreme Court Civil Rules checked 07/08/2026

Exceptions and case facts

The response must be filed and served. A separate jurisdictional-response route can apply.
This page is for a notice of civil claim, not every BC Supreme Court proceeding.

Deadline Engine is calculation software, not legal advice. Check the current rule, any order and the facts before adding a date to your calendar.

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